WAYNESBORO – Life is full of surprises. Well, in a manner of speaking.
For Jaeda Dockman, the goal was to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships this weekend at Shippensburg University – the same place she competed in the District 3-AAA high jump championship.
Dockman, a senior at Waynesboro Area Senior High School and the daughter of Tad and Kimberly Dockman, did qualify for the state meet, as did teammate Ben Williams (In the javelin throw). But she also won the event.
“Actually, very” surprised was Dockman, whose jump of 5-feet, 5 inches was the clincher. “I knew I would make it to states but not it.”
Dockman’s previous personal best jump took place at the Jack Roddick Invitational (also at Shippensburg) in April. Six other girls also accomplished that height, she said.
The standard bearer for this week’s state meet belongs to Destini Smith of Souderton at 5-9 ½. Brionna Hudson (Altoona) is next at 5-9, followed by six others at 5-5.
The high jump event was supposed to take place last Friday but when the weather refused to cooperate, it was postponed to Saturday.
“I jumped 4-11,” she said of Friday’s initial effort. “Then came the thunder and lightning. I felt really good when I woke up. I felt like I had fresher legs.”
A day’s wait turned out to be a good thing. So, too, did her reverting back to what she called her “old” approach to the high jump.
“Before districts, I didn’t even place at the Mid-Penn Conference championships,” Dockman said. “When I missed at the lower heights I went back to my approach from my freshman year.”
Three jumpers made it to the 5-foot-5 standard, but only Dockman succeeded.
“I could have chosen to move up from 5-3 to 5-4 but I chose to skip 5-4. My parents wondered why I didn’t take 5-4, and my coach couldn’t be on the field,” she said.
Someone who wasn’t surprised that Dockman came back to Franklin County a district champ was her head coach and the jumps coach, Jimmy Rickett.
“I’ve done this for a long time, and even with the success of other high jumpers, I’ve never had anyone as feisty yet determined as Jaeda is,” Rickett said. “She showed this last year
as the season progressed, but when she approached me in the winter about training her for the upcoming season, that let me know exactly where her head and heart was.
“Her work ethic and no-quit attitude during some of the early training sessions showed how much grit she has. She wouldn’t give up and always pushed through no matter how much pain and discomfort there was. That’s not something I see from young athletes today.”
Dockman will continue to compete in the high jump at California University of Pennsylvania, where her parents also attended college.
“My mom played volleyball and my dad wrestled,” said Dockman. “I’m really excited about competing there.”
Williams placed fourth in the javelin throw (177-7).
