Redbank Valley Graduate Sam Hetrick Shining as a High Jumper at Penn State Behrend

ERIE, Pa. (EYT/D9) — It’s not easy being a track and field athlete in Erie.

Sam Hetrick found that out quickly.

Early in the outdoor season at Penn State Behrend, Hetrick finds himself high jumping in all sorts of difficult conditions.

Wind. Rain. Sleet. Snow.

Sometimes all within the same competition.

It’s not entirely new for the Redbank Valley graduate — after all, New Bethlehem can see some wild weather in April.

It’s just a little more extreme on the banks of Lake Erie.

“Outdoor, it seems like every single meet it drops down to freezing temperatures,” Hetrick said. “It’s like a winter sport.”

Hetrick isn’t foreign to tackling adversity, though. A little bad weather isn’t going to slow the second-year Behrend athlete down.

In high school, Hetrick carved out a standout career, especially in the high jump. His personal record at Redbank Valley was 6 feet, 7 inches. His only lament was his showings at the PIAA Track and Field Championships.

As a sophomore, he cleared 6-2 and placed seventh in Shippensburg.

Primed to do even better at the end of his junior year, Hetrick had a disappointing day at the state meet, clearing 6-2 again and failing to place.

That motivated him going into his senior year. Trouble was, his final high school season was yanked out from under him.

He didn’t get a chance for that redemption. The COVID-19 pandemic scuttled the spring sports season and Hetrick was left without an opportunity to cleanse the sour taste from the end of his junior year off his palate.

“I worked extremely hard in that offseason and I was ready,” Hetrick said. “But it got taken away.”

Heading into college, Hetrick said that disappointment lingered. He lost motivation and he was unsure if he’d ever get it back.

But when the outdoor season rolled around at Behrend — a shortened one because of COVID last spring — that fire returned.

“I got back to loving what I did,” he said.

Hetrick shined during the indoor season this winter. At Ashland, he cleared a career best 2.10 meters (6 feet, 10.75 inches) to win the gold at the Jud Logan Light Giver Open Collegiate Indoor.

He was fourth at the AARTFC Indoor Track and Field Championships at 2.02 meters (6-7.5).

Hetrick was then off to the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships. He placed fifth in the nation there at 2.03 meters (6-8).

“It was definitely great,” Hetrick said. “It was my first trip to nationals, so it was good to see what I need to do to in order to medal. Hopefully in outdoor I’ll get a chance to go again. I’ll have the first trip under my belt and I’ll be a little more calm and won’t be as nervous. Hopefully I’ll come out with a higher medal.”

Hetrick is well on his way. He’s off to a good start in his second outdoor season at Behrend.

Saturday was his first real test of the outdoor season and he passed. At The Dave Labor Invitational at Slippery Rock University, competing against a field full of Division II athletes, Hetrick won the gold in the high jump with an effort of 2.08 meters (6-9.75).

He’s not satisfied.

Hetrick has set some big goals for himself this spring.

“Any (personal record) would be great,” Hetrick said. “As far as a specific height, I kind of want to get to 2.14 meters, which would be about 7 feet. That would be my ultimate goal.”

To do that, Hetrick said he’s going to have to continue to get stronger.

A high jumper since he was 14, Hetrick has gotten better at the event each year thanks to his work in the weight room.

“Just from getting older and more mature, you’re bettering yourself,” Hetrick said. “But there’s also getting strong from lifting and everything. It’s just good to see that I am increasing, and I hope to keep doing that throughout my career.”

Hetrick said he believes his technique is sound.

“Everything in the air is about timing,” Hetrick said. “You just have to work on that. The technique and everything’s already there. It’s just about building strength.”

Hetrick is planning on staying at Behrend to complete his degree in civil engineering.

He had planned to attend Behrend for two years and then transfer to the main campus at Penn State University. He was going to try to join the track and field team in State College to see what he could do at the highest level. He decided, though, to remain at Behrend, a place that has become special to him.

And brave the cold and snow.

“Now I have my degree set for all four years at Behrend,” Hetrick said. “That is now the plan.”