High School Standouts: Providence Academy’s Poteat pursues two-sport success
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Providence Academy senior Gavin Poteat’s first experience with sports came like many others in elementary school.
“My parents just enrolled, put me in soccer and I guess I enjoyed it,” he said.
He likes to run – to a certain degree.
“I did drop cross country,” he admitted.
Poteat isn’t much of a distance guy, which is why soccer fits him perfectly.
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“It’s like short little blips,” he said. “You make a run for a goal or something of that sort.”
He also enjoys the team mentality needed to succeed on the pitch.
“It’s hard to just put the team on your back and do everything on your own,” he explained. “So, you definitely have to have good team synergy – and I just like working with other people.”
Poteat also succeeds at using his short bursts of speed on the track, as a competitor in the 100 and 200 meter events. But, it wasn’t until a summer weights class his sophomore year that he found out he could jump, as well as run.
“We were doing plyometric training and a bunch of explosive vertical jump training,” he recalled, “and I kind of found out I had a decent vertical for my size.”
After one conversation with head track and field coach Eric Anderson, it was decided.
“Long jump would probably be a good way to exercise my newfound talent,” he said.
But, from the start, he has relied on more than just his natural ability. He’s put in the work, training with a coach on the weekends at Science Hill High School, trying to perfect his form.
“With technique, you can go multiple feet longer than if you’re just running out there and jumping,” he explained.
The team dynamic that he loves so much in soccer is slightly different on the track. But, it’s taught him an important lesson.
“Even though maybe you didn’t get your PR or set the best time, you’re still surrounded by people who are encouraging you and cheering you on,” he said.
After graduation, Poteat is headed for ETSU to earn a degree in either computer science or cybersecurity. Athletics won’t be part of the equation, most likely.
However, he does plan to continue helping PA at its youth soccer camps in the summer – paying it forward to the next generation of Knights.
“It’s fun to kind of give back to the kids and teach them the game that you love.”
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