Rio Calle '25 Recruiting Profile

Weightless

Staring down the runway, the roar of the crowd growing louder with each step, my eyes fixated on the pit, adrenaline and caffeine running through my veins, my mother’s voice growing louder as I step, the spring of the takeoff, the feeling of weightlessness through the air, the soft landing of the sand, and the feeling of accomplishment. 

I. Love. Jumping

    I found my passion in track and field in my freshman year of high school after placing 4th at the state championship in the long jump. Initially it began as a love for long jump but soon spread to all of track and field. 

    Sophomore year, I returned to the championship, eager to win. On my second to last jump, my coach urged me to approach faster, to which I listened, immediately knowing my jump was the best of the competition the moment I landed. Hearing the official exclaim “21 feet 3 inches” is a moment I will never forget, as I ran to my family and friends minutes before being declared a state champion. 

    I continued my momentum into the next season’s indoor state championship. In the long jump, I placed second to a record breaking athlete from a separate outdoor division, but quickly had to move on, for the high jump was next. Winning the high jump in front of hundreds of people is another moment I will never forget, being that it wasn’t my main event. Unbeknownst to me, the effect that losing long jump that day would soon have on me, yet, ecstatic with the hundreds of surrounding cheers, I felt great successes would follow that spring.

    However, the inevitable never came. Going into the championship that spring, I hadn’t beat my personal best, and lacked all confidence to win. The pressure of regressing and losing states after winning prior had put so much pressure on myself, that I couldn’t begin thinking of succeeding, causing me to lose. In my earlier years, I had little to lose due to my young age, but now resented myself for regressing. 

    Through vigorous training, following the season, came vast personal reflection. Initially, I understood the pressure weighed too heavily on me, but nonetheless resented myself for it. Throughout the summer, through research and experience, I began understanding the lesson I was given. My newfound lessons on manifestation, the understanding that I could again succeed, and the power of loss were monumental. 

    I understood that success requires the belief of succeeding, and began envisioning myself on that podium each day and night; imagining a future where I accomplish my goals. Furthermore, the newfound rhetorical question of “why not me?” became the motto of my life, fueling me to give track and school my all, for I would never question “what if…?” as if I succeed, then I can celebrate my successes, and if not, then I did all I could, and must prepare for my next opportunity. By “accepting what I can’t change, but changing what I can’t accept,” I no longer resented myself for I understood that loss is a key step to success. Instead of failure meaning to start all over, it now meant beginning again with the lessons of my mistakes.

    Now, when film making, I envision my film to be a major success, setting no bounds for what I can achieve, in school, I continue my great efforts, but understand that true learning requires failure, and try again if the result doesn’t go my way, and in track, I understand that losing states was not something to resent myself over, but to learn from and compete better the next time. Rain comes before rainbows, setbacks preview breakthroughs, and loss is the key to success. By understanding this lesson, the weight on my shoulders to continuously show improvement was now lifted, allowing me to make further jumps in my life as well as on the track. 

Opening up in my senior year, I have already set numerous PR's in every event, jumping over 21' for EVERY single jump to open up this season, as well as breaking the 22' barrier, as well as hitting 6 feet and then 6 foot 2 inches in my second meet. The saying "Why not me?" has surely changed my mentality and life for the better, and can certainly be seen in my results already, but also in my happiness in myself and the way I have thrived in all I do this year.