With the pressures that come with competing in collegiate sports, the athlete side of being a student-athlete often faces the most scrutiny, but junior Jonathan Addison of the NC State track and field team understands the balance of dedication in both school and practice.
“I think Jonathan is a leader of the group in several different ways,” head coach Rollie Geiger said. “He’s a terrific student and takes his academics very seriously, and obviously his athletics very seriously, and he makes the right choices in social settings. There is no question that Jonathan is the cornerstone of this program.”
Addison has found great success in the sport that he fell into in middle school.
“My coaches told me track and field would be a good thing to get faster, so it was just kind of an extra thing for football that I did, but I ended up being good at it,” Addison said.
As a senior in high school, Addison won the New Balance Nationals in the high jump and continued his strides toward success at NC State. Just a few of his accolades include last year’s ACC Outdoor Championship title in the long jump, two NCAA appearances and last season’s ACC Field Co-MVP.
Although he has also accomplished many impressive feats in running, Addison focuses more on his jumps, which align more with his stumbled-upon passion.
“One day I was tired of running, and I saw them over there jumping, and it looked fun, so I went over there, and the coach let me do it. I really enjoyed it the most,” Addison said.
Despite these high achievements, Addison forges forward, setting higher and higher goals for himself in the future.
“My main goal is to compete at nationals really,” Addison said. “I have been to nationals twice, but I haven’t done well yet. I just want to perform somewhat decently at nationals.”
Even if he reaches his goals, Addison isn’t content with his success and will continue to push himself to his limits.
“With track there’s never a safe spot—you’re always competing,” Addison said. “Even if you win a national championship, you’re never truly the best because there could always be someone better who just had a bad day. It’s always a competition, and you never know what’s going to happen.
As he continues to train his body on the field, Addison recognizes the importance of mental strength and the challenge it provides for many athletes. Although this is a difficult struggle for some, Addison respects and appreciates this aspect of the sport.
