从意想不到的跑者到名人堂成员:81届的杰基·布莱克特

这位校友创造了跑步记录, 获得与职业相关的荣誉, 最近还获得了母校的表彰

杰基·布莱克特81届

四十多年了, 杰基·布莱克特81届—a Columbia University coach and athletics administrator—has been a driving force in women’s sports and athletics management. 表彰她的成就, the 澳门威尼斯人网上赌场 inducted Blackett into its 体育运动 Hall of Fame in the fall of 2023.

“在她的一生中, 布莱克特重新定义了卓越,特里·格内特说, 体育副主任. 当她还是一名大学跑步运动员时，她创造了记录. 作为澳门威尼斯人网上赌场越野赛和田径赛的选手 & field coach, she led the Yellowjackets to their best-ever NCAA track & 1989年田径成绩. 值得注意的是，八名女子中有七名是越野赛和径赛 & field members of the Rochester Hall of Fame competed under Blackett’s leadership.”

在哥伦比亚大学30年的职业生涯中, Blackett has played a pivotal role in the athletic department’s senior management, 掌舵成功5人以上,000名学生运动员. 身兼数职的体育副主任, 高级女管理员, 以及第九条副协调员, she oversees crucial programs and ensures compliance with University policies.

布莱克特进军体育界的开始出乎意料, when a friend invited her to a track and field meeting during the first few weeks of her first year on campus. “Much to my surprise, that meeting was held in the men’s locker room,” she recalls. “那是我第一次见到黑尔教练, who told us that if we were serious about running to come see him the next day.”

Blackett and her friends were serious and did go back to Coach Hale. Encouraged by him and the men’s team, they competed in as many events as they could. 多年来, 事件的数量增加了, 然后, 1978年，女子大学代表队正式成立. “黑尔教练最终为我们铺平了道路，”她说. “His support truly marked the beginning of an unforeseen path for me and others.”

在这里，布莱克特谈论了她在体育方面的生活和事业.

What was it like being inducted into Rochester’s 体育运动’ Hall of Fame?

我很惭愧. 最初, 我认为其他人更值得, but a former teammate reminded me that I represented a group of women who may not have the opportunity to be individually inducted into the Hall of Fame. I came to realize that this honor wasn’t just about me; it was about the early days of the sport and  the women who sacrificed to build a women’s cross country and track & 场项目.

你的童年是怎样的?

I grew up in Barbados, which was part of the British educational system. Students earned points for academics, community service, and athletics. That’s when I discovered I had some talent in running and netball. 13岁移民美国后, 我上的是布鲁克林的一所女子高中, 在那里我不做体育运动——但我开始跳舞了, 我仍然喜欢.

为什么澳门威尼斯人网上赌场?

我来澳门威尼斯人网上赌场是想当老师的. 我正准备成为一名医生，然后, 就在我大四那年, I received a call for the athletic director at RIT who was looking for a part-time coach for their women’s program. I took the job as an opportunity to give back to students what I had gained from the sport.

你知道你在澳门威尼斯人网上赌场创造了历史吗?

绝对不是. 早在20世纪70年代末，我根本没有想过要创造历史. Without a women’s varsity team, I was, along with my teammates, simply track & 参加多项比赛的田径运动员. 直到大四的时候, 参加全国赛, 我才意识到我所做的事情的重要性.

了解你的人可能会感到惊讶?

我从来都不喜欢跑步，但我非常喜欢竞争. 问问我以前的教练，训练从来不是我的强项. 我做了在一场比赛中取得好成绩所必需的事情.

你在澳门威尼斯人网上赌场的时光有什么回忆吗?

让我成长的一生的朋友. 在跑道上, I remember deliberately keeping one shoe slightly untied during our daily mile warm-up so I had to strategically stop to re-tie them. 教练会大喊:“你就不能把鞋带系好吗?” There was also the perpetual struggle of being fashionably late to practice due to General Hospital ending at the same time that practice started. I remember the bubble chairs in Wilson Commons, too, which, by the way, aren’t there anymore. We spent a lot of time in those chairs solving the world’s problems.

What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities in sports today?

在D1大学运动中, 我们正处于一个转折点, 纠结于我们的身份问题, 教育价值, 以及运动的目的. 最近的焦点是NIL-Name, 图像, and Likeness—in televised congressional hearings caught my attention. 这项NCAA规定允许学生从他们的个人品牌中获利. 尽管它很复杂, one thing became clear to me: high school and collegiate sports mattered to every senator who spoke during those hearings. As someone deeply involved in NCAA and Division 1 governance issues, I know that these are conversations that will determine the future of sports.

你最自豪的是什么?

我有两件事引以为豪. 首先, 名人堂仪式, where my great nephews witnessed a different side of me and had the chance to glimpse the value of life’s work. 其次, 当以前的学生把自己的孩子带回校园时, it tells me that they had an experience that was so positive it’s worth sharing with their children.

是什么让今天这一代的学生和运动员脱颖而出?

他们要改变世界的勇气和决心. 这一代人希望参与决策过程. Even if they don’t have all the info, they want to have a voice if it involves them. 他们希望在这个过程中有发言权.

你现在在读什么书?

我正在阅读 遗产 詹姆斯·科尔, 探究新西兰全黑队的故事, 世界上最成功的橄榄球队. 我工作时间很长，而且工作时间很晚, 所以我的阅读时间是有限的, 但克尔的书总是在我的包里. 为了更悠闲的逃离, 我转向沃尔特·莫斯利, an American novelist who writes a lot of crime fiction revolving around a Black private investigator—I love his work.