Hiley Mazda Key Athlete of the Week: Scottsboro’s Caroline Sanders
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (WHNT) — Scottsboro Senior Caroline Sanders has been competing at the state level in track and field since she was in eighth grade.
She favors the long jump and by her final year in a wildcat uniform, she was landing 20 feet deep in the sand, which is one of the top 25 longest-posted jumps nationally this season.
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Head coach Luke Robinson knew early on that Caroline was destined to be a force to be reckoned with on the track.
“I’m a math teacher at the junior high, and we had a faculty versus student flag football game on one afternoon and she was on the student side and she was making everybody on the field look bad,” Robison said.
The hardest part for Coach Robinson and Caroline was narrowing down her talents to just four events.
“Once she got started and out here it was like, it seems like every single event she took, she could be good at,” said Coach Robinson, “She’s always been hungry. She’s always wanted to do whatever it takes to get a little bit better.”
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On paper, the long jump is where she shines, and it’s also her favorite.
“It’s very difficult,” said Sanders.
She set a state record of 19 and 3/4 inches at the AHSAA Class 4A/5A indoor state track and field competition this year.
She leaped past her own record, jumping 20 feet at the Alabama-Tennessee challenge, which is a national top 25 record for this season.
“There’s a lot of like almost got it and then didn’t quite get it. It’s just a lot of up and down,” said Sanders, “Then if I think about is big pop and go as high as I can”
Right now, Caroline has her eyes on the future and she is excited to trade in a Wildcat uniform for a Charger one, continuing her career at UAH.
“I’m excited I’m so pumped,” said Sanders.
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