Colorado State University Athletics
Sophomore Sensation Janay Deloach
4/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | General
Confidence is the most important attribute for an athlete to have. But mix that confidence with talent, determination and heart that makes for an athlete who is near unstoppable. The Colorado State Women?s Track and Field team was lucky enough to find that rare breed in sophomore sensation Janay Deloach. In her first season as a Ram DeLoach competed in the short sprints and the long jump. In the later she broke the records with a leap of 20 feet-8 inches outdoor and 20-1.75 indoor which placed her second in the conference meets. She was also a member of the 4x100 record holding relay.
DeLoach first started jumping into pits of sand when she was in the 9th grade. ?I figured I could jump farther than anyone else,? DeLoach said. ?And I proved myself right.? After a couple of successful years in the sand DeLoach decided that she had picked the right sport to blossom in and with college around the corner it was time for her to pick the right school.
?I looked at other schools, but they didn?t have what I was looking for,? she said. ?This school had it all, the coaches, the teammates and the atmosphere.? You can live here for a little while, but it feels like you?ve known everyone around you for forever.?
With her instant success in the long jump and her blazing speed in the 100m dash (11.75) and the 60m dash (7.47) it may seem as if DeLoach is a seasoned veteran on the track. But the sophomore is looking forward not only making a name for herself not only in the Mountain West Conference but on the national scene.
?I want to be a national champion,? she said. ?I want to make it to nationals and beat the best competitors.? As she continues to climb up the nationals list (currently eighth in the country according to tracksharck.com) she also is aware of the competition in her own conference and that competition is what has been a driving force in her short career.
?Knowing that (Amy) Menlove, (from BYU) has beat me every time keeps me going. I don?t think that she is better, she?s proven herself obviously. But I want it more and I?m going to get it,? she said. DeLoach has been the runner up to BYU standout Menlove in the long jump for the past two years but DeLoach is leading the conference this season with her jump of 21-1 at the Brutus Hamilton Invite held at Cal, and hopes she can bring home the title. CSU sprint/jumps coach Tim Cawley believes that DeLoach has what it takes not only to win conference but to be a national competitor.
?It wouldn?t surprise me if she were ever an Olympian,? he said. ?The potential is limitless. She is just a tremendous athlete and a fierce competitor. Very explosive, I don?t know if she realizes how good she is.? DeLoach can be found spending most of her time on the track, in the long jump pit or in the weight room. The remaining time is occupied with school as she is working on a bachelors degree in psychology and she hopes to attended graduate school.
?It just fits me,? she said when asked why she choose psychology as her major. ?It?s the kind of stuff I like.? Something else that fits DeLoach is the record board, which should adorn her name for a while, her love for track and field and the desire to get better as the years keep passing.
?I want to know that my hard work paid off,? she said. ?I?m not proud of getting second in conference, but I am getting better and better. I don?t ever want to stop making progress.?
?I knew when I came here that I was going to have some talent,? Cawley, who is in his second year as the sprint/jumps coach at CSU said. ?She brings talent, expectations and her competitiveness helps push other people on the team.? But more importantly for DeLoach and the CSU track and field program there is more to why she continues to perform well.
?I loved doing it,? she said.
y Katrice Thomas
Athletic Media Relations Intern
