Lajarvia Brown has made the best of her opportunities in a short amount of time (Milesplit file footage)
Over the past three years since Alton senior Lajarvia Brown has taken track and field serious, she has been a quiet storm turned into a F5 Hurricane. Brown has won the last two state championship triple jump titles, and then busted out this past summer with a whopping 41-9.75 leap that reached the eighth best legal measurement in the country. It was also the second best mark in the history of Illinois school girl annals. Only the legendary Deanna Simmons of Decatur MacArthur and her 42-3.25 from the summer of 1995 stands in Brown's way.
LaJarvia congratulations on your commitment to Texas A&M University. How does it feel to finally have the weight of choosing a college off your shoulders?
Thank you, and it feels wonderful. The recruiting process is exciting at the beginning, but as time passes, and you get deeper into the process it becomes overwhelming. I'm very grateful to have had a chance to experience the process, and travel to different college, but I'm glad to be done. I love the decision I made, and now I can enjoy my senior year and work on going out with a bang!
You narrowed your choices down to four great academic and athletic
institutions, what was it about Texas A&M that made you decide that
you wanted to be an Aggie?
All four of the schools I took visits to were amazing. After I finished my fourth visit, I knew for sure that I was either going to be a Tiger or an Aggie! Clemson and Texas A&M are both wonderful schools, with great track programs, but A&M has had my heart from the start of the recruiting process. Clemson gave me some trouble while trying to decide, but when I verbally committed to A&M I felt great! Texas A&M has great coaches, people, facilities, and most importantly, I feel like A&M is a good place for me to take on my major of Physical Therapy. I've always wanted to be an Aggie, and I couldn't find a single reason to turn it down. I just went with what my heart was telling me.
Flashback three years ago as a freshman, did you imagine being
where you are right now athletically? What did it take to get to this
moment?
Three years ago, I never would've imagined that I would be where I am right now. Being consistent with effort, helped me get to where I am. I never missed practices, I always gave my all on the track, and I always listened to what my coaches would tell me. The hard work started to pay off. I realized that my freshman year when I qualified for state. I didn't come back with a championship in the jumps that year, but I did come back hungry. I was ready to put the work in so I could perform my best on the big stage in Charleston, and come back a State Champion. The love I have for the sport made it easy for me to give my all.
How has training this fall been going for you after a long summer of competition, what are you doing to prepare for the upcoming season?
Fall training has been going well. I took some time off after the World Youth Championships, and Junior Olympics, but I've been back training for a while. My main focus this fall has been to get stronger, so most of my training has been in the weight room.
You play for the Alton Lady Redbird basketball team as well. How is LaJarvia Brown on the hardwood?
I approach the court the same way I approach the track. Just trying to get better every day.
Heading into your final season of track and field, you are a two-time defending Illinois state champion, a multiple AAU national champion, a World Youth Championships participant, and the nation's fifth ranked returning triple jumper. This past spring and summer has put you into the national spotlight, what goals are you looking to accomplish in your final year of prep competition?
I want to finish out my final year of prep competition being a 3 time State Champion in the triple jump, and a state champion in the Long Jump. I also want to make the World Junior's team and place higher than I did at the Youth Championships. My main goal is to show improvement! I have to keep getting better!
Finally, Alton High School has a history of producing some the great horizontal jumpers in Illinois history, what will it mean to you years down the line when you name is mentioned among the greatest not
only in Alton history, but Illinois history?
It would mean a lot to hear my name being mentioned among the greatest in Illinois history.There is no possible way to describe that feeling right now, but I know it will feel amazing. Hearing my coaches names would make me feel even better. Without all of them I wouldn't be where I am.
Personal Records
- 100mH - 14.97
- 200m (in) - 26.29
- 200m - 25.49
- 300mH - 43.78
- Long Jump (in) - 17-7
- Long Jump - 19-6.25
- Triple Jump (in) - 38-8
- Triple Jump - 41-9.5