Cole sprinting toward Medford records

After a 2021 track and field season that saw Medford’s Jackie Cole execute a school-record long jump of 17 feet and six inches while also taking ninth place at the MSHSL state meet, the now sophomore has even bigger plans for what is to come in 2022.
While Cole holds the school record in the long jump, she is currently in second place for the school record in the 100 and 200-meter races, and she is eyeing not only the school record books but a return trip to the state meet as well.
“I’ve been training all off-season with my coach, and I’m feeling pretty confident that I’ll be able to accomplish the goals I set for myself this season. Obviously, the breaking records would be great, but I’m more concerned with winning my races and showing off my hard work,” said Cole.
When it comes to competition, Cole credits her days in elementary school for sparking the flame that is her passion for track and field.
Cole recalls competing in her elementary school’s “track and field” days and the rush of winning that came from racing her classmates and winning.
According to Cole, her parents also inspired her to give track and field a chance after she initially had dreams of being a top-tier athlete in another sport— gymnastics.
“I did gymnastics for a long time, and I felt that if I tried track and field, I might be good at it because of the muscle and strength that I had developed from gymnastics. My parents always told me that I should give it a try, and my mom was a track athlete, so I felt that I might have the right genes for it.”
Since choosing to focus on track and field, Cole said she has switched her sights from her old dreams of competing for Louisiana State University’s (LSU) gymnastics team, and has her eye set on a new destination— Arizona.
“I have my mind set on Arizona State University, so I’m really hoping to go there. Hopefully, I can get the attention of some scouts over the course of the next few seasons… I just really have my heart set on being a Sun Devil.”
As could be expected of an athlete with a mixture of talent and ambition, Cole said that she wants to continue competing at the highest level possible and will want to continue running track and field in college as well.
When asked about how she has been able to find her success as a part of the Medford Tigers, Cole said that it was a result of all of the dedication, selflessness and appreciation from her parents and coaches that made the difference.
With two years of eligibility left after 2022, Tigers fans will be able to watch the rise of Cole for a while longer as she aims to pursue her dreams.