(Photo provided by Lexy Berger)
First of all, how did you first doing track?
When I first started track, I think I was in 5th grade. I got into it because my neighbor thought I was really fast, and so my parents thought I should try it. I did RAAA through 6th grade where I basically tried everything, and in all honesty, I wasn't even good at high jump, I really liked hurdles and 200 meter.
What are all your personal records?
So as of now I do high jump and pole vault, in high jump my best is 5 feet 7 inches and my best for pole vault is 11 feet 6 inches (I got it when I competed at Brits Pub Vault last September).
What made you stop doing hurdles and 200s? Did you just want to focus on vault and jumps?
So I had to stop hurdling because during one of the RAAA races I landed wrong coming over the hurdle and hurt my Achilles tendon, which sent a lot of pain into my heals. So as much as I want to hurdle, I can't. I want to run the 200 meter still, but jumps have become my priority in track. But I hope that this year I will get back into running.
Do you do, or have you done, any other sports?
I also do gymnastics, I have been a gymnast most my life, for the past ten years, before that I did dance and soccer, but I quit both for gymnastics because doing summersaults was more fun than running around in my opinion.
What is your favorite or most memorable competition you've ever been in?
My most memorable competition was two years ago. It was True Team, and I got a new PR (5'2" at the time). It was the first time I won high jump, and I didn't even realize it until one of the boys coach came up to me and said, "Congratulations." I thought he was just congratulating for me for getting a new PR (because we never had talked before), but as I was leaving that night I looked on the posted sheets and saw that I had won. It was a great feeling because I was only in 8th grade at the time. My favorite competition wasn't actually during the high school season; it was last September. It was the Brits Pub Vault, which is at Brits Pub in Minneapolis. The meet was only pole vault, and it was on the roof so as you can imagine it was pretty sweet. That's also where I got my current PR, so that was pretty cool too.
When did you come to realize you had a real ability for the high jump if it didn't happen right away?
I realized last year actually when I started to win more meets, and especially at Sections when I won both high jump and pole vault. It was a great feeling. Also at our track banquet last season, the team votes for JV MVP, varsity MVP, Irish award (which is basically the person with the most team leadership and positivity), etc. But last year my team voted me most valuable, and that really meant a lot to me. I didn't expect it because I love track and I have so much fun with it that I forget about the prizes and medals and awards that come with it. I just like the feeling of getting new PRs.
Other than your own talented teammates, who are some of your favorite athletes to compete against?
Some of my favorite competitors would be the girls from Prior Lake. They are all so good, and watching them high jump is so fun. They really drive me to be better from knowing how good they are.
(Photo provided by Lexy Berger)
What are your main goals for this upcoming season?
This year my goal is to try and get some new PRs, as always. Also, I am going for my school record in pole vault. Currently, it is 12 feet and I'm hoping that this year I can break it.
Do you have any college plans/hopes/dreams yet?
My future goals/ hopes would be to get a scholarship. I really want to go to the University of Oregon or the University of Washington. I hope that maybe there I can continue my jumping a little longer.
You're obviously a sophomore and have three seasons until you graduate from high school. Already being an accomplished athlete, what are you most looking forward to in track these next three years?
In these next three years I hope to personally try to get better however I can. I also look forward to watching my teammates get better. I love when my teammates get new PRs because the look on their face as they see the bar still up is priceless and I get so excited for them too! It's great. Also I want to help my teammates with new drills and exercises to help them get better.
Do you have any rituals, routines, or superstitions either on or off the track?
I don't really have any special routine that I go through, but a habit I usually do before I go to jump is that I look straight at the bar once (because I won't look at it again before I go) and I tell myself to trust it. Whatever happens, happens. Stay positive, this won't be the end. Just go... and then I go.
When not flying over bars set to precarious heights (or training to do so), what might we find you doing?
In my free time, I love to play with my dog! She is a black lab and her name is Jasmine. She usually is at all my meets (they have to be outdoors for her to come). Also, I love all my friends, I love hanging out with them. We have the weirdest inside jokes, and in school we have these looks we give each other, and it's like we can have a whole conversation without even saying a word... it's great. I also enjoy going to the river with my family. We fish and go tubing and knee boarding... my brother and I have gotten pretty good to say the least, which fuels some competition. Another thing is going up north; we usually rent a cabin and go up for a week with Jazz. I absolutely love the smell of pine trees while I sit in the sand on a lake somewhere; it's my all-time favorite thing ever.
Tell me one bizarre fact about yourself.
I guess the most bizarre thing about me would be the fact that my best friend Sidney and I refer to ourselves as Russian twins. Neither of us are Russian, but we're both blonde and one day 2 years ago she came up with it and it stuck, so that's what we call ourselves. Also I like to paint my dog's nails pink.
What inspired you to paint Jasmine's nails?
I started painting Jasmine's nails about a year ago. It was summer and we were in my room after practice and I was painting mine and she was just lying next to me and I just randomly started painting hers too. She just laid there and slept while I painted them, and she didn't lick them or anything so I think she liked them. She is black so any color on her nails stands out. Lots of people comment on her nails after I do them; they think it's funny (which it kinda is). My favorite color to paint them is pink because it bugs my dad the most, and since she's a girl, I assume she likes pink.