This is about a pair of special freshmen jumpers on the Wyoming track and field team.
But in a way it's about their coach too, a Cowboy Hall of Famer who has put together quite a group in his specialty, the jumping events
Sadie McMullen and Kareem Mersal are creating a pair of special outdoor track seasons in the long jump. Both are quick to credit their jumps coach, Associate Head Coach Quincy Howe, for their amazing first-year progress.
With three meets remaining in the outdoor season, including the Mountain West Championship, Sadie has produced the ninth-best long-jump mark in the country among all freshmen, and fifth-best among true freshmen. She has the second-best mark in the Mountain West (third best on Wyoming's all-time list). Kareem has touched the best mark in the league thus far this outdoor season on the men's side (seventh on Wyoming's all-time list).
"They both have been outstanding," says Howe, "especially given the fact that they are each in their first year. They have some special things in common. They are extremely competitive, very coachable, and they both have that competition savvy. By that, I mean when their backs are to the wall, they know which well to reach down to. When they have to come up with a big mark, they can mentally handle it, and when they have a bad jump they move on to the next. People assume that's innate, but it's not, yo0u have to work at it. They both have reached that point."
Quincy knows what he's talking about. A two-time All-American, he is considered Wyoming's greatest jumper of all time. During his four years as a Cowboy, he never lost to a conference opponent. Inducted into the UW Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009, he is currently in his 16th season on the track coaching staff.
"Both Sadie and Kareem have great maturity," Howe continues about his two young stars. "They are very level-headed which helps them in big situations. They can respond under pressure. That's huge. With all the things that are thrown at a freshman, first time away from home, a new coach, different philosophies, it usually takes longer to adjust. They both have adjusted much quicker than I expected."
Sadie was an outstanding high school performer in sprints and jumps at Valor Christian in Morrison, Colo. Her speed, one of the most important qualities of a jumper, is outstanding and she excelled in the 100, 200, 4X1 and 4X2 and was a national qualifier in the long jump.
"I played basketball and volleyball in high school," she says, "but I loved the long jump. "I knew for a long time that track was my future.
"I came to Wyoming," she continues, "in large part because of Quincy. There are many reasons why you select school for your education, but the advice I got on the athletic side was make sure to choose a program with a great coach. Quincy is everything I thought he'd be, and has made a huge impact on me."
According to Howe, Sadie hasn't surprised him with her first-year progress. "But her success has come a lot sooner than expected," he says. "She is very talented, but her competitive nature has really allowed her to succeed like she has. She has a tremendous commitment to becoming better."
Sadie says mental toughness has a lot to do with her success. "Mental toughness is big in all sports, but especially track," she says. "You can't allow a bad jump to get into your head. You've got to toss away the bad one and concentrate on the next one."
Quincy had a little aside on his recruiting of Sadie. "When I made my home visit, I noticed some markings on the floor down one of the hallways in her house, he says. "It was obviously a measurement, so I asked the family what it was all about. They told me that was the mark Sadie thought would win the Colorado state championship. Jumping in your own hallway is a commitment. I got really excited when they told me that story."
Sadie, unfortunately, didn't have the opportunity to utilize those hallway markings. The state championship was cancelled because of COVID.
Howe has a stable of outstanding jumpers on both the women's side and the men's, which is a credit to he and the track staff. Sadie's jumping partner, Shayla Howell, is one of those talented jumpers. She is only a sophomore herself. "Those two are very similar," Howe says. "They have a very high talent level, they are passionate about jumping, and they have great personalities. They are excellent jumping partners because they really push each other."
Sadie has nothing but praise for her partner. "Shayla is my jumping buddy," she says. "I look up to her because she not only has had a lot of success, but she has had a lot to do with my success."
How does Sadie get away from the pressure of school and being an athlete? "I love to ride my horse, Sunny," she says. "I've grown up with horses. When I'm riding him, you could say I'm in my happy place."
Kareem's path to Wyoming was much longer than Sadie's.
He is from Cairo, Egypt.
How did he find his way to Laramie? It began because Quincy had a relationship with a friend of the Mersals. He told Howe about Kareem and thus began the process.
"We connected through a mutual friend of the family's," Quincy says. "That was very fortunate. I knew about his father (Hatsem) because during his competitive days he was one of the top five jumpers in the world. He was an Egyptian and African national champion. His mother (Francesca) who is from Italy, was on the national gymnastics team. So Kareem had a top-notch pedigree. Obviously we are very happy he chose Wyoming.
"I know he wanted the experience of competing in the United States and making his mark, blazing his own trail. We were able to get to know him and his family early in the recruiting process. He had quite a route getting here. Because he has dual citizenship because of his mother, he flew to Rome to get his travel documents and then came to the United States."
"My parents and I thought it would be great for me to come to the U.S.," Kareem says. "Dad really encouraged me to come over here. I had some options, but Quincy sold us on Wyoming. He gave off a confidence about his coaching and about the program that impressed us. He knows how to read his athletes. He really cares about us, and is sincerely sympathetic when things are not going well for us. We really like that about him. I definitely made the right decision."
To his credit, Kareem's dad does not interfere when it comes to coaching his son. "He respects the fact that Quincy is my coach," Kareem says of his father. "So he makes it a point not to give me advice. I really appreciate that, and I'm lucky he is that way. My parents haven't been over here, but I send them plenty of video.
"Dad never forced me into track," Kareem continues, "and he was not my first coach. I actually swam and played basketball before I became interested in track. I was probably 15 when I started getting into track. I began as a sprinter. In Egypt, we don't have high school sports so I competed through a club. I started performing better as I got into high school. As I matured I continued to improve, and really enjoyed the success I was having. It became clear that track was for me."
Kareem's dad actually qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. "He had a stress fracture in his leg, however, ended up breaking his leg, and never had the opportunity to compete. "It was a very tough situation for him," Kareem says, "after he sacrificed so much to get there."
Like Sadie, Kareem is a Kinesiology major, but wants to take track as far as he can. "I would like to compete beyond college," he says. "I'd love to travel, compete and experience different cultures. That would be a dream for me."
Kareem says he's had little trouble with the culture shock of transitioning from a city of 10 million people (Cairo) to Laramie. "Honestly, it hasn't been that difficult for me. I love the experience of living in a smaller town. I believe it's healthy to experience different things. I have trouble with some of the food," he smiles, "but that's not a problem really. Since English is our second language in Egypt that was never a barrier. So I've been fortunate with the changes I've faced."
Like any athlete, he has set goals for himself, and they are lofty. For example, he wants to make nationals as a freshman. "But right now, I'm not thinking about certain marks. I'm thinking about the technique and mechanics of being a good jumper. I want to do the best I can, continue to get better, and see what happens."
