Photo by Sam Chandler.
Vestavia Hills High School senior Jackson Bryant competes at the Homewood Invitational on March 16. In February, Bryant signed to continue his academic and athletic career at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Aspiring high jumpers at Vestavia Hills High School are held to a lofty standard.
Well, not too lofty.
Freshman boys must clear 5 feet, 6 inches if they want to pursue the event competitively. That’s an attainable mark for select athletes.
But three years ago, it was one that Jackson Bryant couldn’t muster.
He didn’t let it deter him.
“It was never an option for me to quit,” said Bryant, now a senior, after jumping 6-2 at a mid-March meet, “so freshman year I knew I was going to do track all four years, good or bad, and I mean, I was just obsessed with trying to do better.”
His obsession engendered persistence. Recently, it paid off.
Bryant, now a senior, signed a letter of intent in February to continue his academic and athletic career at the U.S. Naval Academy. He will high jump collegiately for the Midshipmen track and field team, which competes at the NCAA DivisionI level.
“He just kept working on it and stayed in that group,” said Brett Huber, VHHS head track and field coach, “and he’s gotten stronger and he’s gotten better.”
In two years, Bryant went from not being able to clear a bar at 5-6 to soaring over one at 6-2. As a junior, he scored points at both the state indoor and outdoor meets.
He then opened his senior indoor campaign this past December by clearing 6-6, a personal best.
“My favorite part is what a lot of people hate about it: I love the pressure,” Bryant said. “I love that the pressure’s on you when you’re trying to jump.”
Bryant experienced as much pressure as ever in early February. At the state indoor meet, held at the Birmingham CrossPlex, he found himself among the final athletes remaining in the competition.
Bryant ended up clearing 6-4 to finish fourth, one spot shy ofthe podium.
“He actually did really well at state,” Huber said, “but just nicked it at the places you have to have to medal.”
Bryant began high jumping in eighth grade, though his interest in jumping was long preceded by his interest in the military. He said he has always been drawn to it.
The thought of applying to a service academy didn’t cross his mind until he was prompted by Carl Nesbitt, his former Rebels teammate and training partner who now competes at the University of Alabama.
Bryant credits Nesbitt, a state champion, for helping his development and inspiring belief.
“I thought I had no chance at doing D1 track,” Bryant said, “but he encouraged me to apply to the Naval Academy and reach out to their track coach.”
Last July, Bryant began the tedious application process. He learned of his acceptance on the morning of his signing ceremony, when he chose Navy over Brown.
“As soon as I clicked accept, I just looked up at my mom and said, ‘It’s done,’” Bryant recalled. “It was really a sigh of relief because we’d been worrying about this for the past eight months.”
Bryant said academics were as influential in his college decision as athletics. He’s taken close to a dozen Advanced Placement courses throughout his high school career and scored 34 out of 36 on the ACT college entrance exam.
With his college decision behind him, Bryant can now soak up his last days wearing a Rebels uniform.
He’d like to place among the top three at the state outdoor meet, held in early May, and set a new personal best.
Consider his coach a believer.
“I think he has a 6-8 in him,” Huber said.
