ROCK SPRINGS — Rock Springs High School senior Trace Walker has signed to compete in track and field at the University of Jamestown in Jamestown, North Dakota, where he plans to focus on the pole vault and short sprint events.
Walker said his event load at the collegiate level will look different than what he handled in high school.
“I might have to run the occasional 400 but it won’t be like anything here in the high school,” he said.
Walker plans to major in medical laboratory sciences at Jamestown. “I plan to major in medical laboratory sciences. I chose that because it’s in the health field. So there’s lots of jobs available, and it’s science-based which I’ve just always had some sort of interest in science,” he said.
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Walker competes in both indoor and outdoor track, but said his preference depends on the event. He favors indoor competition for pole vault due to Wyoming’s conditions, noting that the wind can make vaulting difficult outdoors and that indoor meets help him keep his hands warm for grip. He said he still enjoys outdoor meets when the weather cooperates because of the sunlight and the open feel of the track for running events, preferring to run outdoors while vaulting indoors.
Walker said his initial conversations with Jamestown’s coaching staff played a key role in his decision. “One of the things was my first talk with the coach. I felt like he knew what he was talking about. And there’s good fishing around,” he said.
As he prepares to leave Rock Springs, Walker said the familiarity of the community and proximity to family will be what he misses most. “I’ll miss the size of the town and the fact that I’ve kind of started to get to know it like the back of my hand and I’ll miss having my family close.”
Walker said one of his favorite memories at Rock Springs High School came at last year’s outdoor state meet. “My favorite memory would be probably outdoor state last year after having a pretty bumpy polevaulting journey last year. I was able to come out and set a PR at outdoor state, which was pretty nice.”
His current personal record in the pole vault is 13 feet, 3 inches.
Walker is coached at Rock Springs by his father, Casey Walker, and said the dynamic has been a positive one. “It’s pretty nice. It’s definitely nicer than it is bad. Sometimes he comes over, and he says some stuff and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ but most of the time he comes over, and he says something helpful, and I’ll think, ‘Okay, he’s right,’ so it’s very nice having him there.”
For younger athletes hoping to compete at the next level, Walker emphasized consistency and effort. “I would just say, if track is something that you want to pursue, make sure you go and give it your all. Don’t cheat yourself out of a rep because it’s always going to feel worse than actually doing the rep. Don’t ever cheat yourself out of something. Just give yourself the 100.”
