The #1 man in all of Illinois Ja'mari Ward (Colin Boyle photo)
Even if Ja'Mari Ward does not improve a single inch in his final season, it is safe to say the Cahokia superstar would go down as the best horizontal jumps performer in IHSA history. So after three high school seasons he has broken every class record in the state. Entering his senior year Ward has personal bests of 25-7.25 and 51-11 in the long and triple jumps. The latter mark was indoors where he won the New Balance indoor national crown. Ward led all comers outdoors in both arenas despite shutting down his season after the Southwest Classic. 2016 is an Olympic year and his coach Millsap has some big plans for his phenom. "The kid is a great athlete and great kid who comes from a great family," he once said. Millsap also said recently: "I think Ja'mari can get up to 27-feet this year. We are going to get him into the Olympic Trials this summer and see what happens." Coach Millsap of course is referring to the long jump which is Ward's best event right now. He thinks being close to his older brother LaDerrick Ward at the University of Missouri will help his growth. Ward had scholarship offers from virtually ever top track and field power in the country. The next level for Ja'Mari may be the 2017 World Championships and 2020 Olympics provided he continues to learn, improve, and stay focused on the long range goals that he has set for himself. The upcoming season will indeed be a joy to watch for Illinois and then national fans.