Dante jumps over difficulties

Senior Dante Cook has recently joined the Milton Track and Field team as a long, triple and high jumper, as well as a 4×100 meter runner.

Dante said his participation in sports has been limited because he had bad anxiety, which caused him to feel pressured and nervous. He played basketball during his freshman year, he added.

“Anxiety has held me back from doing a lot of things I enjoyed, and it also held me back from things I wanted to try throughout my life,” said Dante.

He said he decided to join track and field this year because his friends told him it is fun, and it is his last year in high school. He also started an anxiety medicine, and it has been helping him to feel less nervous, added Dante.

Milton Athletic Director Mr. Rod Harris said he noticed how athletic Dante is and has been encouraging him to join school sports since he met him as a seventh-grader. Dante was difficult to recruit because he was not sure if he was interested in participating in an organized sport with the obligations of practice and competition, added Mr. Harris.

According to Dante, he expected track to be easier, though he believes he is doing well.

“He is a natural athlete. He is able to pick up things and different techniques very quickly,” said Mr. Harris. “He is extremely coachable.”

According to Head Boys Track and Field Coach Mr. Mattison Ishman, the 4×100 team Dante is on is ranked third in the District. Dante is fourth in the District for long jump, tied for fourth in the high jump, and eleventh in the triple jump.

Mr. Ishman added that Dante’s long jump is 20 feet and five and a half inches.

“The coaches kind of picked my events for me, but I like jumping overall. I think I like doing it better than running,” said Dante.

Conditioning is the hardest part and his biggest challenge so far; keeping his breath and correct form while conditioning runs and practicing his events have been trying, Dante added.

Dante said that he is looking forward to making memories with his friends. He added that his goal is to go to Districts for all his events and maybe even States for the 4×100. But, this being his first year in track and field may negatively impact his position at Districts and possibly States, according to Dante.

Mr. Harris explained that although Dante’s inexperience has been a challenge, he has already quickly overcome that, and added that another challenge will be him not getting in his head and overthinking about his events.

Dante said he believes he will perform well in the long and high jump, though triple jump has been more difficult for him. He said he has had less practice in that event than the others.

“Pending he stays healthy and confident, he will have a very successful season not only for himself as an individual, but also for his team,” said Mr. Harris.

He is looking forward to making memories with his friends and performing well at Districts and possibly States, said Dante. Though, the worries of injury or not doing as well as he hoped are still in the back of his mind, he added.

“I stepped out of my comfort zone, and I’m finally doing something that I probably wouldn’t have done these past years of high school,” said Dante.

According to Dante, trying things that would get him out of his comfort zone, like joining track, snowboarding and socializing more, have helped him to cope with his anxiety.

“I am getting comfortable with track now and socializing,” he added.