June 8, 2019 - NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships - Photos taken by Patrick Holleran
Titans Foto Flashback is a series intended to go into the mind of our current and past student-athletes to see what they were thinking and feeling at particular moments that photos were taken. This week we are featuring junior high jumper Iesha Hamm of the women's track and field team.
Then-sophomore Hamm is about to begin her approach towards the high jump bar. She went on to clear 5-10 (1.78m) take 11th place and earn Second-Team All-America accolades at the 2019 NCAA Championships.
Q: What did it mean to you to be able to compete at the NCAA Championships? Only 12 athletes in the entire West Region and 12 in the East Region qualify so you're part of a select group.
A: I thought it was about time. I was very proud of myself because I was injured throughout that season, I had a foot injury that nobody really knew about.
But I was nervous at the same time. My mind was in so many places. I didn't get to finish my warmup, I didn't have good practice jumps so I had to start a lower height than we had originally planned. I was all over the place. But at the same I was thinking to myself that 'I know I'm supposed to be here but wow this is way different.' I did Junior Olympics too and this meet is even way different than that. Like wow.
Q: So in this photo, when you're stepping up to your mark as you are about to begin your approach, what is typically going through your mind?
A: Usually I'm thinking about my last two steps. As you can see I'm touching my leg and usually I'll tap my leg so I can remember what my last two steps are supposed to sound like and I know the rhythm I'm supposed to have. So if they are off, then I know my jump is going to be off. And if it is off and not not too late, I will just run by (the bar) and start over.
Q: With all the things typically going on during a track meet like other events, fans clapping and the gun going off, are you able to tune all of the noise out in this moment?
A: Honestly, it wasn't that loud at this meet. When they did the women's 100-meter sprint it was loud but we would just wait and go after they were done. So yeah, I would say I can tune it out because to me it wasn't loud or distracting.
Q: Looking forward, what will it take for you to get back to the NCAA Championships?
A: To be more consistent and to be more serious. I was serious but I also had so much going on with the injury that I wasn't able to buckle down until the end of the season, like at the Big West Championships. I need to be more focused throughout the entire season, whether I'm injured or not, because I have a specific goal to get back to the NCAA Championships.
Q: When you get back, what would you like to do differently or better now that you have experience at that level?
A: I was so close to being in the top 8 [editor's note: the top eight jumpers earn First-Team All-America honors and score points for the team] but next time I want to be in the top 5. But now I know what I'm doing and I know my capabilities. I don't need to come in at a lower height, I can come in at 5-8 and be fine. I just want to be top 5 and more calm. It doesn't really matter if I don't finish my warmup because I was really stressed about that last time.
I know how I am, I know that when I make it to the NCAA Championships again I will be stressed. But, with the experience I have, it will be a different stress. I've been there before and I know what it's like and I know what I want my outcome to be. I feel like that's a good type of stress, where you're just focused on the outcome, not everything else going on. So that's what I'm bringing to it next time I'm there.
