Wilson ready to race for Carson-newman
One of the most decorated runners in Gordon Lee High School history isn’t ready to hang up his running shoes just yet.
Senior Jasper Wilson still has a spring track season to go and after that it will be on to Jefferson City, Tenn. where he will run for Carson-newman.
“This has been my dream ever since I was a freshman when I realized I could make something out of my running career and continue it at the next level,” he explained. “I just kept pushing in practice and kept pursuing it.”
Wilson began running in middle school, but said he didn’t start to take it seriously until around the end of his ninth grade year.
“I didn’t make it to state that year, but after that it just kind of clicked with me,” he added. “From that point on, I just wanted to get better and better.”
Get better he did. Wilson broke the boys’ school-record in cross country twice as a junior, running a 16:52 in the first race of the year at Ridge Ferry in Rome and later a 16:50 at Baylor. He went to finish as the Class A Public School state runner-up and was the 2017 Walker County Boys’ Cross Country Runner of the Year.
Last spring, he earned 2018 Walker County Boys’ Track Athlete of the Year honors by sweeping area and state titles in the 1600 and the 3200. He won the 1600 at state with a time of 4:49.62 and captured the 3200 by clocking in at 10:32.81. He also holds the GLHS school-record in the 1600 (4:40.64).
Wilson said he started taking college visits as a senior, but found the place for him when he arrived at Carson-newman.
“It just felt like the place that God wanted me to be,” Wilson said. “All glory to Him. Without Him, this opportunity wouldn’t be happening for me. I think Carson-newman is definitely the right choice for me.”
“I’m super proud of Jasper and him getting the opportunity to go run at the next level,” Gordon Lee head cross country coach Nathan Bums said. “This is kind of what he’s always wanted to do. He’s got a super work ethic and he really just wants to get better. He hates not working on his running and I can’t say enough about the character that Jasper has. He’s definitely earned every bit of this opportunity.”
Unfortunately, injuries hampered his senior cross country campaign, but he still managed to place third at the Area 6-A Public School meet to give the Trojans a 1-2-3 finish. He went on to place 10th at the state meet in Carrollton, giving the Gordon Lee boys three in the top 10.
With Wilson on the team, the Trojans had three topfour team finishes at state in the past three seasons.
He says, partly because of the injuries, he’s going to Carson-newman feeling as if he still has something to prove.
“I’m going to recover well and get ready for the upcoming spring track season,” Wilson explained. “The coach at Carson-newman knows how to help athletes recover from injuries. He’s been there and been through a lot too, so he knows what to do and I know he’ll guide me the right way.”
Wilson says he plans to major in education with a focus on physical education.