Jayden Gilbert Jumps To A High Level

MADISON- Jayden Gilbert has been described as competitive. The multi-event performer for the Bob Jones High track team can be counted on when the going gets tough as she looks forward to bigger and more competitive meets as her performances kick into high gear.

“She dares them to call her name at meets,” said Brad Jefferson, head coach of the Bob Jones track program. “She’s always focused and knows her individual efforts is the key to success.”

The 5-foot-7, 140-pound athlete won the State Indoor high jump championship with a record-tying mark of 5-feet, 6-inches. Through the first portion of the outdoor season, before the coronavirus put an early end to the season, Gilbert was ranked No. 1 in Alabama and was on track to grab that gold medal to match her indoor award she has displayed in her room in a makeshift trophy case.

“My parents were at the meet when I won the state title and they went crazy with excitement when I took my gold medal,” said Gilbert. “My mom began to cry. We celebrated my victory a week later.”

Gilbert recently signed an athletic scholarship with the University of Arkansas-Little Rock where the Trojans see the natural talent as a star of the future. Due to the closure of school activities her signing was held at home with her family and later announced on social media. She carries a 3.5 grade point average and wants to study education with her future sights set on becoming an elementary school teacher.

“I volunteer at my church’s nursery and when my mother had a day care center opened while we lived in August, Ga., I also helped there,” said Gilbert. “I like small children and one day would love to have a family of my own.”

The 17-year old Gilbert runs the 200, 400, 4×100 and 4×400 races on the track, but specializes in the high jump in the field portions of the track competition. She began track in the seventh grade after taking shots at soccer, cheerleading, basketball and gymnastics, but it wasn’t until she transferred to Madison and Discovery Middle School in the eighth grade when she took up the sport fulltime.

“Coach Jefferson came to our school and spoke to the students about track so I decided to try it,” said Gilbert. “I went to practice one day and ended up staying. I love track because you can rely on yourself as you see what’s important mentally and physically for yourself and you can become successful if you just try.”

What’s astounding about Gilbert’s trek to the success in the high jump is the fact she never tried the event until after Jefferson saw her high-stepping in class one day as she was a sophomore. He added, “I suggested trying the high jump as I saw natural spring in her legs.”

“I went to practice that day and was shown the basics of how to approach the bar and everything that’s associated with participating in the high jump,” said Gilbert. “At that time I used the style of jump known as the scissors, as that was a starting point for me. Obviously I was pretty good.”

A couple months later, Gilbert changed her jumping style to the more widespread used “flop” where the jumper goes over the high bar backwards. She said the style felt natural for her and she has perfected her jumps to become best in the state. Matter of fact, she finished runner-up at the state meet as a junior.

During the current stay-at-home period she is going through, Gilbert has learned to sew to go along with her other talents of singing gospel music and dancing. She also began doing yoga at home through a workout app.

As for her efforts at the high jump, she said she visualizes her approach and going up over the bar before she gets on her toes and springs into a sprint for her approach. “When I get to the bar location I begin to rise and lean back and look over the bar as far as possible,” she added. “I remember at the state indoor meet when I crossed over the bar at 5-6, it was a sense of relief as the height was my personal best and I knew I had a chance. It was my second try and I hit it.”

Gilbert may have missed the chance to secure that outdoor high jump title, but deep inside she knows she had the talent and desire, along with the competitive spirit, that would have kicked into high gear to hold that coveted gold medal she would have added to her trophy case that sits on her dresser in her room.