By Kalena Reynolds | Staff Writer
Before the 2024 indoor season, Kennedale graduate jumper and sprinter Alexis Brown had never completed an entire competition season due to injuries and transfer rules. Fast-forward to the 2024 indoor and outdoor seasons, where Brown was named the 2024 Big 12 Women’s Performer of the Year, an outdoor and indoor NCAA All-American in the long jump event, 2024 NCAA Indoor All-American and the Big 12 Long Jump Champion.
Now fully healthy, Brown is ranked third in the world in the long jump.
While Brown has acquired a long list of accolades, in 2023 she sat out the entire outdoor season because she discovered an extra bone in her foot that was hindering her abilities and causing continuous injury. Brown decided to have the bone surgically removed and began a lengthy rehabilitation process.
“There were thoughts where I wanted to quit,” Brown said. “I remember I was just like, ‘Maybe I should just hang up the spikes and just focus on school,’ because I was graduating that May. So I was like, ‘Maybe I just graduate, get on with my life.’ But I really dug into my faith at that time, and God was telling me, you can’t give up now.”
During the recovery process, Brown said she utilized her free time to explore who she is and her identity while strengthening her relationship with Christ.
“I got to kind of figure out who I am, outside of track, and I think that was a big deal — just understanding my identity and how my identity was rooted in Christ at that time and not in my sport,” Brown said. “I think that gave me the confidence to keep going. I grew so much during that time, and I think I found a new love for track.”
Brown leaned on her coaches, training staff and teammates for support. She then identified new goals and priorities for her return to competition.
“So I was like, ‘My goal is to literally do a full indoor and full outdoor season, and if that happens, I’ll be happy,'” Brown said. “And it did happen, so definitely, I always have goals. I make vision boards for the meets, … I journal, and it was crazy because I was like, ‘This is the day I jumped 22 feet.’ And then I remember saying, ‘I will jump 22-3.’ And I jumped 22-3 exactly, which I was like, ‘That’s insane.'”
Brown said that she feels a large portion of her success is attributed to approaching practice every day as if it’s a meet. Throughout her journey, she has become a huge proponent for journaling and speaking desires into existence.
“I’m a very firm believer that if you speak it into existence, if you pray about it, God is going to give you what you need at that perfect timing,” Brown said. “So I have a vision board. I have goals for this year. That’s something I take pride in.”
Head Coach Michael Ford, who recruited Brown out of high school, was enthusiastic when she transferred from Florida to Baylor after the 2022-23 season. Ford said Brown integrated into his coaching program very well and utilized her confidence and determination to get to where she is now.
“She does everything, like, everything right, to be where she’s at right now,” Ford said. “So the performance she’s had between the jumps and the running doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s just because she comes to work every day with a smile on her face and determination to be the best athlete she can possibly be.”
While Brown has mastered her routine and outlook on her athletic evolution, she also shared advice for other athletes to persevere no matter the circumstances.
“Never give up on yourself and always bet on yourself,” Brown said. “There’s going to be times where you’re going to have the people who doubt you, the people who don’t think you can do it. But I’m always like, ‘Bet on yourself, trust in yourself, because at the end of the day, like you really only have yourself and the man upstairs.'”
Baylor track and field will be back in action on Friday and Saturday, participating in the Charlie Thomas Invitational at Fasken Indoor Track in College Station.
