Slippery Rock track and field star Jasmine Bailey is “one of the most talented and hardworking competitors in the entire Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)”, Slippery Rock head track coach John Papa said.
Bailey, currently in her final season competing for The Rock, is a graduate student at Slippery Rock.
Although a graduate student, Bailey had one semester of outdoor eligibility left, which she is nearing the end of now. Bailey said that although she did not have a choice in either competing in the outdoor or indoor season, she would have picked outdoor anyways.
“Indoor is nice with the controlled environment but it is too crammed for me,” Bailey said. “Outdoor has my favorite event, the 4×100 meter, and my second favorite event, the 400 meter, is easier to run outdoor than it is to run indoor.”
Due to Bailey has the SRU record in the 100, 200, and 400 meter and is currently on the 4×100 and 4×400 relays for the PSAC championships, Papa said that he would have to consider her, at this point, the best overall sprinter that Slippery Rock has ever had.
“Each year she has improved significantly,” Papa said. “A big part of that is because she has made a commitment to be the very best athlete that she can be. The spring coach, coach Nate Shadeck, has done a great job with Jasmine.”
Papa stressed the commitment that Bailey has made, by calling it a “grind.” To stay fit and to make the commitment year after year for five years is very tough, he explained.
Bailey said that she has “remained dedicated and successful by following a pretty standard routine,” and does not allow anything “crazy” to psych her out.
She said that she follows a normal schedule, which begins with eating a good breakfast when she wakes up. Bailey continued by saying that she feels she has remained successful through determination and motivation.
“I have always been determined to do well in everything I do,” Bailey said. “I love being a part of a team, and when I am a part of a team, I give my 100 per cent. I have also taken weight-training more seriously, which in turn has helped me become stronger and more powerful.”
“Bailey has not just gotten to the stop, but she has stayed there, and that is not easy,” Papa said.
Bailey, a 2012 graduate of Butler High School, was first discovered by Rock assistant coach Bill Jordan. In Bailey’s case, coming to Slippery Rock was a good fit and it made sense, he explained.
“The coaching staff sort of knew from the beginning how successful she was going to be at The Rock and now she is one of the most outstanding athletes in the entire conference”, Papa said.
Throughout the past several years with the Green and White, Bailey said that she feels as if she has matured not only as an athlete, but as a person. At first, Bailey said was very resentful in the races she competed in.
“I realized what discipline was,” Bailey said. “I now do what I am told and get after it in everything I do. I became a leader on the team and now push my teammates to work hard.”
Papa said that Bailey is not only talented athletically, but she also has a lot of leadership ability.
“[Bailey] delivers on race day,” Papa said. “Some athletes have a little difficulty performing on race day, they can get it done in practice, but on race day they are a little ‘iffy.’ She delivers without a doubt and is a role model for the younger athletes.”
