Ehrhardt soaring to worlds
Sports
Posted By SCOTT HADDOW, THE SUDBURY STAR
Posted 1 month ago
Track North athlete Caroline Ehrhardt has been waiting a whole year for her shot at redemption.
The Espanola triple jump and long jump specialist earned gold medals in both events at the Canadian junior track and field championships in early July, punching her ticket for a second trip to the world junior track and field championship in Moncton next week. Ehrhardt is still bitterly disappointed in her performance at the world championship in 2009 and it is fuelling her desire to go farther than she has ever gone before. Ehrhardt has been on a tear so far this season to prove she is more determined than ever by earning gold medals at the provincial high school (OFSAA) championship as well as nationals.
Track North jumping coach Jim Taylor sees a more refined technique and approach in Ehrhardt's jumping style, which has resulted in her soaring higher and longer than ever before.
"Caroline is much more powerful and has developed a very controlled and fluent speed on the runway," Taylor said. "These are probably the two main foundation blocks to setting up for a good triple jump. Also, her technique has developed to the point where we are fine tuning. There is not a triple jumper in the country right now, other than possibly Tabia Charles (the national record holder and Olympian), who holds a flame to Caroline when it comes to technique in the triple jump."
Taylor is always impressed by Ehrhardt's desire and drive to improve in every jump.
"Caroline's work ethic is probably the most unique thing about her," he said. "She is relentless when it comes to achieving goals. When she sets a goal, she will dedicate every minute of her spare time to training to achieve that goal. There are not many 18- year-olds out there who will sacrifice what she does to achieve her goals."
Ehrhardt took time out of her hectic schedule to talk to The Star about going to the world junior championship and what the last four years have been like.
Q: You earned two gold medals at the national junior track and field championship in long jump and triple jump. What does that mean to you?
A: I'm very pleased with my two gold medals. The double is very hard to do because it's a lot of pounding on the body in just a couple of days. I went into long jump ranked third, but I knew I had a shot at winning, so I just focused on doing what I needed to do. The day before I did a little looser workout and was doing some long jumps and I said to myself ... wow, I feel way too good to lose right now. So I just carried that with me.
Q: Going back to the world junior championship, how does that make you feel?
A:I'm so excited to be going back to worlds. It's such an amazing experience to not only get to watch the best athletes in the world, but to be among them and to compete against them. So far this season I have not seen the numbers I have been hoping to see on the measuring tape. I have some numbers in mind and if I jump them I think it's possible for me to make the finals in at least one of my events. Given that I got 16th at World Youths, it will be really hard to improve on that and make the finals as a junior -- last year I was the oldest and this year there will be athletes born in 1991, too -- but I made it here, so I'm not going to just settle with that. I can't imagine how amazing it would feel to jump the numbers I have been dreaming about while wearing Canada across my chest ... there would be no better time to do it.
Q: What does this trip to world juniors mean to you this time around?
A: It means a lot to be going to worlds again. Last year, I came home upset and disappointed and I'm really hoping to have a more positive experience this year. I just want to take it all in, use it as an experience for the future and really try to make a name for myself with the world watching. It especially means a lot just because it is in Canada and the stadium will be packed with Canadians.
Q: When you think about where you want to be in four or five years, what comes to mind?
A: A couple of years ago I made a to-do list. The first thing on the list was to win OFSAA gold, next was to break an OFSAA record, next was to win a national medal. I have been very lucky to check a number of things on that list off. Some boxes are still unchecked, like winning an NCAA title, making the finals at a world championships, making it to the Olympics. There's a number of things and I even specify which year I want to do everything. The very last thing on the list is win an Olympic medal. That one never used to be there because I felt stupid even writing it -- that's how improbable it is. But, I only have one life and therefore I only have one chance to accomplish my goals. I'm not going to be scared of them and not come out and say what I want simply because I'm worried I won't attain it.
Q: Support is key to any athlete. What can you say about the people around you?
A: My support system as been the key for me. My two coaches, Jim Taylor and David Gallant, my family, my friends, my town and pretty much Northern Ontario as a whole, the support I receive is tremendous. I never have days when I don't train because I simply don't feel like it and that is in large part because of all the people around me who simply believe that I can accomplish my goals.
Q: When you're flying through the air, what is going through your mind?
A: People ask me that all the time and I really wish I had an answer. When I'm in the air, I'm honestly thinking about nothing. One of my favourite quotes is 'concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary,' and I think that quote really sums up what is happening when I'm in the air. I do a lot of self talk before I jump of course, just things like, 'come on, put one out there, this is it, this is it.' Sometimes I pretend I'm in second. Sometimes I pretend someone I idolize is watching. As I'm making my way down the runway that's when I say more technical things like 'okay, drive, shoulders squared off the board.' But once I'm in the air my mind turns off. It's something I have done so many times I guess that once I take off something else takes over.
Q: How much harder are you going to work to stay there at the top of your age class?
A: This year, my training plan has changed a lot. I'm putting in a lot more hours in the pit and focusing a lot more on short speed. All year long, I have been putting three to four hours a day into training. There's so many different areas you need to cover as a jumper like weights, core, jumping, plyometrics, speed. At this time of the year, as opposed to doing long, hard work I'm doing smart work. I'm focusing on the areas that need improvement and making those adjustments that will get me some more centimetres. OFSAA is always made out to be the end all and be all and I'm a little relieved that it's over. Now that it has passed I can focus on hopefully doing something big at worlds.
