By Brendan Weissel
Sports Reporter
Over the past three years, Danny Collins has been consistently scoring points for the South Indoor Track and Track & Field teams in the high jump event. This past spring season, Collins won the high jump in every dual meet and was a key contributor to the 4X400m. After suffering a collapsed lung in practice, Collins bounced back only one week later and won the DCL championship meet, jumping 6’4”. Since that meet, he finished 2nd at D1 east state meet, jumping 6’6”, finished second in the all state meet, jumping 6’8”, a new PR and school record which had been previously held by Collins himself at 6’7”. After jumping 6’8”, Collins has now qualified for the New Balance Nationals Championship meet held later this month. Denebola had the opportunity to sit down with Collins and discuss the secrets to his success.
When did you start high jump?
“I started high jumping in Middle School in 6th grade. My first two years in six and seventh grade, I sort of did it as a joke and was just trying to have fun with it, but I started getting serious about it in eighth grade and it carried on through high school.”
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced athletically?
“The biggest challenge I’ve faced athletically is most of the guys I’m competing against have way higher verticals than I do, so I’ve really had to work hard on my technique to be able to compete with them. They’re like freaks of nature who I’m up against, and I have to compete well against them.”
What is your biggest accomplishment?
“This past weekend I jumped 6’8 (2.03m), and I got 2nd and it was a big PR.”
What is your goal for nationals?
“My goal for Nationals was to jump 6’8 and do well in Emerging Elite, but because I jumped 6’8 when I qualified for the championship meet, my goal now is to have fun and get a cool backpack.”
What is your goal by the time you graduate?
“For senior year, my goal is to hopefully continue to be consistent, have fun, hopefully clear 6’10, get some good jumps at 7 feet, and go for the state record.”
What motivates you?
“The team, because during some of the meets, after the meets over when I’m still jumping the whole team comes around and encourages me to keep jumping and keep pushing forward. The coach and the team definitely motivate me for high jump.”
What do you have to continue to do to PR?
“To continue, I definitely have to keep a good mindset going. For the physical aspect of it, I can still improve my vertical, definitely be more flexible and can continue to work on my technique. I can also work on the mental aspect of it, many people don’t realize how much of mental sport high jump and track are. I definitely can improve on a lot of things for next year.”
Do you hope to run during the Indoor and Outdoor season next year?
“Yes, it is a little more challenging during indoor because high jump goes so late, but during outdoor I was able to run in the 4X400m before my lung collapsed, so that kind of stopped, but next year I plan to be in the 4X400m again.”
Do you plan on continuing your track career after South?
“Yes, the hope right now is that I can compete in college, so that is the goal right now.”
