Greenville junior track and field student-athlete Sandi Morris talks about the season and hobbies off the track.
Full name: Sandi Lynn Morris
Date of birth: July 8, 1992
Academic interest: Earth Sciences
Brothers/sisters: two sisters, Crissy and Jami
Hobbies: writing, drawing, outdoorsy things like hiking and fishing, and pets
Personals bests: Pole vault-11 feet, 100 hurdles 14.8, 400 hurdles 1:05.3
scrunners: When did you start to compete in track and field and why?
morris: I was in second grade when I was at my sister Crissy's soccer game, and I was so bored that I paid her friend's little brother 50-cents to race me one straight of the track. Our parents watched and laughed as I shot out in front with a huge smile on my face. His mom asked my parents if they knew about this track team for kids run by Ruth Marie Milliman, the Greenville Track Club. My parents looked into it, and took me out to give it a try! Plus, my parents were very enthusiastic about it since they both ran track in college. My dad was a pole-vaulter and my mom was a hurdler!
scrunners: Did you have any family members compete?
morris: My dad pole-vaulted and did the decathlon in college at Western Illinois and my mom did the hurdles and the pentathlon also at Western.
scrunners: What kind of goals do you have for this season?
morris: I hope to get 12-6 in pole-vault, run in the low 14's for the 100-meter hurdles, and run a 1:02 400-meter hurdles.
scrunners: How did you start the hobby of several pets?
morris: Well, when I was about three I became obsessed with insects. I had insect birthday parties and would make little books with information I found on the Internet and scraps out of books about them. (I was the weird girl chasing other girls around with spiders I found on the playground). I would make collections of bugs and fill cages with all different sorts to keep on my porch. I would watch caterpillars turn into butterflies, and take notes on what I saw. Eventually, I started looking towards bigger things, like bunnies and turtles. I can’t even remember what my first pet was (besides a fish). I think it was a guinea pig. I then got into reptiles and would save up every penny to get different chameleons and snakes....my first snake was a garter snake named Zeus. I was fascinated by him and the other creatures, so that's where my passion started. I would watch Animal Planet and Discovery every night before I slept, and always get new ideas of what animal I wanted to get and study next. (Watch Morris give her snake Fang a bath).
scrunners: What kind of pets do you have?
morris: Right now, I have a lineolated parakeet named Juno (watch video with Morris and Juno), a ball python named Fang, three hermit crabs named Curly, Larry and Moa, a dog named Buster and a cat named Beau. I really want to get an emperor scorpion......my parents are going to take some convincing.
scrunners: What kind of responsibility to you have with these pets?
morris: I always have cages to clean, food (including rats) that I have to buy for them to eat and water bowls to scrub out.
scrunners: Do you look to your pets for rest and relaxation?
morris: Yes I do....I love to hold Juno and listen to her chatter and my snake fang is always fun to take places and show off.
scrunners: What kind of pets would you like in the future?
morris: I really want to get an emperor scorpion, and a Columbian Red Tail Boa.
scrunners: How much space do you have for your pets and where do they stay at your house?
morris: I have plenty of space in my room and also on the first floor for animals...I also have a collection of cages (just in case). I love to build cages too. I am very good with handy work. I used to have a southern flying squirrel named Rufus that I built a big cage for...big enough for me to get inside and clean it! I gave her to my friend's aunt just a few months ago, a wild life rehabilitator, because she required a lot of time every day which I don't really have with sports and high school.
scrunners: Are you planning to bring any to college?
morris: If I live in an apartment then I would love to bring my snake, but I am positive a dorm would not allow that ha-ha.
scrunners: How is it to be on a team with your mom as a coach?
morris: It’s not as bad as people think it is...we work together with our knowledge and try not to have mom-daughter arguments in front of everyone. It works out pretty well for the most part :).
scrunners: What motivates you on a daily basis?
morris: One: my parents.
Two: whenever I hear someone ask me what my personal record is in something, I always strive to be able to make then say "wow."
Three: my coaches...all of them and seeing other athletes do amazing makes me want to be like them, and I watch videos of Yelena Isanbeyeva (female pole-vault world record holder) so I can learn and understand the form and it gives me motivation.
scrunners: How have you seen the sport change over the years?
morris: I have seen more and more athletes begin to compete in track and field, and it’s beginning to get more recognition (especially in the schools).
scrunners: What do you look for in a coach and expect a coach to look for in you?
morris: I look for a coach who doesn't get easily frustrated, because it does no good to yell. One that will answer questions when I ask them, and keep answering them, maybe even the same question but in a different way, until the athlete understands and DOES it. I want a coach to look at me and see my potential, but not only that....to also see my flaws. And find a way to straiten them out and make me a better athlete and competitor. I want them to not only be my coach on the level of discussing things, but on the level of SHOWING me things that can make me better by using videos, pictures, and other athletes. Breaking things down for me to better understand them. I want my coach to be easy to talk to, and be able to tell me what I am doing wrong, and what to do about it.
scrunners: What kind of future involvement would you like to have in the sport?
morris: I would love to run in college....maybe even make it to the Olympics some day!
scrunners: What do you think it takes to be a track and field athlete?
morris: It takes strength, pain tolerance, agility, speed, and a level-head.
scrunners: What is the one thing you would like to do in the world and why?
morris: I simply want to do the best I can in my events. I want the world to know me for who I am- Sandi. Know me as a person, not just an athlete. I think that if athletes connect then we could all help each other get better, and not just through our sport but by sharing our life situations. Because athletes are people too, and if we help each other make better decisions in life, then we are helping each other make good decisions as ATHLETES. That could help us in our career as athletes. That is who we are. We dedicate our lives to something, and TRUE athletes won’t let bad decisions in life affect our ability to DO OUR BEST.
Have an off the track story idea? E-mail jolson@milesplit.us with details.
