Feb. 19, 2015
CWU High Jumper Earns Weekly Conference Honors
After recording a season-best high jump of 5-8 at the University of Washington Open Sunday, senior Tayler Fettig, from Olympia, has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) female field athlete of the week for Women's Track and Field.
The jump was good enough for Fettig to take second at the meet and allowed her to improve her national qualifying jump, moving up all the way to eighth nationally on the national Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRSS) performance list.
It also helped her overcome a frustrating indoor campaign. Fettig has been battling quadriceps and hamstring strains, a slight bone bruise and patella tendonitis, all in her right, plant, leg.
"I'm not going to lie—it really was frustrating trying to get that mark but I gave it all to God. It's what I always do," Fettig acknowledged. "I've slowly progressed and I've done the best that I could, not only make myself proud, but also my team and in representing Central."
Kevin Adkisson, CWU head track and field coach, added, "In the previous few meets, she's been hitting the provisional [mark] but it was low. It wasn't in the "safe zone" or anywhere near her best. It's nice to see that she now has some breathing room [in qualifying for the NCAA Division II national championships]."
But, before she goes to nationals, Fettig, and her Wildcat teammates, will next participate in the 2015 GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday and Saturday, at the Jackson's Indoor Track in Nampa, Idaho, where she will go for conference titles in the high jump, long jump and the five-event women's pentathlon.
"I believe that I can go higher [in the high jump] and I will," Fettig predicted. "I want to be able to push myself to be the best that I can be. Every and every day I'm going to work my hardest to get where I want to be."
That includes meeting a personal goal of clearing 6-0 in the high jump during her final indoor season.
Adkisson is also looking for Fettig to help the Wildcats to individual and team success at the conference meet.
"She's done a good job, and what we looked for in terms of being a consistent, day-to-day hard worker and leading by example," he added. "And she'll get out there and say things to rally the troops, you would say. She encourages people [at practice] when she can. At meets, she does a good job of that too. She'll encourage and cheer on the people she sees competing. That's always good to see from your top athletes."
A physical and health education major, Fettig is preparing for a career as a high school PE teacher and track and field coach.
"My biggest dream is to open up my own gym and be a personal trainer on the side," she adds.
Such a dream is just another bar for her to clear.