Jais Ward '24 Recruiting Profile

I‘m excited about college so I can take my running to the next level. I also have a lot to offer my college team! 

I am versatile and adaptable. From the 400 to cross country, I contribute.   I generally race mid distance and CC, but I also love relays and other events.  I’m exploring different colleges because I want to find the best fit for me and where I‘m contributing to my team. 

I persevere.  It was hard, but I learned how to live pretty independently during my three years at IMG. I chose to try out IMG and I dealt with being homesick and quarantined without my family during COVID.  Staying focused helped me get through the pandemic, and I’m grateful I could turn to running, school, my coaches and teammates when it was hard.  Since I decided to be home, I train a lot more on my own now, but it’s worth it! I have persisted - during the 2023 track and 2024 CC seasons,  I PRd in the 800, 1600, Mile and 5K. I just ran a 17:34! 

I like and care about people. I genuinely like being around different people, and I really miss the diversity at IMG.  By appreciating differences, I have become a better teammate.  I notice what I have in common with others who are different from me. Supporting each other is really important.  I’m still really close to my former IMG and youth track teammates.  We help each other when things get hard.  

I also want to help people after college.  I am a strong student (4.85 GPA)  and love science.  I plan to pursue a science major and work in healthcare and possibly pursue med school.      

Learn more about me at: https://sc.milesplit.com/athletes/12758253-jais-ward.