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03/31/2016 12:00 AMSonia Atluru had a change of heart about what events she wanted to compete in during her sophomore season with North Haven indoor track. Sonia had done a lot of middle- to long-distance running events, but felt she’d be better suited as a jumper. She asked her coaches about switching events and they said she could learn the high jump during the subsequent outdoor track season. A few years and a bunch of postseason victories later, the decision proved a great one for Sonia and the Indians.
“I was more interested in what was going on inside the track, so I approached my coach my sophomore year and said I wanted to try the high jump. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of time to learn during indoor season, so I didn’t get to try,” says Sonia, a senior. “I remember for outdoor, the first thing I did was ask them if I could high jump and they were incredibly supportive.”
Sonia showed rapid improvement during her first season of high jumping in the spring of 2014. She first cleared 4 feet, then 4 feet-4 inches, and then eclipsed 4-6. Needing a jump of 4-8 to qualify for states, Sonia reached new heights by clearing 4-10 before the end of the year.
“I practiced every time the mats were out,” says Sonia. “Reaching 4-foot-10, that’s when I realized I had some potential and when I decided I was going to focus on the high jump.”
With that came 4 a.m. trips to the Floyd Little Athletic Center to practice before school, as well as summer workouts with 1968 Olympic gold medalist high jumper Dick Fosbury. Indoor track Head Coach Marc Celmer applauds Sonia for her commitment to achieving excellence in the event.
“She was one of the cornerstones to our team. The last couple of years, she was the individual that we counted on for points. She’s a reliable, hard-working young lady, did everything I asked her to do, and is going to be really tough to replace,” says Coach Celmer. “She went out and found a private coach, which demonstrated a level of commitment. That determination to get better and willingness to do what it took, that tells me she really wanted to improve.”
Fosbury was the first to do today’s traditional back-first high jump technique, which was dubbed the “Fosbury Flop.” Sonia believes that working with Fosbury has been a huge help with her form.
“It was obviously informative. This guy went out there and showed the world a new style of jumping,” says Sonia. “I’m taking [Advanced Placement] physics and did a project on it. The physics of the jump are true and show it’s better. It’s great to see such successful athletes taking the time to train the future generations.”
Sonia started her junior season off with a bang. Her first jump of the year went for 5-3 to break the Indians’ indoor record. The next meet, she reached the 5-4 plateau.
“It felt great to have come off my first outdoor season of jumping and then go 5-foot-3 for my first indoor jump,” says Sonia, who has a few offers on the table to continue track in college. “It was awesome and felt amazing because I knew how hard I worked to get there.”
Sonia finished her junior year with high jump victories at the SCC West Sectional Championship, the SCC meet, and the Class L State Championship by going 5-2 at all three competitions. Then for the outdoor season, she won the sectionals at 5 feet even.
Now in her senior year, Sonia prevailed in the high jump once more by hitting 5-2 at indoor sectionals during the recent winter campaign. Sonia was a captain for North Haven’s indoor track team and will captain the outdoor track squad this spring. Sonia hopes to use her leadership role to encourage more Indians’ athletes to follow in her footsteps and take on the high jump.
“I love it. Not in a power-hungry sense, but I knew what an impact my captains have had on me. They were amazing leaders and made my experience great,” says Sonia. “The coaches are great, but hearing from student-athletes themselves and seeing the seniors coming in day in and day out, working hard, and taking time to show us the ropes, that’s what I want to give back to the program that gave me so much.”