By David Villavicencio
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -Freshmen typically go through an adjustment period.
Miami’s John-Patrick Friday is no different. The 6-foot-1jumper spent most of his first indoor track & field season gettingadjusted.
“Itis harder,” Friday said of collegiate track. “It is stressful on the body. I havenot hit where I wanted to hit, but I am sure I will.”
Friday improved over the course of the indoor season andfinished strong, placing fifth in the men’s triple jump at the ACC IndoorChampionships.
“Ittook a while to get comfortable,” Friday said. “The last meetwas when I finally got the hang of it.”
The Orlando, Fla. native, believes working with Miami jumpscoach Gavin O’Neal has helped him improve tremendously over the course of hisfirst collegiate season.
“Ihave gotten a lot stronger,” Friday said. “I feel like I have gotten faster, as well, but Ifeel like I have a long way to go before I reach the strength that Iwant to reach. “
Friday competes in the triple jump, high jump and long jumpfor Miami and he has set lofty goals for his collegiate career.
“I would like to bring the ACC triple jump record to theschool,” Friday said. “I justwant to be one of those triple threats in all three jumps: long,triple and high jump.I want to go to nationals for all three.”
Originally a basketball player in high school, Friday begancompeting in track and field at the urging of his high school track coach.
“Mysophomore year,I was playing basketball and some of the people that were on the trackteam toldthe coach that I could jump,” Friday said. “The track coach cameto a basketball game and said, ‘You are really springy. You shouldprobably come out for track. You might have a future in it.’ Mysophomore I didnot have many goodresults,but I enjoyed it. I came out junior year and realized that I could seemyself doing it in college.”
After competing indoors for the first time in his career,Friday is looking forward to the start of outdoor season.
“Iknow outdoor,” Friday said. “Indoor was definitely something new. I neverdid indoor before,so when I got there it was a new experience. I was looking around like, ‘wow, this is a big deal.’ Indooris different jumping because outdoors you have the wind going with you and theheat to deal with. It is just totally different.”
Friday is excited for his first outdoor season as aHurricane. He hopes this will be the start of a very successful career atMiami.
“Now thatI know exactly how I am supposed to jump indoors, combined with knowinghow to jump outdoors, I am really excited about the future, Friday said. I amlooking forward to thenext few years.”