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October 6, 2009

Stuart Kantor
Special to Rivals High

MORE: Female thrower is humble champ |Cross-country star finds balance

Hang out with some friends at the mall. Take in a few movies. Or just plain relax and regroup. After a summer of training and representing the U.S. overseas, no one could have blamed A'Lexus Brannon if she did any of that this fall.

Instead, Brannon - one of the nation's top returning track and field athletes - decided to spend this fall as she always does, leaping and crouching, spiking and digging on the volleyball court.

"It's a good change of pace," Brannon said. "And I still get plenty of jumping."

Brannon, a senior at Beaumont Ozen High School in Texas, has led her team to an 18-6 record - and a 4-0 district mark.

But don't be fooled, the nation's No. 2 returning long and triple-jumper, still has track and field on her mind. How couldn't she? The memories of a summer trip to Italy are still fresh.

After taking first in the long jump at the USATF Junior Olympics (19-10.25), she earned a spot in the World Youth Championships, where she finish eight, while recording a wind-legal No. 5 jump of 20-00.50. Of course, that's not all that she took away from the trip.

"We stayed in the Alps - the most amazing site that I had ever seen; it was like a screen saver on a computer," she said. "I met and became friends with Shanay Briscoe (TX), Ciarra Brewer (CA), Jennifer Clayton (NY), Bridgette Owens-Mitchell (MI), Tara Richmond (CA), and Kori Carter (CA).

"What made the trip really amazing was all the different languages spoken, cultures, and all the athletes had such great technique."

As for her own technique, she admits a weakness in her start to the 100 hurdles.

"It feels like I always seem to give everyone a 10-meter head start," she said. "I had a set back from basketball with my knee, and I hesitated out of the blocks because of it. I need to increase my drive phase."

This slight yet vital change in technique should allow Brannon to reach her goal of 13.5 or lower in the hurdles.

While her hurdle skills are indeed impressive, it's her jumping ability that has garnered the most attention.

"It's definitely my strength," she said. "I need to add another rotation in the long jump and improve my landing with core strength. I need to also hold my feet up and not drop out of the air. As for my triple jump, I've never focused on it in practice. I just do it. I've never really practiced the phases."

This is all potential good news for the University of Texas and Texas A&M, the two universities in the lead for her services; so much raw talent is any coach's dream.

As for dreams, Brannon, ranked 29th in her class of 287, is confident in hers: "I want to run in college and then compete in three Olympics; 2012, where I'll enjoy the experience; 2016 where I'm going to win, and 2020 - we'll have to see. I am going to be one of the best in the world."

That seemed apparent from an early age, when she used to practice leaping her couch - and outrun all the boys - as a child.

"We used to play Jump the Brook in school, where you run from one end of the basketball court to the other, each time jumping over two ropes. Every time you run, the ropes get further apart. I always won.

"My jumping ability led to track. I told my dad, 'I want to run track.' He said, 'No you don't.' I jumped over the couch with two-to-three steps. He said, 'You can run now.' I just wanted to jump, not to run. He didn't let me quit. I qualified for nationals my first year at age 9."

She already is a high school legend in Texas.

As a freshman, she captured her first state gold medal in the long jump (19-05.5) while taking fourth in the triple jump and fifth in the 100 hurdles.

She then won three medals at USATF Junior Nationals (first in long jump (19-6), second in the triple jump (39-06) and fourth in the 100 hurdles 14.20) and three more medals at the AAU Junior Nationals (first in triple jump (38-06.50) and two seconds in the long jump (18-10.50) and the 100 hurdles (14.30)).

As a sophomore, she doubled at the state meet, taking the long jump (20-00.50) and triple jump (40-04), as well as setting a personal best in the 100 hurdles at 13.92.

Brannon also captured triple (41-01) and long jump (20-01.50) gold at the Great Southwest and first-place long jump finishes at the UTSA Relays (21-00.50), the prestigious Texas Relays, the AAU Junior National Youth Championships, and the Caribbean Scholastic Meet in Puerto Rico.

As a junior, she doubled again, taking the long jump (19-06.75) and triple jump (40-10.50).

Her efforts helped her emerge on the national scene. She finished her junior campaign as the fifth-ranked long and triple jumper and the 19th-ranked 100-meter hurdler in the nation.

She'll enter this season as the No. 2 returning long and triple jumper.

Maintaining this level of excellence will come with hard work, dedication - not to mention a lot of superstition.

"The day of a meet, I wake up early and take a long bath," she said. "I don't eat much - a banana, a breakfast bar and a Gatorade, and then I do the same warm up wearing the same socks all season. Everything has to be the same.

"That way," she joked, "I can blame the shoes if I don't win."

As much as she enjoys volleyball - and the change of being away from the track - Brannon says she will go about her senior season a little differently.

A former three-sport star, Brannon says she will not play basketball this winter.

"Volleyball, then basketball, then track - it's just too much," she said. "I want to compete indoors this year, maybe Nike Indoors and the Simplot Games. I'm also thinking about the heptathlon at Arcadia, and then after the season, I hope to compete at the Great Southwest and Nike Outdoors. So after volleyball, I'll train for track at my own pace."

And maybe - just maybe - take in a movie.


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