University Park, Pa.- Alexa Park's favorite quote happens to be, "Everything happens for a reason." After having an injury her senior of high school that would influence her underclassmen seasons, to breaking the Penn State women's high jump record as a junior, she can now clearly see that everything really does happen for a reason.
During Park's senior year of high school, a torn tendon in her ankle hindered her chances of reaching and succeeding her potential her freshman and sophomore years on the Penn State track and field team. Though, through the ebb and flow of recovery, which included refiguring out her proper form for high jump, she was ready to compete to her full potential in her junior year—and she did not disappoint.
That hard work and recovery came to fruition this past Saturday.
Parks broke the 1987 women's high jump record of 5-11.25 (1.8M) at the second day of the National Open with a jump of 6-0 (1.83M), becoming the first Nittany Lion to ever jump 6-0 or higher.
When she found out that she now holds the new Penn State record, it was a surreal moment for Parks. After lightly tapping the bar and then realizing she cleared it, her arms immediately jetted toward the sky and tears streamed down her face. Her victorious reaction was not just due to the fact that she just had a huge accomplishment, but it was also because of the timing.
"After three years of waiting, I finally reached the goal that I had for a while," Parks said.
The quote, "Everything happens for a reason," is fitting for Parks' journey. Looking on the brighter side of her injury, she said it has taught her to get to the point she is at now, while also teaching her to be stronger mentally and physically.
Her injury has also taught Parks to be more attentive to keeping her body healthy throughout the season.
"I did not do as much treatment as I should have last year, and even in high school I never did any," Parks said. "Now I know it is extremely important to spend four hours [at the track] every day and even coming in on Sundays for two hours."
That treatment, training, and time off has led to another growth in Parks over the last few years- her mentality and ability to prepare. With a confidence boost as well.
"The way that I prepare, I feel like over the past year I have been strong enough and physically capable of doing it—it is just my mentality," Parks said. "I have been mostly working on my confidence and knowing I can do this, and that I'm capable of jumping high. All week I was thinking, 'Okay, we can do this, we can do this."
Besides small pep talks Parks gives herself and a lot of motivational quote reading throughout the week, her teammates are also what helped give her the confidence and motivation to clear and break the high jump record.
As Parks' eyes narrowed in on the high jump bar and she started to begin her approach, slow repetitive claps from her teammates intensified—as they normally do to cheer and encourage the jumpers. This time, however, Parks said if she did not hear her teammates clapping and cheering for her, she feels like she would not have cleared the bar.
"I do usually well under pressure but having them all clapping for me definitely helped because it added more adrenaline and energy to the jump," Parks said. "All of my teammates pushed me and got me to six feet. If they weren't there and they weren't clapping, I don't know if I would've cleared it."
Now that the record and bar has been cleared, with a long way to go, it's time for Parks to think ahead.
The biggest thing for her looking toward the rest of the season is consistency. Each week, Parks has been improving her height by tweaking and perfecting the basics, such as her form.
"I just want to keep that consistency to go higher,"she said.
The way she's been performing lately, there's no doubt that next bar can be cleared too.
