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Thursday
April 05, 2007
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SPORTS
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Thursday, April 05, 2007
Need for
speed
Pierre sophomore looks to follow in the footsteps of a
five-time state champion
By Rocky Hulne
Capital Journal
Staff
PIERRE - The torch has been passed from one great sprinter to
another on the Govs track team and a Pierre sophomore is more than
ready to carry the flame.
Sprinter Jarrett Klinger picked up
were Quincey Christie, who finished with five sprinting state titles
for the Govs, left off and started the 2007 track season with a
bang. Klinger took first place and broke meet records in the
55-meter and 200-meter dashes, while being named the boys'
outstanding athlete at the Al Sahli Indoor meet in Aberdeen
Saturday.
Klinger, the top returning state-placer in the
100-meter dash, said that he learned a lot from Christie, when he
teamed up with him to help the Govs win a state title in the
800-meter-relay last season.
"I knew Quincey was the fast guy
and I knew all about him coming into my freshman year," he said. "It
was an honor and a privilege running with him. He was a big
inspiration and motivation for me. Hopefully I'll keep the sprinter
era in Pierre alive for awhile and I hope he's watching over me for
the next three years."
According to Pierre head coach Geoff
Gross, Klinger was a relative no-name when he started track last
year. That is, until Gross saw him run for the first time.
"I
didn't hear too much about Jarrett as an eighth grader because he
pulled his hamstring," Gross said. "Then, I got to watch him in the
first few practices and he stood out right away, just with his foot
quickness. Then I watched him stride out and it was a thing of
beauty."
Gross went straight to Christie and told him of
Klinger's ability.
"I asked if he knew who Jarrett Klinger
was and he said 'no'," Gross said. "I said 'you're going to get to
know him very quickly in track because he's probably got quicker
feet than you do.'"
Those quick feet weren't discovered by
Klinger, who also plays soccer, until his eighth-grade year. He
started off as a long-distance runner in seventh-grade before
switching to sprints. About halfway through last season, he found
out what he is capable of.
"I noticed my ability and started
recognizing it," Klinger said. "By midseason, I was like 'Whoa, I'm
pretty good, I can't believe I'm this fast. Where did this come
from?'"
According to his coach, that speed came from some
natural quickness mixed with some hard work.
"He's taken some
natural ability and he's become a student and connoisseur of what a
good starter is," Gross said. "He probably knows more about starting
than I do."
Gross added that having Klinger on the team gives
him a good example to show the rest of the team what good form is.
He credits Klinger with helping hurdler Matt Tetzlaff, who took
first in the 55-meter hurdles in Aberdeen, get a quicker
start.
Giving other runners pointers is not something that
Klinger is afraid to do, even though its only his second year
running varsity track.
"I know how to teach and I love
showing people how to do things right," he said. "I know how to
motivate people and I know how to get them to reach their
potential."
One thing that motivates Klinger individually is
his desire to take home state championships in the 100-meter and
200-meter dashes this season. Last year, Klinger took fifth at state
in the 100-meter dash, but everyone in front of him has
graduated.
"The only people that beat me were seniors and
they're gone, so I'm kind of next in line," Klinger
said.
However, Klinger knows a state title will not come easy
in either race.
"My expertise is getting out of the blocks,
but I have to work on getting my top-speed a little faster," he
said. "The 100 and 200 are two different races. The 200 takes a lot
more out of you and you need stamina. The 100 is more like getting
to top-speed at 50 meters and just holding it."
Along with
individual goals, Klinger hopes the Govs can repeat as state
champions.
"We've got a great shot at the title again,
because we've got great talent everywhere and that's what you need
to win state," he said.
Pierre will host invites April 20 at
1 p.m. and May 3 at 4 p.m.
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