Simply DeVaughn - An Interview

Personal Records:

100m - 12.22

200m - 25.79

400m - 59.22

Long Jump - 16-11.75

Class AA State 2017 - 100m (5th)

Class AA State 2016 - 100m (11th)

What other sports do you play?  How many letters do you have in each sport?

I have been playing soccer since I was 5 years old.  Currently I am a captain of the Washburn soccer team, and also for my traveling team (Minneapolis United Inferno). I played basketball for 9 years until I quit to be part of the Spotlight musicals at Washburn I currently have 6 letters (3 in track and 3 in soccer).

Who are your coaches?  Please name them and tell what they do for you and how what they do helps you?

The head track coach is CG Johnson. Along with managing the whole track program, CG helped me with nutrition, recovery and cheering my name as I made my way down the straightaway.

Greg Kimbrough and Logan Hovie co-coached the sprints program. The combination of Coach Greg's experience and wisdom as both a fitness trainer and former athlete along with Coach Logan's young energy and experience as a collegiate athlete definitely provided me with a broad range of techniques and suggestions. Coach Greg helped me nail down my starts out of the blocks and knew every single area for improvement including areas that I didn't even know existed! Coach Logan led workouts and recovery days, sending me home if he noticed I was burned out from a long soccer weekend. The two of them manage the books pretty well; they can recall my time, the wind, my reaction to the gun, the angle I came out of the blocks, where I started to die and just about anything else you can think of about my race. Most times they know my races better than I do!

Robert Tesch-Stevson and Ed Stewart were my jumping coaches. These guys are the perfect pair, each standing on one side of the runway, reminding me to drive my knee up, and to hold it as long as I can in the air. This dynamic duo not only helped me improve in the long jump pit, but helped run workouts as well as relay handoffs. As my only returning coaches, these two were my rock for the season, always cheering me up after a bad race and celebrating with me after a great one!

I noticed that you have made it to state twice in the 100 meter dash.  You were all-state this year because of your fifth place finish.  What has been the key to your improvements in speed?  What is your favorite event?  Why?

I think the majority of my improvements came from repetition in the blocks. I didn't run a lot of open events until the end of my sophomore season and was a newbie when it came to using blocks. This season I was able to compete in a lot more open events and get used to coming out of blocks. I think most of my improvements came here.

In addition, a more intense soccer schedule meant that I came into this season more fit than usual. This gave me a head start on my track conditioning. My favorite event is the 4x100.  It is fast, intense and genuinely fun! I love watching teams turn the final corner after the stagger is made up and everyone is on the edge of their seats trying to determine who will win.

I also love being part of a relay team in general! The energy and adrenaline I get when I see my teammate sprinting towards me, giving it everything they've got, inspires me to do my best not only for me but for my team. I love the feeling when your relay team finally clicks and you have that special connection. You have complete confidence they will get that baton to you. I love when the relay is over and you all meet in the middle of the infield out of breath (and usually a little dizzy) and share a big group hug; this is one of the best feelings in the world. You may not have had your best race, but knowing that your teammates did makes you just as proud!

You were the Minneapolis City Champion in the long jump at 16-10.25 then at the section meet you finished in 11^th place at 16-1.75.  Why is the section meet so tough in the long jump?  What do you need to work on to be good enough to make it to the state meet in that event next year?

There are so many great jumpers in our section that I knew I definitely had to PR if I wanted to make it state. Unfortunately after three soccer games the weekend before, my legs were not up to the task and I was unable to PR this meet. Next year, I hope to come in a little more rested for the section meet. I plan on learning a new jumping technique that will hopefully help me improve my time in the air.

Which opponents do you have the most intense rivalry with?  What is your relationship like with them?  Please name some of your favorite opponents or ones you know best.

Our biggest rivalry is with Minneapolis Southwest. It always feels good to beat Southwest, especially at Conference. They will forever be our arch-enemies.  However, our relationship definitely switches post-season. For conference we go head-to-head but at sections we're on the same team. City kids got to look out for other city kids, especially when going against the big dogs like Wayzata, Edina and Minnetonka. While it hurts me on the inside, I often find myself cheering just as loud for Southwest at the Section meet

How do your parents help you?  What is the most important thing they do for you? Were they athletic?  What about brothers and sisters?

My parents are super supportive. If they're not in the stands, they're looking at live updates for my races. Since I'm the "only child" (with both older siblings not living at home) I get all their love. Both were athletic in their youth. My mom played sports all through high school and enjoyed intramurals in college while my dad was a collegiate track athlete at Brown University class of 1986. My siblings ran track, played soccer and played basketball in high school. My brother went on to long jump for the University of Portland class of 2016.

What are your goals?  What do you need to work on to achieve them?

My goals are to improve my start even more. I know that if I want to take any more time off, the biggest gains are going to be from that start. In addition, I really want to break 17' in the long jump next season. After jumping 16'10 1/4" last season and 16'11 ¾ the season before, I really need to break 17.

Do your coaches video your competitions?  What have you been able to learn from that process?

I watch my starts as well as my long jump attempts. These have both been super helpful. For my starts, I can better understand the angle I'm coming out of since I'm seeing it from a different perspective.  For long jump, I can see the technique of my penultimate step and my drive phase.

Sprinters and jumpers have to know a lot of techniques.  Where are you getting that knowledge from?  What is the single most important thing you have learned in the last year in regards to improving your track & field?

I learned almost all of these techniques from my coaches. Each one has a unique experience with track and together they provide me with a large variety of techniques that are effective in helping me improve as an athlete.

The single most important thing I learned in the last year came from my long jump coach Ed. "Technique outweighs tired legs." If I complained about being sore or exhausted, coach Ed would remind me that it didn't matter because technique would carry me through. This was not only a lesson on the importance of technique in both practice and meets but a lesson on mental strength. I learned my body could take a lot more than I thought, once I overcame the mental battle. 

What unique things do your teammates do to make practices and meets fun?

We laugh a lot.  We crack a lot of jokes, but get serious when it's time for business. I think this helps us stay loose at meets and not overthink everything. It allows us to

bond off the track which later translates to a better team dynamic on the track. I know I can trust my team with anything and they aren't afraid to laugh at me when I do something dumb.

In addition to sports do you have activities in the arts or academics?  Do you belong to any clubs or have a job? Perhaps you have any interesting summer job or play musical instruments?  Do you sing or dance?

Off the field, I am usually in the classroom or on stage. After determining that I could not be like Troy Bolton and do both theater and basketball in high school, I decided to hang up the basketball shoes and pick up a microphone. I've performed in the Spotlight Musical every year I've been at Washburn. I was a part of In the Heights, Legally Blonde and Into the Woods. I also enjoy making art. I play the piano and ukulele and like to sing along. I'm also a member of National Honors Society and the Youth Council at my church.

What about college?

I have verbally committed to play soccer at Brown University.