Coupeville Sports

Jacob Smith flies towards the tape. (John Fisken photos)

Smith and Jesse Hester (right) wait for their events.

Jacob Smith has sprinted onto the sports scene.

Literally.

The CHS freshman kicked off his third track season, and first at the high school level, at the Island Jamboree Thursday, finishing as the second-fastest Wolf boy in the 100 and 200.

The only Coupeville runner faster than him in those events was junior Lathom Kelley, a state meet contender, making for a strong showing for Smith.

Now, he only hopes to keep getting better.

“I enjoy how track gives the opportunity to make each person stronger and faster individually, making the team as a whole that much better when put together,” Smith said. “I also enjoy how track makes your skill set able to apply to other sports because it makes you stronger, faster, and more enduring.

“My main goals for the season are to make my times tied with my teams best runners, and then be in competition with them for the schools records.”

Smith plans to add the 4 x 100 relay to his sprinting, with an eye on eventually working on longer events.

“I believe that my strengths are mostly in sprinting,” he said. “If not my sprinting, then I think that my determination is the strongest part of how I compete.

“I would like to work on my longer distance running and ability to do field events effectively.”

He started running track as a seventh grader at Coupeville Middle School, going on to place third in the 400 at the league finals as an eighth grader.

“I started as soon as I got my opportunity and did it because I love having the chance to compete head on with other athletes as individuals,” Smith said.

A fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the “Rocky” films, he enjoys history class and studying comedy writing. He’s also signed up to play football as a sophomore.

Whatever he is doing, Smith finds inspiration from those close to him.

“My family as a whole has contributed majorly to how I am as a person in general and how I am as an athlete,” he said. “My father is the one that I am most like and has molded the way I act more so than anyone else.

“I am very impacted by my fellow players who accomplish major things in their sporting,” Smith added. “They inspire me to do everything I can to compete at the highest level I am capable of.”