Athlete of the Week - Jarod White, Pine Island Track and Field

PINE ISLAND, Minn. (KTTC) – Jarod White can hardly believe everything he’s accomplished.

“It’s pretty crazy that I came from where I was and was not expecting it, but I’m very happy to be where I am,” White said.

Who can blame him, the Pine Island pole vaulter is one of the best in Minnesota, showing it by taking first at the Hamline Meet clearing 15-feet three inches.

He already holds the Pine Island record at 16-feet. Now he’s looking to reach a new height, the state record of 16 feet 1-and-3/4 inches.

“It would be very...satisfying and mean a lot because I’ve worked so hard for it and I put in a lot of work, lot of hours,” White said.

“Raw athletic ability, coachability and hard work really are just the three things every coach wants to see in an athlete and that’s what he has,” Pine Island Pole Vault Coach Amanda Swintek said.

Outside of his talent, its his work ethic and character that really sets White apart.

“Sometimes I have to tell him that like you don’t have to work that hard right? If he’s told to do a workout, he’s going to do it 110 percent,’ Swintek said.

“I’m a very competitive person so just doing better and better is what drives me. I just want to do the best I can and also I like helping out the team,” White said.

Swintek a Pine Island Hall of Famer herself can tell you its who he is that will last forever at Pine Island.

“He’s already inspiring young athletes as you can see the junior high were anxious to get to the pole vault pit today because they’ve seen what amazing things can happen,” Swintek said.

“It’s not a surprise that he’s gotten as far as he has because the moment he stepped on the runway we all knew that there was something special and it was going to be amazing. He has not let us down.”

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