Raising the bar

Costa Mesa High senior Sharon Day set an Orange County record in the

high jump April 5 with a 6-2 jump at the Trabuco Hills Track and

Field Invitational and won first at the Arcadia Invitational on

Saturday. She tried 6-4 1/4, as well, in order to break the national

record, but it didn’t work out.

But Day now has her eyes set on higher heights and has been

invited to partake in other much larger track and field events. An

all-around athlete, Day also plays soccer and volleyball at the high

school and runs in several other events in track.

Wednesday, City Editor James Meier interviewed Day and her mother,

fellow high-jumper Yolanda Day, at their Costa Mesa home about her

record and the ones to come.

What attracted you to the high jump?

Well, my mom and dad and brother have all done so I thought I’d

just give it a shot in seventh-grade track.

And of all those family members, who’s the most successful?

Either my mom or day, in terms of being known in the United

States.

And who has jumped the highest?

My dad.

And how high?

Yolanda Day: He claims he jumped 7 feet, but I’ve seen him jump

6-8.

Questioning those extra four inches?

Yolanda Day: I haven’t seen him jump 7 feet, but he says he has.

You reached 6-2 on Saturday and your previous best was 5-11. Did

you expect to break the Orange County record on that particular day?

Sharon Day: No, not at all. I just went in on Saturday hoping to

jump well, not really having a height goal.

Was there any point before you jumped 6-2 that you thought you

could do it?

Yeah, after my jumps at 5-6 and 5-8, I felt really good. And also

my jump over 6 feet, I felt like I was getting really high, so I

thought I could do it.

And then you tried 6-4 1/4. This is probably my ignorance, but why

not 6-3 or 6-4 flat?

Because 6-4 is the national record, so 6-4 1/4 would beat it.

Yolanda Day: The more you jump, the more tired you become so go

for it.

How close do you think you were?

I’m not sure. When I was actually jumping, my jumps weren’t too

great.

What’s the next height for you? Is it 6-4 1/4?

We’ll see how I feel the next time I’m jumping.

So what has happened to you since breaking the Orange County

record? A lot of pats on the back from classmates? Any other extra

attention?

Yeah, everybody at school is saying congratulations and good job.

And some of my elementary school teachers saw the article and others

saw it too and said congratulations and sent cards.

Oh yeah, I got invited to the Goldenwest Invitational and the

Adidas Outdoor Championships in North Carolina. And that person also

said I could go to the Junior Nationals and then the Pan Am games in

June and July.

Wow. Are you ready for all of this?

I think so, if I keep jumping well.

So do you jump over family members and friends for practice at

all?

[Laughing] After the season was over last year, I jumped over a

couple of my friends, but they’re only about 5 feet tall.

Can you jump 5 feet routinely?

Yeah.

When does it stop becoming routine?

About 5-8, I think.

So I shouldn’t ask you to jump over me? Just in case.

[Laughing] No.

You obviously do well in the high jump, but you’re also in several

other events, including the 200 and 800 meters and the 1,600-meter

relay. Are there any others?

Usually the 400 is my primary running event, but this year, it’s

been the 200, and it probably will be the rest of the season.

Which do you prefer?

High jump.

Who do you look up to in terms of your track and field

inspiration?

I guess I’d have to say my parents. They’ve ran and jumped and

done well.

And it’s a safe answer with your mom right here.

Yolanda Day: [laughing] She didn’t have to say that.

What’s the highest you jumped?

Yolanda Day: I jumped 6-1 1/2.

So what advice do you have for her at this stage?

Yolanda Day: Just enjoy yourself. Have fun. When you run track and

field and you compete really well, you get to travel and see the

world. So it’s an opportunity she can’t pass up.

Out of the two sports, soccer and track, which do you want to take

further?

I haven’t really thought about it too much. I think it’d be easier

to take track further. But either way is fine by me.

Would you have thought that a week ago?

Yeah, I still feel the same.

Yolanda Day: How about a year ago?

What were you jumping a year ago?

At this time, 5-10.

Yolanda Day: She had more confident in her soccer than in her

track because she’s been playing soccer since about third grade and

just started track in seventh grade.

So how do you get better at the high jump? Do you keep practicing

or do you have to do a lot of muscle building?

I really don’t do any type of weight training. I do drills and

stuff like that. Like hurdle jumps and pop-up drills.

What are pop-up drills?

You run up the bleachers and then pop off your plant leg. Or like

popping off a box to do pop-up drills into the pit.

And even though in hurdles, you’re jumping forward, and in the

high jump, you’re jumping backward, it helps?

Yeah, it helps build your calves and leg strength. Also, sprint

work helps.