PREDDIE FINDS HIS FEET

Though he doesn’t show many emotions, freshman Chris Preddie said he couldn’t help it when the results were posted for the Long Jump Competition as the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento.

“It felt great,” Preddie said. “I don’t smile at competitions but I had big smiles on my face afterwards when my coach told me that I was in. It’s a feeling I definitely won’t forget.”

Jumping 25-feet, 1.75 inches, Preddie qualified for the NCAA National Meet by placing in the Top 12 and punching his ticket to Austin.

It was a moment that has been a long time coming for Preddie.

“It honestly feels great,” Preddie said. “It’s a dream come true for me having been to Nationals in 2018 and 2019 in Austin with my Mom. We were sitting in the front row and got to see everything. It was all pretty exciting and made me want to be here” The intensity and the spectacle of the NCAA National Meet was a memory that forever stuck with Preddie who will be the participant rather than the spectator.

“It was surreal,” Preddie said. The stands were so packed with fans and it was extremely hot that day. But I didn’t care because I did not want to miss any of the action. It was an amazing experience that made me want to be there and be the one generating the cheers from the crowd.”

Though Preddie usually comes into his competition feeling a little bit antsy, the freshman star wasn’t feeling the butterflies this time around.

“Normally before my jump at any track meet, I get nervous,” Preddie said. “I get anxious and I start to feel my stomach. But the Regional Meet I just felt good. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I couldn’t advance. When it got to competition time, it was just going out there and executing. I wasn’t chasing a number but rather giving whatever my body could give.”

It was a stark contrast to how Preddie collegiate track career for started “My first track meet was at Tech,” Preddie said. “I was using new spikes but I didn’t put them in correctly. When I was jumping, the spikes came out and I ended up slipping on the board before faceplanting.”

Faceplants aside, it wasn’t the only figurative hurdle Preddie faced who was coming off his senior year winning state medals in the long jump and the triple for the Little River Academy Bumblebees.

“The adjustment took a little while,” Preddie said. “I was so used to winning all the time. I got to the first meet and I didn’t win. I started struggling and I started thinking to myself that since I’m in college I should automatically be jumping to pros. But that is not how that works. I realized I needed to stay patient and be confident in my training while not being discouraged. Feeling discouraged won’t help me advance and will only decline my success. After that I started to find my rhythm.”

For Preddie, it was his moment of enlightenment.

“It was a wake up call,” Preddie said. “I had a good offseason where I was jumping well.I kept telling myself that this was going to be the same as high school because back then I would just jump once and put my clothes back on. But the competition is way better. In the high school meets, you would only see the big competitors show up for the big track meets. But in college you could be jumping against the NCAA Champion on a random weekend. It became my wake up call because I was no longer the big dog on the block and that I needed to put in the work.”

Though Preddie success comes from the drive and athletic ability, the former Bumblebee also credits the senior heavy Bobcat track team for showing him the ropes.

“I’m a shy person,” Preddie said. “When I first got here, they (upperclassmen) made it feel like home. That is my family for real. They made it feel like I’ve been here for years honestly. They showed me around and taught me how things are done, what I need to do to get to the next level, practice wise, and off the track wise. They showed me what it takes to be a great athlete.”

“Don’t be starstruck,” Preddie said. “Don’t get caught up in the moment and treat this like any other meet. You can’t be a deer in the headlights so I am just going to do me and compete against myself.”

cmcwilliams@sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc