Excelling in one of the most mentally draining events that track and field has to offer is certainly no easy accomplishment, no matter how easy Central Connecticut State University junior high jumper Alissa Hurd makes it seem.
Hurd’s stand-out performance in back-to-back meets in the high jump made her an easy selection for the Northeast Conference Women’s Field Athlete of the Week for the week of Jan. 16.
Hurd, the reigning NEC indoor high jump champion, matched her personal best on Jan. 14 at the UMASS Amherst Flagship Indoor Invitational, jumping 1.65 meters, equivalent to five feet, five inches.
She outdid herself at the University of Rhode Island Invitational on Jan. 20, clearing 1.70 meters. The URI invitational performance was good enough to win her a second consecutive NEC Prime Performer award, as well as to tie the conference-best mark.
Hurd said she likes the recognition for her hard work, but focuses on putting in the effort to keep improving.
“Every meet, I have it in my head that this is what I have to do if I want to show everybody what I can do,” Hurd said.
Hurd matched her 1.70 meter mark again, a sign that she said makes her feel like she is getting consistent enough to shoot for 1.73 meters in her next meet.
“I really needed to focus on a couple things in my approach to the bar,” Hurd said. “Once I started doing that, that’s why I’ve been hitting 1.70 as much as I have been.”
Hurd’s goals at the beginning of the indoor season kept her on track, but she said her coaches had even more in mind for her.
“Going into the season, I did just want to hit 1.70 a couple times,” Hurd said. “[My coaches] had even bigger goals for me.”
Going into her outdoor season, Hurd is ready to work towards her coaches’ goal of 1.75 meters. She said her mental strength is something that she focuses on just as much as her physical performance.
“High jump is just so mental,” Hurd said. “You have to put faith in yourself so much. If you hit the bar once, you have to snap out of it and do it again.”
Hurd has continued to improve her mental game. She said it was a struggle for her in prior seasons, but it is a part of her game that she feels has gotten much better throughout the season.
“It’s really tough with high jump,” Hurd said. “It’s so hard to PR [personal record]. One inch in high jump is a lot, and that one little inch can make or break you.”
Off the field, Hurd balances a loaded schedule, including classes within her major of criminal justice, early-morning practices, night lifts and a busy social life. She said one thing helps her get through her busy days the most.
“Those days are very long and very tiring,” Hurd said. “But, with the help of Starbucks, I can get through it.”
