Track wasn’t her first choice.
In fact, track wasn’t even among Jaclyn Onosko’s top three when she entered Kentridge High several years ago. Instead, the 18-year-old senior dabbled in fastpitch for a year, spent three more in basketball, and was a mainstay on the volleyball court.
Track?
It was an afterthought.
“I did softball as a freshman and was going to do track as a sophomore, but just didn’t,” explained Onosko, who graduated from Kentridge with eight total varsity letters.
It took a little coaxing from the one who knows best to actually get Onosko out onto the track.
“Watching her on the basketball court and the volleyball court, she is so quick,” said Beth Onosko, Jaclyn’s mom. “I thought if she could relate that to track, she would really find something that she’d like a lot and could be good at.”
When Onosko finally turned out for track in the spring of her junior season, she wasn’t just good. She was great, excelling in the javelin, the 400-meter dash and as a part of Kentridge’s relay teams.
“My brother did track, my mother did track … I just decided I may as well check it out and see what I could do,” Onosko said.
As it turned out, Onosko proved she could do plenty.
Three weeks ago, Onosko brought home a pair of sixth-place medals from the Class 4A state track meet at Mount Tahoma High, earning podium finishes in the javelin (120-feet-7 inches) and 400-meter dash (58.60). It was a nearly perfect way for Onosko to cap off what has been a wildly successful senior campaign.
In the fall, she was a first-team All-South Puget Sound League North selection at opposite hitter on the volleyball court. A fiery competitor, Onosko was the catalyst that made the Chargers go.
Today, Onosko can add one more honor to her list of accomplishments as she has been chosen as the Kent Reporter’s Female Athlete of the Year.
Not bad for a kid who waited until she was a junior to finally turn out for track. Interestingly, however, is the fact that the one sport Onosko put off is the one in which she will be competing in at college. In the fall, Onosko will be walking on at Washington State University, where she hopes to compete in either the 400 or the javelin.
And if she didn’t listen to mom?
“I wouldn’t be playing sports at college,” Onosko conceded.
Indeed. But that’s not to say Onosko hasn’t been committed to track since first stepping onto the turf at the beginning of her junior season. In fact, when Onosko goes into something, she does so with both feet. Track was nothing new as she qualified for state in the 4 x 400 relay as last year, and also won the SPSL title in the javelin with a toss of 101 feet, 4 inches.
Onosko kicked it up a notch this spring, too, as she stepped away from the hardwood in the winter to focus solely on track. As expected, success followed. Onosko’s 58.60 time in the 400-meter dash was a personal best while her performance in the javelin wasn’t too far off, either.
“Jaclyn may be the most well-balanced and talented athlete I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” said Kentridge track coach Lisa Robin. “She is strong, smart, multi-event talented, coachable, eager to learn and improve, and is dedicated. She seeks out new challenges and pursues them with commitment and drive.”
As much was evident this spring, when Onosko competed at the State Multi-Events Championship at Lake Stevens High just a week after the prep season ended. The competition includes the 100 hurdles, 200-meter dash, 800-meter dash, long jump, high jump, javelin and shot put. Out of 34 of the state’s top heptathletes, Onosko brought home 14th place with a total of 3,361 points.
Add it up and its clear to see why Robin believes Onosko has just scratched the surface of what she can do.
“She has not yet realized her full potential,” Robin said. “There is a great deal more she can — and will — do. I would not be surprised if she throws well over 150 (feet) in the javelin with further coaching at the college level.”
Though talented and athletically gifted, Onosko’s determination and drive is ultimately what has set her apart at Kentridge. In addition to her honors on the volleyball court and on the track, Onosko also earned the school’s Morrey Brown Athlete of Great Character award this spring. The award, which is named for the late Morrey Brown, a 2007 Kentridge High graduate and former standout track athlete who died tragically, is given to the Charger who shows tremendous sportsmanship, leadership, citizenship and academic commitment.
Onosko fit the bill perfectly, Kentridge volleyball coach Liz Quitiquit said.
“She’s just a great kid. Very coachable. She led by example,” said Quitiquit, noting that Onosko also was named the team’s MVP and Most Inspirational Player. “She brought tons of fire to the court. You could see the veins popping in her neck after a big block. She was fund to be around, intense and likes to win.”
Now she wants to win at Washington State University.
And she hopes to do so in the one sport that ultimately wasn’t her first choice four years ago.
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