How Jameson Witt can help the Ballard boys track team get four relays to state
Jameson Witt came on at the perfect time for the Ballard track team last season.
Motivated by getting senior teammate Blake Stover to state, Witt qualified individually as a sophomore and helped Stover and teammates Jayden Swain and Chance Lande make it in the sprint medley.
“We had a senior who really wanted to go to state and we were able to take him there,” Witt said. “I think that was a pretty fun moment.”
Witt helped Ballard finish 18th in Class 3A during the distance medley with a time of 1:38.74 and he took 11th in the 400 with a time of 51.16.
As a junior, Witt plans on doing even better and bringing a few more teammates with him to state.
"He is very committed to helping our track team however he can," said Ballard coach Darren Herrold. "He's a tremendous team athlete, and that shows in his willingness to compete in relays. This season, we will use him in 400s and 800s in our relays. He has the ability and potential to be an excellent middle-distance runner for Ballard."
Witt ran two 400 legs and one 800 in relays during the opening outdoor meet of the season Tuesday. Ballard competed in the Nevada Invitational and Witt helped the Bombers win the distance medley and take second in both the 4x800 and 4x400.
He ran with junior teammates Chance Lande, Eli Rouse, Jakson Fleischmann and Trent Payne in two relays apiece and senior Jayden Swain joined him in the medley.
“Me, him, Jakson Fleischmann and Eli Rouse have been best friends forever,” Lande said. “This all kind of started freshman year in the 4x400. He was an absolute stud for us. He’s got the talent for it and the work ethic for it — he’s just a dawg.”
Being with his friends is what Witt enjoys most about track.
“I love the team,” Witt said. “It’s my teammates and their encouragement and I love to run. It’s fun.”
That's part of the reason why he's started running 800s this season, so he can participate in more than one relay that has the potential to make state.
"This season Jameson's goals are to help get four relays into the state meet — the sprint medley, distance medley, 4x400 and 4x800," Herrold said. "With his attitude and work ethic, this is definitely attainable for both Jameson and his Ballard teammates."
But he's also focused on bettering himself as a runner.
“We’ve been switching to more long-distance stuff,” Witt said. “I’m building more stamina. I think it’s a little early for that to be paying off, but it’s a lot better than it was last year.”
Lande was impressed with Witt when he ran the 800 for the first time during the UNI indoor meet in Cedar Falls.
“The last meet we had at UNI he ran the 800 and ran a 2:13,” Lande said. “We broke the school record in the 4x800. It’s just great building memories with the boys.”
What separates Witt from a lot of runners is his ability to close out races.
“His kick,” Lande said. “Once he gets to that last 100 meters, he’s gone. Not too many people in the state could keep up with that."
With that great final kick, Witt hopes to add one big individual achievement to his relay success this season.
"I want to break the school record in the 400," Witt said.
Ballard's record mark is 50.73.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ballard sophomore Jameson Witt is expanding his ability on the track
