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<strong>Colorado's Class of 2014 makes their decisions...</strong></p>
Jordan Hatfield completed an undefeated outdoor season last spring with a 5A state championship. Contributed photo.
Jordan Hatfield's best marks:
2011 pole vault - 11-5.75
2012 pole vault - 14-0
2013 pole vautl - 16-0
Jordan, first tell us a little about what made Duke stand out as the option of choice among all the options you had before you.
My choice of Duke was the result of a very long and exhausting month filled with recruiting trips every weekend. My experience at Duke stood out above the rest almost immediately, as soon as I stepped on the campus and began to get a feeling for the school, it clicked. The campus is absolutely gorgeous and the amenities, academic and athletic, are amazing and very modern. I was very impressed with Coach Wilbourn and how he treats his athletes in a way that fosters an incredible sense of community and camaraderie. I think the final decision ultimately came down to the balance offered, athletically and academically, it is truly the best of both worlds. I will be treated like and training as a D1 athlete at an ACC powerhouse while also receiving an education from one of the top universities in the country.
What do you anticipate your field of study at Duke will be?
I’m still working out exactly what I want to study. I am interested in economics and public policy and possibly pursuing law school. On the other hand I did a lot of volunteer hours at Children’s Hospital and it has made pre-med a very tempting option as well. Either way, I plan to pursue some form of graduate studies eventually.
You went from 12-6 as a freshman, to 14-0 as a sophomore, and to 16-0 as a junior. That's a pretty remarkable progression. Tell us a little of the back story that produces that kind of progression.
My progression has been possible with amazing coaches and a lot of dedication. I’ve made pole vault into a year round sport since I started. When you’re training for four seasons instead of only in the spring there’s a lot of room for improvement in technique, power and confidence. I’ve also had the opportunity to be coached by a phenomenal staff between Regis and Above the Bar Track Club. During the spring I can practice with Coach Cook at Regis everyday and start to see everything I have been working on over the course of the rest of the year come together. Ultimately, I would say the countless summer and winter hours I've spent with Coach Manson, Carmony, and Brunsdale up at ATB really has fueled my spring season success and been the driving force of my progression.
It appears that you went undefeated in the CHSAA season last spring. Did you start to feel the pressure of that before the season was over or was that something you could put out of your mind on meet day?
I go into every single meet with the mindset that I want to have fun first and focus on bettering myself second. So I wouldn’t say I felt any pressure to continue an undefeated season because that was not my goal. If I only focused on winning the sport would feel too much like a job instead of something I do because I love it. Having an undefeated season was a byproduct of luck and a drive to be the best that I could be and living up to that potential. I was prepared in the off seasons and lucky enough to not have any no heights or bad meets during the season.
If you had to name a single best highlight from your high school career, what would that highlight be?
Without a doubt it was my 16’ day. That was a mark I set for myself before the season started and I ended up taking quite a few attempts at it throughout the spring. It was a great day and the last meet before state and everything just clicked that day. I remember being around a lot of great supportive friends I’d been with throughout the season who went just as crazy as I did after clearing the bar, it was an amazing experience to say the least.
As you think about the competition in Colorado right now, what's your best guess of what height it will take to win state this spring?
Competition is going to be ramped up this year without a doubt. I expect we’ll have at least three guys over 15’ in 5A this season. That being said, anywhere from 15’ to, hopefully, 17-4 should take the title. I’m very excited to see what happens.
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For those wondering about the reference to 17-4, that is what it would take to beat the 5A state meet record. It's a record that has stood since 1986. It's out there as records go, but if nobody dreams about it, nobody is ever going to take it down.