Hava is a powerfully quadriceps centric sprinter. She burst onto the scene as a freshman running down a lot of the top sprinters in the St. Louis region. Being so good so fast can be tough. However, Hava is battle tested and looks to have her best track season to date this coming spring. The mo.milesplit is looking forward to seeing
her progress.
Coach McWoods what were your first impressions of Hava when you first met him/her?
I sort of heard of Hava when she was younger, but had never seen her run until she was a freshman at Kirkwood High School. Her two older sisters ran for me and she was the most talented in track than the other two.
When did you know she could be truly great?
After I saw her run in her first meet, I knew she could be a pretty good sprinter. I had coached many state finalist and champions and knew she could be that caliber of an athlete.
When did Hava make her biggest breakthrough?
Every year, she gets better and stronger and once I knew she could run the 400, I consider that a breakthrough, because that to me is a sign of a versatile athlete. I think last year was a tremendous year for her in terms of being able to compete in the 100, 200 & 400 at the state level with respect to the open and the relay races.
Is Hava a year-round track kid? Does she have other talents in addition to track and field?
Hava has competed year round, when she was younger, but she also played basketball and so she played basketball for a couple years during the summer. Track and Field became her full time sport when she gave up basketball at the beginning of her junior year. Hava is involved in the arts and has made that a career choice as she studies next year at a School of the Arts that also has a Track & Field program in San Francisco.
What do you think makes Hava great as an athlete?
What is important to me for me to consider them to be a great athlete is not just the athleticism of the athlete, but the work ethic this athlete has, as well as their attitude and demeanor. Hava has a very calm demeanor and works really hard in practice, she takes her events very seriously and enjoys her teammates.
Questions for Hava:
Hava, what made you decide to do track and field?
When I was younger I only did basketball but I was told that I would be good at track and field due to my extreme amount of energy. I'm very happy with my choice of doing track and field because it has altered my life tremendously.
When did you know you could do something special?
My freshman year I was primarily a basketball player. I had not done track since I was in 4th grade and was only doing track during high school season. I knew I could do something special when I made it to state that year and medaled in 2 of the 3 of my events. I medaled in the 4x100, 4x200 and got 9th in the 200. Experiencing this helped me realized that I had a chance of doing something great in the sport. From then I have shifted most of my focus to the sport and to improving my passion.
How has your training been going in the off season both winter and summer?
My training during off season has been really intense and focused. I have been taking weights and conditioning very seriously. I think with being a sprinter it pushes you to take advantage of the offseason because that can make the difference between a tenth of a second. It can make the difference between winning or getting last.
What do you love about track and field?
I love that it is an individual sport. It teaches you dedication and discipline. It has allowed me to fully immerse myself in something that involves a lot focus. The sport generates hard work. It teaches mental toughness. Though the sport causes for a lot of physical activity, to me it's mostly mental. The sport prepares you for the world which has helped me a lot in my life and that is what I love about it.
What are your goals for this upcoming season and future in the sport of track and field?
This year my goal is to win state in my individual events or go sub 12 and 25 in my 100 and 200. I also want to have an overall great year full of confidence and assurance that I made the right choice in terms of my future. Next year I will be attending Academy of Art University in San Francisco on a track and field scholarship. I'm excited for this year and the upcoming ones because I get to shift a majority of my focus on the things I'm passionate about.
