When most people attempt to do something new for the first time; whether it be playing an instrument, learning to surf, running a marathon, or jumping over a bar that stands anywhere from four to five and a half feet tall, they generally are not very adept at it. It takes time to master the skill. One must practice the technique often and be well coached enough to someday be able to compete with those who have years of experience. Unless, of course, you are someone like Sophomore athlete Hillary Hall. In that case, the theory does not completely apply.
During her freshman year of high school Hillary saw a friend of hers showing off to some of her male peers with her high jumping skills. Unimpressed and undaunted, Hillary, who had never even attempted the high jump event, decided to give it a go during a track meet. “I didn’t really know anything about it,” Hillary says. “I didn’t know (the technicalities of) how to jump or anything.” You’d think that Hillary would be setting herself up for a humiliating, or even worse, injury-bound disaster. Hillary, however, sought to show people otherwise. The result? A successful 4’10” jump that would eventually qualify her for the state championship meet. Not too shabby for a rookie.
Now, six years later, with confidence and experience under her belt, Hillary is effectively competing in the high jump event for the Huskies Indoor track team. She has been named the LEC Field Athlete of the Week and has jumped a personal best 5’2 1/4″ at the 40th Annual Dartmouth College Relays. She has also qualified for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championships in March, and improved her New England Division III Championships qualification mark by eight centimeters.
With such success, one cant help but wonder, what’s her high jumping secret?
“I always have oatmeal on the day of a meet. Two packs.” Hillary states. “I have to have the packet ones. Also, I still have the same blanket that I had in high school that I sit on at the meets. Its like my zone,” she explains in a tone that makes us both laugh. “Sometimes, I get really upset when people try and sit on it. Its like a, ‘I know it’s comfy, but please back off kind of thing’,” Hillary jokes. Like most athletes, Hillary is a bit superstitious. Before each jump she has a specific routine that must be performed, similar to a basketball player going throw their own motions before shooting a free throw. “I have to have that little warm-up routine. I go down, keep my back foot stretched, lean back, focus intently on the jump, and then I just go,” she explains. I suggest that such a routine helps to set her apart from the other jumpers; a definitive and confident swagger to keep her on top of her mental game for each and every jump. “Yes. Exactly,” she grinningly agrees.
Behind Hillary’s vivacious smile and exceptional sense of humor, there lies a determined competitor with a strong will to win. “I want to get the school record,” she states in a more authoritative manner. “Very bad.” Her sights are anything by far. She came up just 2 inches short during the meet at Dartmouth and she has previously jumped 5’4 1/4″ twice during her career at Medomak Valley High.
With a good chunk of the season left and precious time on her side, it seems that the young athlete has an extremely good chance of reaching her paramount goal. As far as preparation is concerned, “I’m eating my two packets of oatmeal before every meet and keeping my ‘Zone Blanket’ by my side,” She says, breaking into a laugh. A little humor is always helpful in easing a big pressure, luckily, Hillary has plenty of it.