Q & A, With Hutch High Sophomore Tayezhan Crough


Name: Tayezhan Crough 

Personal bests: 110HH(14.93) 60MH(8.24) 60M(7.13) 

Academic interests: History,Science,Math.

Hobbies: I don't have many, mainly just train for sports, or hang with friends.

Favorite quote: I have multiple, "I never lose. I either with or I learn."   "Good enough is not good enough if it can be better"   "He who says he can, and he who says he can't, is usually right"

How did you get involved in the sport? I have been running track for as long as I can remember. It was always track&football, the sports that i have been playing my whole life. But I never did any kind of high hurdles until last year, which would've been my freshman year.

Please walk us through any pre race rituals. Not many, I just make sure that I am warm and ready to race. I sometimes listen to music to get my mind right, and stay focused.

What is your favorite race and why? My favorite race would haft to be 110HH, Mainly because I have only been doing it for one year, and I just feel like I am not even close to what I think I am capable of doing in the hurdles. It's so easy to get addicted to because you just want to keep getting faster and faster over the hurdles.

What is your goal for your up coming meet and where is it at? My goal would just be to go out and run as best as i possibly could, and give the team the best chances to win as possible. First meet is on April 6th at Valley Center 

How do you look at being ranked as the top in the state and nation? I most definetly think that it is a possibility, I am feeling very confident on being the fastest in the state, and confident on being one of the best hurdlers in the nation. So it's just a matter of time, i still have 2 years of track after this year, and i feel like i am improving myself everyday, so only time can tell.

From your success in 2017, what do you hope to do this season coming up? I hope to do a hand full of things. I hope to take home a state title in the hurdles, and give my team the best possibility of winning that i can. I also have a goal for the season which is to run a sub 14 in the 110HH.

Do you have a specific motivation? I have a couple of things that motivate me. I want to make it to where my mom does not have to work another day in her life, i also love to prove people wrong, It might put other people down when other talk negative about them, but for me when you doubt me its just like adding wood to my never ending fire to prove you wrong.

What has been your biggest challenge in the sport? I have yet to have a very big challenge in track thus far. Just keep going when its hard, or when you're not very motivated.

What do you hope to achieve in the future? I hope to be the fastest hurdler in Kansas, run a sub 14 110HH. And just expand from there. 

Walk us through a race for you (from pre race until post race).  So before a race, im usually very focused. And i just make sure that i am warm for the race, making sure that everything feels comfortable before i go and run. Then post race is usually a lot of joy, because i know that i went out and did my absolute best which is all that matters. And when you bring home a gold, it just feels good because you work so hard for it.

What goes through your mind? For me im thinking about going over those hurdles all day, so when im sitting in the blocks im thinking about winning and doing my best. and when the gun goes off its just a matter of doing what i have been thinking about all day. 

Do you play other sports? How does track help you with other sports and vice versa? I am also a running back for HHS, and track helps me with speed and hip flexibility from all the hurdles i do.  

How and when did you start training for track and field this season? Well the season started for me around December, which was the indoor season. And before that i mainly did everything on my own, just a matter of going out to the track and doing it, sometimes i would go to the track, or sometimes i would just jog around town.

What do you enjoy the most about the HHS team? I love HHS, its just like a big family. I just like how hard our team works boys and girls.

What team goals does HHS have?  Our team goals would have to be to bring back another state championship to HHS.

What do you feel you have learned from your coaches, teammates and the sport? My coaches are the biggest part of my success thus far. I could write a book on how much my coaches have helped me. And it means a lot when they treat you just like one of their own, they just think so highly of what i have done so far, and they just encourage me to do my best on and off the track. And for Cale Sharp from SSP, none of my indoor success would of happened without him. He has opened so many doors for me, and im just so very thankful that he believes so  highly in my capabilities. All my indoor & all of my summer track meet success goes to him. So thankyou cale

What would like to see happen in the future in the sport? future of the sport for me, well just to improve myself as much as i possibly can.

If there is one thing in the world you could do, what would it be and why? Make it pro so my mom does not have to work anymore, or just make that possible. Why? she just works a lot and i would like to repay her for always being there when so many people have walked out of my life. I just love her so much and dont like watching her work so much.