Jason J. Pompey 06/03/10
Entering this season, Virginia State University's Hoova Taylor (Tappahannock, VA) set his sights on winning a National Championship and accomplished that on Saturday May 29 at Johnson C. Smith's Irwin Belk Track Complex. In the men's high jump competition, Taylor overcame poor weather conditions and cleared 2.19 meters (7' 2.25") to win the event after a marathon of jump offs. Hoova Taylor is Virginia State
University's 8th Individual National Champion in Men's Division II
Outdoor Track and Field. He also becomes Virginia State's first National High Jump Champion ever and is the most recent National Champion since David McFadden won the National Triple Jump Event in 1983. Hoova Taylor now has won the last three major events in the outdoor track & field season; CIAA Championships, Penn Relays, and NCAA Div II Nationals. Each event that Taylor has competed in he has dominated the competition. Taylor rose 2.13m (7' 0") in order to capture first place in the high jump event at the 2010 CIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships beating the defending 2010 CIAA Indoor High Jump Champion, Maurice Hall of Saint Paul's College. Hoova Taylor then went on and won the 116th Annual Penn Relays by jumping an incredible 2.12m (6 ' 11.5"). Each event that Taylor has competed in he has dominated the competition. Hoova Taylor faced poor weather conditions competing in the high jump event at Nationals and still managed to finish victorious. Rain delays and some competitors slipping due to the wet track may have scared others, but Taylor focus on winning. Hoova Taylor standing 6'5" seemed to be more technically sound and physically stronger than the other competitors on that day. Hoova Taylor jumped over seven feet for the fourth time this season and won the event at a measure of 2.19 meters (7' 2 .25").
Prior to the season, head coach Ernest Moss, encouraged Taylor on refining some of his basic techniques. Taylor joined a local gym at home during the summer to work on getting stronger and mastering key techniques in order for him to be the champion he is today. Getting his shoulders squared, getting his foot planted in the right place, and getting his mark more accurate were some things Coach Moss suggested he master. Taylor also had to be physically prepared for the tough indoor/outdoor track and field season he competes in. Coach Moss even had Taylor practicing grueling workouts with the sprinters as even Taylor knew he needed to be a lot more stronger and faster.
Getting Taylor mentally ready, Coach Moss had to get him comfortable with jumping at a high level. They started at a height of 6' 8" that he was not accustomed to. "Hoova had to break those mental barriers of starting at 6' 8" and did so when he broke 6' 11" beating the defending National Indoor High Jump Champion, Chris Copeland of Saint Augustine's College in the CIAA Outdoor Championships", Coach Moss said. Hard work and great preparation helped National High Jump Champion Hoova Taylor win the men's Division II Outdoor Track and Field National Championships even with poor weather conditions. "Becoming the Men's National High Jump Champion may very well be Taylor's biggest accomplishment, but his greatest accomplishment is graduating and obtaining his degree in Fine Arts," Coach Moss quotes.
Virginia State University and also Taylor's family and friends are very proud of all of his accomplishments on and off the field. Taylor has hopes on making the field at the U.S. Nationals later on this month in June.