Shaler senior Mike Bagwell was tagged as a jumping prospect because of his obvious potential. What helped the coaches on the track team come to that realization was also Bagwell's sincere nature.
When asked to complete a task, Bagwell always made an effort to to see if he liked it.
Bagwell's genuine effort has manifested itself with terrific performances.
Last week, Bagwell jumped 44 feet, 4 inches in the triple jump to break his school record of 43-5 he set last season. Before Bagwell, the record last was broken when Bill Diamond had a jump of 42-8 in 1991.
“My coach (Justin Eskra) saw it was a weak area for the team, and he wanted me to try something new,” Bagwell said. “He knew I was an athlete and someone who would give it a chance and not say I'm not good at it and give up.”
Bagwell, who also has the school record of 22-1½ in the long jump, has a history of trying different things. In middle school, Bagwell took up the clarinet for a band class. He ended up working up to first chair before dropping music because it didn't fit his schedule.
Bagwell started out as a hurdler. He added jumping during the indoor season as a junior.
“With his own internal work ethic and drive, it was a perfect match,” Shaler boys track coach Jim Ryan said.
Bagwell went to work on learning the steps.
“A lot of it was learning the technique,” Bagwell said. “It's all the little things. Everyone thinks that you run, you jump and you go far. It's a lot of foot placement. It's a lot of timing and getting down rhythms of the jump.”
Bagwell won the WPIAL Class AAA Northern qualifier in the long jump last season and qualified for WPIALs in the triple jump. He ended up placing sixth in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump.
“The goal for him this season is to go to states in the triple jump,” Ryan said. “We'd like to see him go in the long jump, too.”
A strong season spurred Bagwell's interest in jumping from curiosity to something he could work toward qualifying for PIAAs.
With a goal firmly in mind, Bagwell will do what he always does — give a sincere effort.
“It gives me motivation,” Bagwell said. “I strive to be better, and I don't like sitting around. It gives me something to do.”
Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.
