By Julia Konesky | Reporter
During the final day of the Charlie Thomas Invitational at the Fasken Indoor Track in College Station, sophomore pole vaulter Molly Haywood became the first Baylor woman to clear 15 feet in indoor program history.
“I’ve been training so much over the last couple of months, so to actually see all that hard work come together was a really cool moment,” Haywood said.
Training during the offseason can be challenging for elite track and field athletes. The season begins in September and typically ends in late June. For those who qualify for USA championships or international meets, competition can extend through the following September, leaving little time for rest or individual training.
“Regarding training, a lot of people go short to long or long to short, but I’m kind of in the middle,” head coach Michael Ford said. “I think that you need to have speed and endurance, so making sure the team is really fit for the season [is important] since we’re one of the few sports that has a longer season.”
The dynamic of an athlete in each track and field event forces competitors to balance a team and individual approach.The team trains and travels together year-round, yet each athlete competes head-to-head in their events.
“They’ve done a great job this year encouraging one another, being there for each other at the meets, and sitting with each other,” Ford said. “But when it’s time to compete, they’re ready to go, and they just want the best for Baylor track and field.”
The Bears were in Lubbock on Saturday for the Jarvis Scott Open, where Haywood won the women’s pole vault after soaring 4.52 meters. Every time Haywood goes into a meet, she tries to maintain the same mentality to stay consistent.
“I just want to go out there and try and do what I do every week, not treat it like anything different than normal,” Haywood said. “So just trying to focus on the cues I’ve been working on in practice and just go execute what I’ve been working on.”
As Haywood continues to break program records early in her career, she has her sights set on a legacy beyond Baylor.
“I’d love to go pro with pole vault, so [I’m] trying to stay consistent with the upper heights so that I have the opportunity to potentially travel to different countries and go to bigger meets like the Olympics and Olympic Trials,” Haywood said.
Haywood will compete in the women’s pole vault at the Big 12 Indoor Championship on Feb. 28 at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock.
