Air Jordan
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Jordan Hairston won the VISAA state championship in the high jump.
Usain Bolt, the world’s greatest sprinter and eight-time Olympic champion, entered high school with little experience on a track. The Jamaican star was an avid soccer and cricket player, dreaming of playing for Real Madrid and Manchester United. It wasn’t until his cricket coach noticed Bolt’s speed and encouraged him to try track and field in 2001 that he shifted his focus. By 2002, Bolt had become the youngest junior World Champion in history and was on his way to becoming one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet.
MSA’s Jordan Hairston had a similar experience in the high jump in the spring of 2024. After leading the varsity basketball team to a state championship, Jordan sought ways to stay fit during the offseason. Standing just under six feet, Jordan was known for his jumping ability and speed. Though shorter than most top high school basketball players, he could slam dunk easily and often out-jumped players a foot taller.
Noting his athleticism, MSA’s track and field coaches encouraged him to participate in the long jump and various sprint events. During meets, Jordan would often watch the high jumpers and soon became interested in testing his own jumping abilities in the event. A few days before conference championships, he suggested to his coach that he should give the event a try.
He didn’t expect that within two weeks, he would make school history.
Jordan’s coach, Hamp Kennedy, commented: “Jordan asked me to try the high jump. I kept him at bay at first because he was excelling at the long jump and sprinting events. I told him, though, if he qualified for states at the conference championship, we could get serious about the high jump. Sure enough, he qualified by simply jumping over the bar.”
At his first meet, just one day after deciding to try the high jump, Jordan was unaware of the Fosbury Flop—the technique high jumpers use to maximize efficiency. He relied solely on his raw athleticism and simply jumped over the bar as best he could. Remarkably, he still cleared a higher mark than anyone else at the meet. Afterwards, he took a crash course in the correct technique and, by the VISAA State Championships, had learned the basics of the Fosbury Flop and was setting personal records with every jump. By the end of the meet, Jordan was MSA’s first track & field state champion and the first Maverick to win a state championship in two sports in the same year.
What’s next for “Air Jordan”? Jordan commented, “My goals for my senior year are to go back-to-back-to-back-to-back. I want to be a four-time state champ in both basketball and track. With the hard work and dedication I’m going to put in, I think it’s more than likely to happen.”
In addition to training and hard work, Jordan credits the MSA community for his success in sports: “MSA has given me the opportunity to thrive on and off the court and track. I have met people at Miller who will be friends for the rest of my life. The MSA community is a healthy and welcoming melting pot of academic and athletic excellence that I love to be a part of.”
“The MSA community is a healthy and welcoming melting pot of academic and athletic excellence that I love to be a part of”
Whether slam dunking in Alumni Gym or flying over the bar in the high jump, Jordan Hairston proves that the sky’s the limit for those willing to step out of their comfort zone and embrace new challenges. We’ll be watching eagerly as Jordan continues to soar during his senior year.
