Jumping to Greatness
As I am walking through the halls of the Funelle dorm building, I can’t help but think of what a great decision I made by moving off campus. Between the one student that decides to hold a concert in his room with speakers loud enough to break the sound barrier to the stench of the world’s cheapest beer known to man, it takes me back a couple years. But in one of these 16x11 rooms holds the 2015 SUNYAC high jump champion, freshman Alex Ladouceur.
The Smithtown native grew up in a “very high estrogen level household”, with his three older sisters, mother, and father so he needed to find a way to set himself apart from his sisters, and track was his way of doing so. The pure adrenaline each meet and love for the sport gave Alex what he needed and his passion has not stopped yet.
Alex’s journey to Oswego State was not as smooth as some may think. After graduating high school, Alex had his sights set on joining the Marines. The day he was planning on going to the recruiter to “sign his life away”, head coach Derek Rousseau gave him a call. Alex took this as a sign that maybe it was not time to hang up his jumping spikes and extend his track career four more years with the Oswego State Lakers.
The transition from high school track and field to college was a wakeup call to the 18 year old freshman, “Practice is definitely harder. Coach loves to push us to our limits, but when it’s time to high jump, he’s very technical and knows what he’s talking about.”
Rousseau was very high on Alex coming out of high school as he was researching the jumpers stats, “I knew we had to get this kid”, Rousseau said. “The program hasn’t had a high jumper of this caliber in a long time”. As for what he thinks Alex could improve on, Rousseau jokingly said, “Maybe show up to practice on time.”
Freshman teammate and high jumper Brian Intermaggio feels as if he can benefit from the success of the champ. “His work ethic is really a thing of beauty”, Intermaggio said. “To know you are going to practice every day with a SUNYAC champion really pushes you to your limits and makes you want to join him on that podium in years to come”.
If you thought winning the SUNYAC title as a freshman was Alex’s most memorable moment, you would be mistaken. The rookie’s greatest feat came in high school, “My most memorable moment would have to be the NY State Championship meet held at Cornell. At this meet I was fortunate enough to place in the top six and receive All State honors in the high jump event.”
The first year jumper humbled himself as he said there is still room for improvement. “As any athlete will tell you they only way to get better is to do more”, he said. “You have to work harder for longer, that’s the only way you will ever get better.”
It is not about track all day everyday though. Alex claims to be the world’s largest New York Giants fan. Why anyone would claim this title is beyond me, but hey I’m just an Eagle’s fan. Alex was lucky enough to experience what few fans have, attend the Super Bowl your team is playing in. Not only did he attend Super Bowl XLVI, he actually snuck onto the field and was able to celebrate with the players after the game, “I ran through the entire stadium, past security and got to be on the field with all the players right after they won. That was an experience I can’t even begin to explain and is a feeling that every football fan dreams of.”
As for what the future holds for Oswego’s lone SUNYAC champion, he plans on a four peat. “My main goal now is to do it four years in a row and become a four year champ. All winning a competition does for track athletes is paint a big red target on our backs for the next guy in line.”
