Prommyse Hoosier is a senior at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. The University of Tennessee signee is readying for her final outdoor track and field season and wrote a letter to the sport for MileSplit, sharing just where it has taken her, and what it's done, over the course of her career.
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Dear Running,
I've always wondered what life without you would be like.
Without a doubt, you have helped me grow mentally and physically. Without you, I'm not myself.
Starting as a little girl, you were just something I did for fun. Not really paying any mind that I was somewhat decent, I let you in my life and you took over from there. In so many ways, you are my pain reliever and peace. When things are bad, I go to you and I feel peace. Over the years, you have helped me find myself -- I continue to find myself with you. You've helped me become the most compassionate, competitive and courageous person I could possibly become.
Through you, I've learned how to take my failures in life and turn them into achievements. Track is not an easy sport. I know this. I know my mental state has to be above average to achieve any kind of success. But you have taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to. Thank you for helping me believe in myself, for helping me work on my boldness and confidence.
I'm thankful God gave me you.
Track has helped me mature and see the good in things in everyone and everything. I embrace each and every successful moment, and I'm grateful for it because at ANY moment in life, I know it can be taken away. Starting my junior year, back in September of 2017, I tore my ACL in volleyball and the indoor track season would have started for me in December. I ended up getting surgery that October.
And after surgery, my confidence went downhill. Every day was a new struggle. But with you -- and knowing I'd be able to compete again -- I pushed through. I learned to accept those challenges and push until I accomplished the goals I had set for myself. So many people told me I wouldn't be ready and that I should just wait until my senior season to get back to competition. That made me want to work even harder to be able to get back.
I worked so hard to be able to run again, and then I had to focus on jumping.
The long jump. It had been my favorite event since eighth grade. I jumped 17-feet, 2-inches as an eighth grader, and each year after I earned a personal best, I became one of the top jumpers in the state. But after my ACL tear, a lot of people around me wondered whether I would be the same. They were concerned with me continuing to do it, because my jumping leg was the knee where I tore the ligament. At certain times, I even wondered myself if I'd be able to jump off of that knee.
But I had to eventually trust myself. I had to be brave. And my first meet after that surgery, I jumped 18-6, which was a PR at that point. Each meet after that, I didn't jump less than 18 feet.
Going into championship season, I leapt 19-5 at Sectionals and broke that record. At Regionals, I jumped 19-11 and broke that record, too. From that point on, those same people who thought I couldn't do it were wondering if I'd break the state record. So I found another reason to trust you.
Focus. I learned this through you and I always made sure to remember not to let distractions take away from the mission I always set for myself. Focus has been the best trait I could have taken from you. With focus, I can stay on track in my life and not let distractions get me off center. And the state meet took more focus than I usually needed.
I went into State and jumped 20-1, becoming -- not only the top jumper in Indiana but -- a top five jumper in the country. I embraced all the doubts people had in me and I embraced all that hard training. In the end, it was the most amazing feeling of reward, because I had accomplished something many thought I wouldn't be able to accomplish.
So with you, I learned that every achievement takes some form of an obstacle. Putting in the work can give you the key to unlock the impossible. You've helped me to set goals and not stop until I reach them. You've taught me to take losses and go back and train harder, to beat my competition. You've taught me to be humble and stay there because I know it can be taken away ... at the snap of a finger.
Thank you for helping me be me and helping me define myself and turn into the woman I am today. Thank you for the many blessings I've earned through you.
Love,
Prommyse
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