Name: Ian Scott
Personal bests: Triple Jump: 45'6; High Jump: 6'1; Long Jump: 20'6.5; 100m: 11.70
Academic Interests: Civil and Architectural Engineering
Hobbies: Hanging out with friends, weightlifting, listening to music
Favorite Quote: "The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary." - Vidal Sassoon
How did you get involved in the sport?
When I was in seventh grade, all my friends had
already done track in sixth grade and told me how fun it was, so i wanted to be a part of it and
joined.
Tell us about your thoughts on this season so far?
I am very happy with how the season has
gone. I set multiple PRs in all of my events this season, and broken the school record in triple
jump. I have gotten progressively better throughout the season, which makes me believe there is
more to come.
How do you look at being one of the top-ranked SCISA athletes?
I am very happy to be one
of the top ranked in SCISA, but I understand that SCISA holds only a fraction of the athletes in
South Carolina. I want to be one one the best in the state as a whole, including SCHSL athletes.
How are you feeling the week of the SCISA Championships?
I'm feeling very confident. My
goal is to qualify for nationals in the triple jump.
From your success in 2017, what goals did you have at the beginning of the season and for
the rest of the season?
I set my goals very high at the end of last season. After taking gold in
triple jump, i was motivated to work as hard as possible in the offseason and really take my
athletic abilities to the next level. I wanted to take gold in all three jumping events this year, as well as qualify for Nationals in triple jump.
What's your favorite event and why?
Triple Jump because it's my best event, and the movement feels
very natural for me.
Do you have a specific motivation?
My biggest motivation is to make my family and school
proud.
What has been your biggest challenge in the sport?
My biggest challenge in the sport is not
knowing how to specifically train for my events, especially in the offseason.
Do you have any postseason meet plans?
No, but I would like to join an AAU track team in the
summer and possibly compete in indoor meets during the fall and winter.
Walk us through an event.
I try to warm up about thirty minutes before the event begins, so I
am physically ready. During an event, I am only focused on that particular event. I always get a
little nervous, but I think that is a good thing because it shows that I am locked in and ready.
What goes through your mind? Right before a jump, i try to clear my mind of everything
except for one specific detail that I feel I forget about sometimes. For high jump, it might be to
swing my opposite leg up on the takeoff, or kick my feet up once I'm over the bar. For triple
jump, it might be to keep my speed throughout the jump, or really attack the ground on my
second phase. For any jump, I always picture myself doing the jump before i actually do it,
because it helps to clear my mind of negative thoughts.
Do you prefer one over the other?
I prefer triple jump.
Do you play other sports? How does track and field help you with other sports and vice
versa?
I also play basketball and participate in Speed and Strength. Basketball helps me in track
and field because jumping is a huge part of basketball. Speed and Strength events such as the broad jump, power clean, and 40 yard dash are great tools for improvement in track and field.
How and when did you start training for track and field this season?
I trained all summer
and fall by going to the track and working on technique, as well as going to the weight room to
build strength and power. I couldn't train during the winter because basketball took up all my
time, but i started back up as soon as basketball was over by going to the team practices
everyday.
What do you enjoy the most about the Orangeburg Preparatory team?
What I enjoy most about the
Orangeburg Prep team is the positive attitude from everyone on the team. Everyone wants to
work and get better, and we push each other.
What do you feel you have learned from your coaches, teammates and the sport?
My
coaches, teammates, and the sport in general has taught me that improvement doesn't come
overnight. It takes hard work to get better, and it also takes teammates and coaches who push
you in practice to your limits to get results.
What would like to see happen in the future?
I would like to compete at the collegiate level,
and depending on how things go, compete at the professional level one day.
If there is one thing in the world you could do, what would it be and why?
It would be to
win a medal at the Olympic Games. Winning, as well as representing my friends, family, and
country at the highest level in the sport that I love would be a dream come true.
