Floyd Whitaker got off to a great start this basketball season, averaging nearly 14 points per game through Highland Regional's first eight contests.
But his promising junior campaign on the hardwood came to a screeching halt after a loss to Delsea on January 9th.
No, he didn't get injured.
Whitaker, after lengthy consideration, decided to end his hoops season and literally jump onto the track and field team three days later.
"It was one of my hardest decisions I have ever made switching sports,'' said Whitaker. "I love my teammates on the basketball team, and I wish them the best, but I had to stay healthy and be ready for my track career. Track is where my future is.'''
It sure is!!!
Whitaker made a huge impact last spring when he smashed the state sophomore record to win the triple jump at the Meet of Champions with a leap of 50-2.5, which is No. 5 in state history!!!
"I knew in order for me to get the most out of myself and reach my goals in track and field, I needed to compete indoors,'' said Whitaker. "I realized that track was my sport and that I was going to pursue it 100 percent. I remember in my freshman year I was talking to to one of my captains, Taina Esperience, and she told me that I could do great things and go so far if I was to take track seriously. She is part of the reason I am who I am today. I decided to devote all my time to track and become the best athlete I can be.''
Esperience was right!!
Despite his late start to the season, Whitaker wasted no time displaying his flair in the air this winter, soaring to huge PR's in the high jump and long jump, and making history in the horizontal jumps.
At the Eastern States Championships on February 19th at the New Balance Track and Field Center at the NY Armory, Whitaker became the first boy to ever both the long jump and triple jump at the same Easterns in the 86 year history of the meet. Whitaker leaped 22-8 to win the long jump, and came back later to soar a NJ#1 46-10 3/4 to win the triple jump. That's an indoor PR for Whitaker.
Whitaker's has hit big PR's this season in both the long jump (NJ#2 23-0.5), and high jump 6-06 (tied for NJ#6). That's a foot further than his previous LJ and six inches higher than his previous HJ PR!!!
"I'm faster and stronger then I was a year ago,'' said Whitaker. "I'm not too surprised by my jumps because I knew that I was capable of those marks. It was just a matter of time and growing stronger. I came out late this season, so I'm playing catch up with everyone else, but one of my goals is to always be the best and always win that gold medal.''
Although Whitaker is a still a few feet off his triple jump PR from last spring, he feels his passion, work ethic, talent, and improving technique will enable him to make a run at the state outdoor TJ record of 50-9.25, set in 2018 by Khaliel Burnett of Delsea.
"I believe strongly that I can beat that state record,'' said Whitaker, one of very few jumping star who also runs XC to build up his conditioning. "It's a super impressive jump and not something that can be achieved easily, so it will take more time and dedication with perfecting my form and still getting stronger and faster as I go on. This spring one of my goals is to beat the state record and even go past 51. I consider my drive to be number one of my greatest strengths as a jumper. What separates me is how much I love what I'm doing. I push myself to do better every single time. I hold high expectations for myself.''
Whitaker, who has become a true student of the sport, said a trip last month to Havana, Cuba with the National Scholastic Athletic Foundation's Project Triple Jump really helped him.
"The Cubans have a different way of jumping, and I picked up a lot of things they do in their training and jumping that I feel can help me,'' said Whitaker, who won the HJ at the South Jersey, Group 3 meet. "I'm excited to see what happens when I put that all together.''
Whitaker also does his share of studying.
"I like to study multiple professional triple jumpers to see how they perform their jumps and manage it into a way I'm comfortable,'' said the 6-3, 175-pound Whitaker. "I mostly watch Christian Taylor, since we have a similar build.'' The 6-2, 175-pound Taylor is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner in the TJ and a 4-time World Champ in the event.
Whitaker caught on very quickly to the triple jump after getting thrown into the event as a freshman.
"I first got involved with triple jumping when I was at a freshman/sophomore meet my freshman year and my coach threw me into triple jump for the first time,'' said Whitaker. "I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I jumped from the closest board because it was too confusing for me to figure out how to jump from the others, but when I jumped I landed at the end of the pit. That's when I think me and my coach both knew this could be something I'm good at.''
Whitaker went on to win the triple jump in the Freshman Division with a mark of 45-10.75 at the 2018 New Balance Outdoor National Championships at the University of North Carolina A&T.
He's been stretching the tape measure out further and further ever since.
But despite all of his success, Whitaker is still a bit under the radar among the state's biggest stars. But that doesn't bother him.
"I don't really mind not being known or talked about enough,'' said Whitaker, who will be one of the favorites to win the long and triple jump at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze on March 8th. "I know it's just a matter of time before I'll get recognized. I still have many goals that I'm sure will soon have more people know who I am.''