Q: What is your drive this year for the worlds?
A: I'm still incredibly disappointed with my performance at worlds last year and it's something I think about every single day. That, for the most part, is what is driving me. That girl at worlds last year was not me and this year I am ready to go out there and show the world stage who I really am. I carry my disappointments with me and although it still stings, it really drives me. Those mornings when I'm like 'ughh, I don't feel like going to the track right now,' I just think about watching the triple jump finals at worlds last year and how much that sucked. Then I'm out of bed in two seconds.
Q: What are your thoughts on the world championship this time around?
A: Worlds will be really tough this year because I won't be the oldest. There will be all the 1991 kids who have already had a full year of training out of high school. Because of this, I'm trying not to go into it looking at placings because it's hard to tell where everyone is at and who will be there. My goal last year was to make the finals and I don't really see why this year should be any different. Last year, I knew it would take a jump of about 12.75 metres to make the finals, and I had already jumped that going in. This year, it will probably take a jump of 13.10 metres and I haven't done that yet. But, world stage, stadium full of Canadian fans and with something to prove, what better time to do it.
Q: How much of a wild ride has the last three or four years been?
A: The past couple of years have been crazy. I always say, when I was in Grade 9, when I got fifth at OFSAA, I never ever would have thought this is where I would be today. It's awesome though because I have worked so hard and it has brought me right to where I want to be. There have been a lot of stumbles along the way, but I have a great support system with my family, coaches and friends and they have helped me through everything. I hate saying I feel lucky because I know what has happened to me isn't luck, but I really do feel lucky
because I feel like I'm living the dream. I get to do what I love every day and go cool places like Italy and New York City, meet incredible people, and I get to go to school for free and compete on a Division I team. I'm very blessed. At OFSAA this year, on my final jump when the entire stadium was clapping for me and the announcer introduced me as "the most successful Canadian high school triple jumper of all time", I couldn't help but think, wow, I remember four years ago to the day when I was getting my fifth place ribbon at OFSAA and the announcer called me 'Carolyn Ernhart' ... this is so much better.
Q: I know family is key for you. What place does you mother and father have in your heart and what do they mean to you?
A: My dad been a huge source of support through all of this. I mean, whether it's building me the pit or making sure I have the best shoes or taking me anywhere to compete, he is just always willing to do whatever it takes me help me better myself. I'm so lucky because being a track dad certainly isn't easy or cheap, and he easily could have put his foot down a couple years ago and been like, 'okay, this is too much.' He is also there to pick up my spirits whenever I'm disappointed in myself. And my mom of course provides me with inspiration every day. She is always with me. She showed me at a young age what it means to be a fighter, so that's what I strive to be every day.
Q: What does that backyard jumping pit that your father built mean to you?
A: It's not a silly question, I love talking about it. I use my pit every day. It's so awesome to have. It's convenient because some nights if I'm like, 'I want to try this,' I can just run outside and do it. I have spent many hours out there. My dad and I figure close to 1,000 hours out there since being in high school and that's not including all the time I have spent on the track. So it's great. I love it. I already have taken a bunch of pictures of it to bring with me to school because I'm going to miss it a lot. And every once in a while I will be jumping and there will be a deer running by or some rabbits going through the pit, so it's always interesting.
Q: Your going to Oklahoma University on a scholarship. What are your thoughts on leaving Espanola and Track North?
A: I am so excited to go to Oklahoma, but at the same time I am very sad to leave Espanola. I just feel like Oklahoma will be a whole new life for me. What I'm looking forward to the most is simply training with a team. I love being pushed in competition and having that just in practice will be awesome. I chose Oklahoma because I developed a really good relationship with the coach and that was the most important thing to me. As long as I can jump and get along with my coach, I will be happy anywhere. I didn't need the billion dollar facilities in Oregon or the prestigious academics in Virginia, I just want to jump. When I took my visit to Oklahoma I just had that gut feeling when you know something is right. People talk about how choosing your college is one of the hardest decisions of your life, but for me it was easy. When I'm there, I simply want to improve in every way possible. I hope to win an NCAA title by the time I graduate, but right now I'm just thinking a lot about improving and getting closer to that Olympic standard. It is going to be really hard leaving Espanola and Northern Ontario in general. I know I'm going to get really homesick. But, of course, I know I'm leaving for the right reasons and of course I will be back. My town might smell bad, but the people are amazing. They are my family and Espanola will always be my home, so of course I will be back.
Q: What will you be studying and why?
A: At Oklahoma I will be taking psychology. For the longest time, I didn't know and it sounds bad, but I didn't really care either. Sometimes I forget that when I'm there I actually have to go to school, too. So, at my high school graduation, I put on my little card that they read I will be studying psychology simply because I didn't have anything else to put and I had to put something. But after some thought I decided that it is actually what I want to take. I have learned first hand over the last couple of years how powerful the mind really is and I just think it is something I would be really interested in. And in regards for what I want to do in life, once I graduate University I will continue to jump until my body makes me stop and then I guess I will get a job.
shaddow@thesudburystar.com
