JaCorian Duffield Continues to Turn Heads
By: Stacy Slayden
Updated: January 24, 2013
From winning a high school state championship, to one of only five freshmen to make nationals and now to the No. 9 high jumper in the country, Texas Tech sophomore JaCorian Duffield is making his way back to the National Championships, and this year, hes looking to be a top finisher.
He just has a tenacity and the ones that Ive had that have been good, they, they love competition they want to compete they dont care how high they jump they want to be the one that gets the top prize, said James Thomas, Texas Tech Track Vertical Jumps Coach.
It took the first indoor track meet for sophomore high jumper JaCorian Duffield to show just what hes been doing this offseason. After clearing a personal best indoor bar of 7, 1.50, he came away with first place and a No. 9 national ranking.
The thing that we spent all Fall working on and hes really committed to it, is running. He has an approach thats more aggressive, thats more consistent, said Thomas.
As a sophomore, I just think more technical, said Duffield, the bars will come if you think more technical about how youre jumping and how your approach is.
It never hurts to have tough competition everyday to help him get there. Fellow teammate and good friend, freshman Bradley Adkins has been jumping against Duffield since high school.
Its competitive man, we, like he said, were competitive when it comes to running 60s, 100s, jumping, said Adkins.
They both hate to lose to each other which is a great thing, said Wes Kittley, Texas Tech Track Head Coach, Theyve battled from high school, tied at the state championship. I think its really fun though to see those guys and they really push each other everyday and thats making both of them better.
Its early in his college career but the expectations have been set high, both by his coaches and by himself.
Definitely in the contention for top three, top two in nationals, said Duffield.
In the next month I really am going to be surprised if he doesnt jump 73 and give him an opportunity to make the National Championships, said Kittley.
He just has a tenacity and the ones that Ive had that have been good, they, they love competition they want to compete they dont care how high they jump they want to be the one that gets the top prize, said James Thomas, Texas Tech Track Vertical Jumps Coach.
It took the first indoor track meet for sophomore high jumper JaCorian Duffield to show just what hes been doing this offseason. After clearing a personal best indoor bar of 7, 1.50, he came away with first place and a No. 9 national ranking.
The thing that we spent all Fall working on and hes really committed to it, is running. He has an approach thats more aggressive, thats more consistent, said Thomas.
As a sophomore, I just think more technical, said Duffield, the bars will come if you think more technical about how youre jumping and how your approach is.
It never hurts to have tough competition everyday to help him get there. Fellow teammate and good friend, freshman Bradley Adkins has been jumping against Duffield since high school.
Its competitive man, we, like he said, were competitive when it comes to running 60s, 100s, jumping, said Adkins.
They both hate to lose to each other which is a great thing, said Wes Kittley, Texas Tech Track Head Coach, Theyve battled from high school, tied at the state championship. I think its really fun though to see those guys and they really push each other everyday and thats making both of them better.
Its early in his college career but the expectations have been set high, both by his coaches and by himself.
Definitely in the contention for top three, top two in nationals, said Duffield.
In the next month I really am going to be surprised if he doesnt jump 73 and give him an opportunity to make the National Championships, said Kittley.
