It all started innocently enough for Kirk Academy eighth-grader Alexis Moorman. Now, she is a three-time state track champion.
Moorman added to her gold medal list earlier this month by winning the Class AAAA State Title in both the triple jump and long jump. Being able to repeat in the triple jump and add the long jump title to her resume made things really special this season. Another thing that makes the accomplishment that much more impressive is the lack of track facilities to practice her craft.
“I have worked really hard for it this year,” Moorman said. “It feels really good to be able to win especially since we really don’t have a track to practice on – just going out there and winging it makes it even more special.”
Moorman’s practice consists of getting her steps down because there is no pit available to use to practicing jumping.
Moorman won the triple jump with a best of 33 feet, 8 ¼ inches, which was two inches better than her winning jump as a seventh-grader. Her winning long jump was 16 feet, 9 inches, both of those numbers are school records. Next season, she would like to reach 34 feet in the triple jump and 17 feet in the long jump.
“I use my left foot to jump off for the triple jump and it takes a lot of strength for that foot,” she said. “I use the right foot to jump off for the long jump. It’s all about building up a lot of momentum to get out there. Coach (Mike) McLendon really helped me to strengthen my legs.”
McLendon, who coached her this season, gave all the credit to Moorman for her success.
“Alexis is a fierce competitor and athlete,” McLendon said. “It was fun to come along and watch her improve from meet to meet. She got right at the right time. I felt lucky to have had the opportunity to coach her.”
Moorman thinks the long jump is the tougher of the two competitions.
“The long jump is about really getting out there,” she said. “With the triple jump, if you have a good skip and a hop, you can get out there. In the long jump, you have to have strength in your legs to throw you out there as far as you can.”
How Moorman ended up on the track is a story in itself.
Two years ago, while in the Kirk gymnasium, she jumped over 10 girls lying on the floor. A year later, then Kirk track coach Marcus Davidson had Moorman in class and was shown a video of Moorman’s jump – the rest was history.
“We were sitting in Coach Davidson’s class and he told us how he needed some jumpers,” she recalled. “I wasn’t interested in jumping at all. I didn’t realize it was an event until he had brought it up. They ended up showing him that video and he said, ‘I can work with that.’”
Davidson said it came natural to Moorman.
“She made my job easier to coach – you could tell she had built-in springs in her legs,” Davidson said. “I am glad I had the opportunity to coach her for a year.”
Moorman enjoys jumping, but also has some worries.
“I really enjoy jumping,” she said. “Sometimes, the competition scares me. I’m really bad about looking online and looking at everyone’s best jumps. It all comes down to the day. I had my worst jumps during an invitational meet.”
McLendon, who recently took a position at Bayou Academy, said it best about Moorman.
“Keep an eye on her next year,” he concluded. “She is only going to get better and do outstanding things.”
The best is yet to come for Moorman.
