There are no shortages of rivalries in track and field, but when your own coach holds a school record you’re vying for, there’s an additional level of friendly banter.
For Eagle Grove junior Addy Jeske and coach/mentor Jarika Beecher, iron has been sharpening iron all season long. Coach Beecher graduated from EGHS in 2017, holds the current long jump school record at 17’3”, and has taught Jeske a thing or two about how to excel in the field event.
“I love my coaches,” Jeske exclaimed with a smile. “I have a really awesome long jump coach in Jarika. Having her as a coach means there’s a lot of competition.”
Learning from the best has helped Jeske become the best long jumper in the Top of Iowa-West Conference. On May 2nd in Belmond, she won the title by over a foot after placing second as a freshman and sophomore.
“It felt really fulfilling,” said Jeske when asked about the winning jump. “You can always have an off day. I’m just glad that I could pull through and get first.”
Although winning conference is an incredible achievement, it wasn’t Jeske’s end goal. Going into last Thursday’s District Meet in Story City, she knew she would have to finish in the top two for an automatic bid and return to “The Blue Oval”.
Addy said her mindset was to “stay in the moment.”
With Coach Beecher there to watch the moment unfold, Jeske soared to a distance she’d never reached before. Her jump of 16’10.75 gave her a 2nd place finish and her third consecutive State Track berth.
With a whole season of jumps ahead of her and an eagerness to improve and learn, there’s no telling what this Eagle could do next.
