Knight senior Leslie jumping to success

Adds triple jump to repertoire

By: Justin Feil
   Jerome Leslie likes to stay busy.
   It’s why he added football as a junior even though he already had found success in basketball and spring track and field. It’s part of why he added a third jumping event — the triple jump — to his repertoire as a sophomore. He has mastered the balance required to be competitive in each.
   "Sometimes it’s tough," said the West Windsor-Plainsboro North senior. "One day, or in a week, I may get a lot of work in in long jump. I try to balance it out. I’m used to doing different things because I’m used to playing three spots. I’m used to variation."
   Not only is Leslie busy once the track season starts, but he is good at all three of the jumping events. For the second straight meet, Leslie won the high jump, long jump and triple jump, this time as the Knight boys defeated Hamilton, 72-68, Tuesday.
   "I thought it was a good meet," Leslie said. "We came together as a team. Everyone really wanted to win that one. It’s been three and a half years since they lost a dual meet so it was a nice win."
   In the narrow win, every point mattered for the Knights. It made Leslie’s day all the more important for WW-P North.
   "He’s always a key," said Knights head coach Brian Gould. "I don’t want to say he’s automatic, but we’re getting used to counting his 15 points. It’s been rough for him. The weather has been tough. It’s tough for him to get loose. He’s getting points but he hasn’t got any (personal records) yet. He’s being patient and working for the team.
   "Our guys outscored them 27-0, in the distance events. Evan Walczak won the 400. Alex Ruggiero won the 100. Everybody stepped up. We scored the points we needed to and expected to. Guys stepped up and got the seconds and thirds that you need to in order to win. Guys are supporting each other and everyone is stepping up under not so favorable conditions."
   With the win, the Knights improved to 1-1. Their loss came at the hands of Trenton, but even in that meet Leslie swept his three events to live up to his teammates’ expectations.
   "I think they’d expect me to dominate the jumping events," Leslie said. "I expect to be the best that I can. If I under-perform and I know I could do better, that’s when I get angry with myself. I just hope I warm up to the best of my ability and do my best."
   Leslie has been a consistent force over the last couple of seasons. He has reached the Group III meet in each of the last two spring seasons. He is hoping that this year ends with him going one step further to the Meet of Champions.
   "Last year at Groups, I made it for all three jumps," Leslie said. "If I keep working hard, and keep focusing, I think I could make it for all three.
   "Normally," he added, "Coach gives us a form to fill out for our goals. Last year it was to break the jumping records at school. I did that. Now my goals are to try to become one of the best in the state."
   While the long jump may be Leslie’s favorite of the three jumps, he sees plenty of potential in the triple jump which he has been doing the shortest. Even as a sophomore in his first year with the event, Leslie made the Group III meet in the triple jump.
   "He has jumped 6-4 in the high jump, 22 feet in the long jump and just under 45 in the triple jump," Gould said. "He’s very versatile. He’s been over 20 and over 40 even in bad conditions. He had won the high jump at 5-10 (Wednesday) and he went right up to 6-5. It would have been a P.R. I think that shows a lot of confidence. That’s how confident he is in himself.
   "Getting the three first places was like a normal day of work for him. He’s working toward the end of the year. He knows the sectional, state and county meets are big. That’s where his focus is."
   The Knights will compete in the Mercer County Relays on Saturday at Robbinsville High. Leslie is looking to break all his records before graduating. A little warmer weather should make it easier for him to achieve that aim. Records aren’t his top goal in meets. First and foremost, he tries to do his part for the team, and that means trying to pick up 15 points for the Knights.
   "What I try to do, I try to get one really solid jump in," Leslie said. "That takes some of the pressure off. If I get a foul or jump before the line, I still have a good jump in. Coach tells me to get the jumps out of the way early so I can rest. When I do jump, I try to make sure it’s a solid jump so I can breathe easy. Then I try to stay warm."
   That’s been easier said than done lately. For someone relying on quick-twitch muscles, it couldn’t get much tougher. Leslie has made the most of it. It is the same way he has gotten to a point where so much is expected of him. He is trying to project his lessons learned onto the less experienced Knight athletes.
   "Just hard work is the key to success," he said. "Everything that is done in practice, if I take it seriously, it shows up in meets. When I’m at practice, I try to take it as seriously as possible."
   Leslie is no different in football nor basketball. Whichever season he is in, he devotes his time to excelling in that sport. Leslie’s focus is on doing as well as possible this spring and helping the team any way possible, even if it means adding a fourth event.
   "I think I can help the team in a sprinting event," Leslie said. "Maybe the 100, maybe the 200, maybe some relays."
   Anything to stay busy.