STAYING GROUNDED: Despite His Penchant for Soaring, Union/A-C Valley’s Hayden Smith Practicing Patience as a Senior in High Jump

RIMERSBURG, Pa. (EYT/D9) — The thought of competing in the high jump during the indoor track and field season didn’t even cross the mind of Hayden Smith.

Until this winter.

Not surprising. Smith, a senior at Union, knew his school didn’t have an indoor team. Neither did Union/A-C Valley, the co-op that is in place during the outdoor campaign.

But when he discovered, thanks to Clarion junior thrower Brenna Armstrong, that he could test himself with the Clarion Comets indoor track and field club, he leapt at the chance.

Literally.

And the results were striking.

A PTFCA state championship with a career-best jump of 6 feet, 11 inches. An Adidas Track Nationals title to boot. Undefeated in the five meets in which he competed.

It was all worth it. And Smith was recognized for it on Tuesday when he was named PA MileSplit Indoor Field Athlete of the Year.

“I’m so grateful that I figured out that there was indoor meets,” Smith said. “Going into outdoor season, I’m already so much ahead of the game compared to all the other years that I’ve been jumping. But the field athlete of the year? I didn’t even know that was a thing. I was like, ‘Wow,’ when it hit me. Wow.”

Smith is a three-time PIAA Class 2A champion in the high jump and has collected quite a few accolades over the years because of his success in the event.

He wants much more.

That 7-foot mark still sits atop his list of goals. He’s also chasing the overall state record in the high jump — a mark that has been on the books since 1985.

Indoor season may just have put him on a better path to do all of those things.

The extra reps and meets gave Smith invaluable time to work on his craft — and dabble with a new takeoff point that he and Union/A-C Valley jumping coach Dave Sherman hopes will help him get over the bar at those heights above seven feet.

“We moved my takeoff spot about an arm length and a half from the bar,” Smith said. “So, we’re back a ways. We’re going to have to pick up more speed into the bar, but it’s going well.”

On the spur of the moment on Tuesday, between the bouts of rain, Smith gave that new approach an impromptu run through.

The results were very encouraging.

“He jumped last night. He said, ‘I feel pretty good.’ So I said, ‘Take a couple of jumps. We’re stuck inside,’” Sherman said. “He had a sweatshirt on and sweatpants. He took the sweatshirt off and went over 6-4 by four or five inches. He’s getting the feel for it.”

Smith, grinning, said he felt as if he was gliding over the bar. Sherman said that’s what it is supposed to feel like.

“He’s picking it up fast,” Sherman said. “Once the weather gets better and he gets back into some competition, he’s going to do well.”

Well is a relative term for Smith, who has sky-high aspirations.

Like that chase for the Pennsylvania record in all classes.

That mark is 7-2½, set by Tyrone Smith of Plymouth Whitemarsh about the time the first Back to the Future movie hit theaters.

Sherman and Smith both believe that is well within his grasp.

Smith had those same goals last season, but he was battling an ankle injury — a leftover from basketball — for most of the spring.

Smith dismissed it at the time, but now admits it affected him more than he thought.

“That ankle injury, I really do feel like it played a part on my junior year,” he said.

This winter, though, he made it through both basketball and indoor track and field unscathed.

He’s stronger physically than he’s ever been.

And mentally, too.

Smith has battled anxiety throughout his life. It was sometimes debilitating and caused him to leave the basketball team at Union as a sophomore.

Since then, he’s learned many ways to cope and has his anxiety largely under control.

The high jump and basketball has certainly helped with that as well.

That was why he was determined to play his senior year on the basketball court, despite the risk of injury hampering his season in the high jump.

“I just did my presentation (for school) yesterday and I was telling them about my anxiety and how much it has gradually gotten better over the years,” Smith said. “Sports was a big part of allowing me to finally break out of my shell. I never liked to talk about it. To this day still, if I have a panic attack, I don’t really like to talk about it. But I realize sometimes that’s what you need. You need to talk to somebody.

“The high jump,” he added, “It keeps my mindset straight.”

There certainly isn’t anything wrong with Smith’s mindset these days.

Coming off his stellar indoor season, Smith is still taking a measured approach to the outdoor campaign.

He said he won’t fall into the trap of looking too far ahead or trying to do too much, too soon.

“Patience is the key,” Smith said. “Confidence is key. Timing is key. Have to stay patient, for sure.”

That’s not always easy. It’s tough to stay grounded, especially for an athlete like Smith who leaves it with so much ease.

“It’s difficult. They’ll be days when you’re feeling really good, but you don’t get that number you want,” Smith said. “But you have to be patient and know it will come eventually.”