W&J sports
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Great Lengths NATIONAL-CALIBER STUDENT-ATHLETES SHARE WHAT IT TAKES TO REACH THE TOP
Suspended three meters above an Olympic-size swimming pool, under the watchful eyes of family, friends, teammates and coaches, Bethany Haver ’12 thinks about a lesson from her sports psychology class at Washington & Jefferson College. Haver says that her professor, Stanley Myers, Ph.D., taught her about working through anxiety with preparation and focus. “Physical fitness is important, but mental toughness helped me reach the national championships,” said Haver, who earned her second-straight invitation to the NCAA championships in Indianapolis this past winter. “There are a lot of nerves when you are alone on the board. I learned to make competition a comfort zone.”
“Physical fitness is important, but mental toughness helped me reach the national championships.”
– BETHANY HAVER ’12
As a pre-meet ritual, Haver often turned to her headphones, listening to hip-hop and pop artists like Rihanna and Katy Perry to get her adrenaline flowing. Acknowledging the importance of staying in shape, Haver participated in a three-week boot camp in her hometown of Akron, Ohio, before returning to W&J each fall. An avid runner, she also competed in half-marathons to help increase her endurance in the water.
“Every athlete’s goal is to compete at that highest level, but what you do outside of a practice or competition sets you apart.”
When pre-medical student Taylor Hockman ’12 was not absorbed in his studies, he was preparing for the track-and-field season by passing the cold winter months at the Henry Memorial Center gym. However, limitations like shared gym time with the basketball and wrestling teams required Hockman and his teammates to work out as early as 5 a.m. “It’s not easy to get your body ready at that hour of the day. I reminded myself every day of what my goal was,” he said. “If the gym wasn’t available, we put on extra layers and went outside. You just have to find a way.” This dedication paid off for Hockman, who qualified for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field championships this past winter, becoming the first President in 10 years to earn that distinction. He finished three spots shy of attaining All-America status after placing 11th in the long jump with a top leap of 6.78 meters. After winning the outdoor long and triple jump events at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) championships, Hockman was honored as the PAC Field MVP for a second-straight season. “Every athlete’s goal is to compete at that highest level, but what you do outside of a practice or competition sets you apart,” said Hockman who, at 6-feet-1-inch tall and 200 pounds, also played quarterback on the Presidents’ football team. “Eating well, working
– TAYLOR HOCKMAN ’12
out in the weight room, going to sleep early, skipping out on social events. It’s the personal sacrifices that give you an edge.” The face of the diving program at W&J, Haver won seven PAC championships and, in March, ended her impressive career with two more All-America awards, stretching her number of national medals to four. “When I decided to attend a Division III school, I knew my goal was to make it to the national championship meet,” said Haver, who placed fourth at one meter and eighth at three meters at the NCAA championships. “I saw a lot of my high school teammates competing in Division I, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could accomplish more. That is why I set my goals higher than I thought they needed to be. Making nationals was the first goal, diving well once I got there was my ultimate dream.” Haver and Hockman were rewarded for their standout careers as recipients of W&J’s annual senior athlete awards. Haver, who was named the Walter C. Cooper Senior Female Athlete of the Year, and Hockman, who garnered the E. Ronald Salvitti, M.D., Senior Male Student-Athlete Award, were honored at the College’s 14th Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony in September. – SCOTT MCGUINNESS
WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE
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