Biggest leap of her life puts Kacsandi on top of nation
By Brian Questel
March 29, 2010
551
In her mind, Abby Kacsandi wound up second.
I told Alex, Way to steal my thunder, laughed the Ashland University senior.
In the Kacsandi family, it may be a toss-up as to who had the biggest day last Saturday --son Alex, who won a Special Olympics bowling tournament, or daughter Abby, who won something special in her own right.
Abby hit it big right out of the gate at the beginning of her indoor track and field season when she cleared 5-feet-10 in the high jump. Most important, though, she hit it big at the end.
Kacsandi was one of three Ashland women to win national championships, helping the Eagles to a runner-up finish in the Div. II national indoor championships in Albuquerque, N.M. After hanging on to the top jump honors in Div. II all season, she stepped up on judgment day and proved it, staving off 13 other competitors to win the crown with a leap of 5-9.75.
When she turned her phone on to call home to share the news, the messages had piled up.
Alex called me on Saturday, said Kacsandi. When I turned my phone on I had a bunch of texts and phone calls. He had called me earlier to ask me if I was going to be home for his tournament and I told him I was in Albuquerque. Actually, I am probably more excited for him that he won his bowling tournament.
It was a marked improvement from last season when she placed eighth, even though it wasnt a day where she felt she was at her best. Instead of caving into that feeling, she stepped up, just as her teammates did.
We tied for second overall, which is the best we have ever done (at nationals), said Kacsandi. We only took seven girls and only five scored. With five girls, we scored 47 points, which is pretty exciting.
I hadnt gone 5-10 again (this winter, which is the school record), but I could count on going 5-8 or 5-9. We were hoping for a win from me, but there were girls just right below me on the (ranking) list.
Kacsandi came in at 5-3 and cleared, just as she did at successive heights through 5-7.
My warm-up jumps were good and I had an OK jump at 5-3. What I didnt realize was we were only going up three centimeters, so I took a couple jumps I normally wouldnt, said Kacsandi.
Thats where a lot of girls were knocked out, she said when the bar was raised to 5-7. There were seven left at 5-7 and then at 5-8, four cleared. I missed my first attempt (at 5-8) and the other three before me cleared on their first attempt, but I made my second.
I skimmed the bar at 5-7 and then my first jump at 5-8.5 was cruddy. It was a timing issue. My second looked good, but it didnt feel good. But, I told my coach (former Hillsdale High School star Joe Brightbill) I had it, though.
That she did, soaring over the bar at 5-9.75, a height the other three couldnt manage.
I exploded off the ground, she said. Coach said it was the best jump he had ever seen me take.
Kacsandi went for a school-record at 5-10.75, but came up short. By then, it didnt matter. All that was left to do was call home with the good news -- and to be rewarded with good news on the opposite end.
