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03/07/2018 11:00 PMJalen Johnson started doing track and field as a hobby, but it’s become quite a passion for him throughout his time at Old Saybrook High School. Jalen raised his level of dedication to the sport around the midway point of his career as a runner, and he’s helped the Rams achieve a tremendous amount of success in the subsequent seasons.
Jalen joined Old Saybrook’s boys’ outdoor track team as a freshman and then stepped into the indoor circuit the following year. Jalen made great strides in his sophomore and junior seasons, setting him up to have his best showing yet as a senior. At the recent Shoreline Conference Championship, Jalen claimed first place in both the 55-meter dash and the 300, while additionally running on a first-place 4x200 relay for the Rams, who rallied from a late 12-point deficit to overtake Haddam-Killingworth and win their fourth straight conference title.
“It was a nail-biter against H-K, and we had to rely on our team scoring points in the long and high jumps. They helped us get kind of a backbone and realize that we could still win Shorelines,” says Jalen, who made the All-Shoreline Conference First Team in each of his first-place events. “For me, it was just about the skill of putting the time and practice in, and we were all glad to win.”
Jalen had a busy day by running three sprinting events at the Shoreline Championship. Jalen knew what he needed to do to maintain his stamina that day, and his approach helped him parlay one dominant dash into another. Jalen won the 55 with a time of 6.7 seconds, took first in the 300 at 37.47, and then joined forces with Carlos Chacon, Max Thomas, and Devon Moshier to win the 4x200 in 1:37.52.
“There is enough time between the 55 and 300 where I don’t feel as much pain versus maybe running longer events, but I still need endurance in my strength. I just made sure to hydrate myself and stretch before each event,” Jalen says. “I came into the 55 just wanting to do my best after practicing all year and lifting during the summer. I wanted to show everyone what I could do. The 300 was next, so I was confident after winning the 55 and just did what I did.”
Jalen relishes having all the pressure fall on his shoulders when he’s running individual events. However, Jalen adds that he also likes the synergy that’s required for he and his teammates to succeed in their relays.
“In relays, it’s not only up to you; it’s up to how you and the team does their job. It’s a group effort,” says Jalen. “In individual events, it’s just up to you, and you have to demonstrate what you’ve been practicing. You have to want it on your own.”
Old Saybrook boys’ indoor track Head Coach Pete Capezzone says that Jalen has gone through a maturation process in which he’s not only dropped seconds off his times, but has also developed all the traits of an exemplary leader.
“Jalen has come full circle as both an athlete and a teammate, as well as a leader. Jalen has grown so much since his freshman year as an athlete. He has dedicated himself to getting better. He is always the last to leave the weight room and he is meticulous about his preparation,” says Capezzone. “Jalen is fun to have around, and he is so conscious about what it takes to get to the next level. In preparing for the Shoreline and State championships, Jalen was very knowledgeable about what his role was to make his team better. He was willing to do whatever it took on his end to win the championship. On the leadership end, Jalen is great working with the other younger members of his sprinting [and] relay groups. He encourages and counsels. He is the kind of leader that coaches love to have around.”
Jalen has come a long way both athletically and personally during his four-year journey with the Old Saybrook track program. As he gets ready for the final leg of his run this spring, Jalen says that one of the most important things he’s learned is the value of giving as much effort as it takes to master any craft.
“Before, I wasn’t into sports, and I just ran in my free time. I didn’t take track seriously when I joined freshman year,” says Jalen. “In my sophomore and junior years, I started putting more time and effort in, and my times improved drastically.”