State Track Feature: Jhaela Coleman races way to state meet in 100m
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Under 13 seconds of a straight dash to the finish line goes by in an instant, but it was the combination of a three-year high school career full of hard work, dedication and sacrifice to a sport that allowed junior Jhaela Coleman to compete on the biggest stage of her running career to date.
Coleman will be racing in the 100-meter dash this weekend at the Division II OHSAA State Track and Field Championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University.
For the McClain sprinter, her path to the state meet began not this season, but her freshman and sophomore seasons, where she was under a second away from qualifying for state.
Her sophomore season, Coleman was seventh at regionals with a 12.86 finish (fourth place was 12.55), and her freshman year in the 200m race, Coleman was seventh at regionals with a 26.66 finish, where fourth place had a time of 26.05.
Those close finishes from her past regional experiences made the third time the charm so to speak for the junior racer, finishing the '15 regionals with a third place-finish with a time of 12.99 in the race held at Muskingum University.
"It has been great to work with Jhaela this year," MHS girls track co-head coach Holly Fouch said, who also ran track for Hillsboro during her high school years. "She's tenacious. With Jhaela, she has all the talent in the world … we just worked on the mental side of the sport.
"We worked on her putting those blinders on in the 100 and just doing what Jhaela needs to do, and not worrying about what other girls are running. We focus on her running and her abilities."
After all of the close calls to make state, Coleman spoke about what it was like to achieve her goal this time around.
"Honestly, it feels great to make it to state," Coleman told The Highland County Press. "I like the new competition. I've pushed all winter to get where I am now, and I'm finally staying steady, so it is good.
"I've worked on my starts a lot this year and just digging. With the race itself, it is about my start and finishing to the very end. Those two parts of the race are huge."
[[In-content Ad]]Then the junior spoke of the moment she realized she was going to state.
"It was a huge relief," she said. "I knew I deserved that spot all the way … I worked hard to get there.”
Coleman began the sport in the seventh grade, but when she entered high school, she had to make a choice between track or softball … it seems like she made the correct choice.
"I used to play softball, but I can't play both, so I had to make a choice," she said. "If I could, I would play both, but I chose track because I'm in more control."
Racing at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium won't be the first time Coleman's been in the stadium or on that state-of-the-art track. During her freshman year, she went to a camp held at the stadium, plus she's been to the state event as a fan.
"I guess you can say I've ran on the track before," Coleman said with a laugh. "Running at state, though, is a huge honor. There is more I want to achieve, because you can always achieve more."
There is always a moment when an athlete realizes they have "it," and they are able to achieve the success they covet. Coleman's moment came at the district tournament held at Washington Senior High School, where she ran a 12.94 and was a district runner-up.
"I knew after running at districts I could hang in," she said. "The finish I had in that race made me realize I could do this."
One of the changes to the races Coleman ran this year was she participated in the 400m event, for the simple reason it helped her with her main race, the 100m dash.
"We kept telling her the 400 will make her stronger in the long run," Fouch said. "We kept telling her she might not see it now, and we know it hurts, but she's really been patient with us, learning what she can handle and adding to her workouts."
Coleman pointed out her co-head coaches Jones and Fouch were a big part of her improved times this season.
"They've put so much time and effort with me, dealing with me and pushing me, so it means a lot," the state qualifier said. "Having Coach Fouch here this season has been great because she can do most of the workouts with me. She teaches me to be much more confident in myself."
Coach Fouch spoke about the moment she realized Coleman qualified for state.
"It was a good feeling to see her qualify for state," Fouch said. "She was tired of making it to regional finals, and something inside her finally said ‘I can do this, and I want more.’
"I was also nervous because there was rain, and it was one of those things where it was all mental. It was who was going to be tough enough to place, and she was tough enough. Her performance made me proud … she buckled down and got the job done."
Coleman will be racing in the 100-meter dash this weekend at the Division II OHSAA State Track and Field Championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University.
For the McClain sprinter, her path to the state meet began not this season, but her freshman and sophomore seasons, where she was under a second away from qualifying for state.
Her sophomore season, Coleman was seventh at regionals with a 12.86 finish (fourth place was 12.55), and her freshman year in the 200m race, Coleman was seventh at regionals with a 26.66 finish, where fourth place had a time of 26.05.
Those close finishes from her past regional experiences made the third time the charm so to speak for the junior racer, finishing the '15 regionals with a third place-finish with a time of 12.99 in the race held at Muskingum University.
"It has been great to work with Jhaela this year," MHS girls track co-head coach Holly Fouch said, who also ran track for Hillsboro during her high school years. "She's tenacious. With Jhaela, she has all the talent in the world … we just worked on the mental side of the sport.
"We worked on her putting those blinders on in the 100 and just doing what Jhaela needs to do, and not worrying about what other girls are running. We focus on her running and her abilities."
After all of the close calls to make state, Coleman spoke about what it was like to achieve her goal this time around.
"Honestly, it feels great to make it to state," Coleman told The Highland County Press. "I like the new competition. I've pushed all winter to get where I am now, and I'm finally staying steady, so it is good.
"I've worked on my starts a lot this year and just digging. With the race itself, it is about my start and finishing to the very end. Those two parts of the race are huge."
[[In-content Ad]]Then the junior spoke of the moment she realized she was going to state.
"It was a huge relief," she said. "I knew I deserved that spot all the way … I worked hard to get there.”
Coleman began the sport in the seventh grade, but when she entered high school, she had to make a choice between track or softball … it seems like she made the correct choice.
"I used to play softball, but I can't play both, so I had to make a choice," she said. "If I could, I would play both, but I chose track because I'm in more control."
Racing at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium won't be the first time Coleman's been in the stadium or on that state-of-the-art track. During her freshman year, she went to a camp held at the stadium, plus she's been to the state event as a fan.
"I guess you can say I've ran on the track before," Coleman said with a laugh. "Running at state, though, is a huge honor. There is more I want to achieve, because you can always achieve more."
There is always a moment when an athlete realizes they have "it," and they are able to achieve the success they covet. Coleman's moment came at the district tournament held at Washington Senior High School, where she ran a 12.94 and was a district runner-up.
"I knew after running at districts I could hang in," she said. "The finish I had in that race made me realize I could do this."
One of the changes to the races Coleman ran this year was she participated in the 400m event, for the simple reason it helped her with her main race, the 100m dash.
"We kept telling her the 400 will make her stronger in the long run," Fouch said. "We kept telling her she might not see it now, and we know it hurts, but she's really been patient with us, learning what she can handle and adding to her workouts."
Coleman pointed out her co-head coaches Jones and Fouch were a big part of her improved times this season.
"They've put so much time and effort with me, dealing with me and pushing me, so it means a lot," the state qualifier said. "Having Coach Fouch here this season has been great because she can do most of the workouts with me. She teaches me to be much more confident in myself."
Coach Fouch spoke about the moment she realized Coleman qualified for state.
"It was a good feeling to see her qualify for state," Fouch said. "She was tired of making it to regional finals, and something inside her finally said ‘I can do this, and I want more.’
"I was also nervous because there was rain, and it was one of those things where it was all mental. It was who was going to be tough enough to place, and she was tough enough. Her performance made me proud … she buckled down and got the job done."