FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

The potential of Crossett junior Kelsey Herman, the 2013 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year, was enough to help coax a legend out of retirement.

“She’s the most dominant athlete, in her division, that I’ve ever seen,” Bobby Richardson said. “Now what happens in her progression depends on her.”

Richardson is the gold standard for track and field at Crossett, a Class 4A school tucked in far southeast Arkansas about 45 miles north of Monroe, La.

Richardson was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 after leading the Eagles to 22 state championships, including 18 in track and field, from 1967-1994.

Richardson retired from coaching in the late 1990s but has spent the past couple of years working with Crossett’s track and field athletes. His return coincided with Herman bursting on the statewide scene last year - she won three events at the Meet of Champs - as a sprinter, hurdler and jumper.

This spring, Herman led the state in the 100 (12.04), long jump (19 feet, 4 1/2 inches) and high jump (6-0), ranked second in the 100 hurdles (14.45) and third in the 200 (24.80).

She became the first female in Arkansas high school history to clear 6-0 in the high jump at the Ouachita Parish Relays on April 11 in Monroe, then set records in the 100 (12.22), 200 (24.81) and long jump (19-4.50) at the Class 4A state meet May 2 at Heber Springs.

Jan Bennett of Jonesboro set the overall record in the high jump (5-10) in 1980, but under Arkansas Activities Association rules overall marks can only be set in state meets or the Meet of Champs.

Based on marks compiled by Track & Field News, Herman’s 6-0 jump is tied for fifth nationally this year.

Herman has the genes to excel in the high jump, and she can lean on an all-time great for advice.

Herman’s uncle, Rod Newton, set the Class 5A record in the boys high jump (7-0.50) in 1996 for Crossett and is good friends with Hollis Conway, the world’s top-ranked high jumper in 1990 and 1991.

Conway, a three-time NCAA champion at Louisiana-Lafayette and former American record holder, won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics (7-8.75) and a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics (7-8).

“Hollis has two or three high-jumping daughters in Monroe,” Richardson said.

“We’ve jumped against them, and he’s taken a little interest in Kelsey. He came up during the winter and watched her a little bit. He’s seen her a couple of times.”

After winning the 100 hurdles at the Meet of Champs (14.45), Herman concluded her record breaking spring by scoring 4,844 points to win the 17th annual Arkansas High School Heptathlon on May 15-16 at Fayetteville Ramay Junior High School.

“She’s the real deal,” Richardson said.

SCHOOL Crossett CLASS Junior EVENTS Sprints/hurdles/jumps NOTEWORTHY Ranked first in the state in the 100 (12.04), long jump (19 feet, 4 1/2 inches) and high jump (6-0), second in the 100 hurdles (14.45) and third in the 200 (24.80). … High jump is the best mark for a female in Arkansas high school history. … Won the 200 (26.01), 100 hurdles (15.27), long jump (19-4.50) and anchored the winning 400 relay (a record 47.31) at the Class 4A meet. … Set Class 4A records during the preliminaries in the 100 (12.22) and 200 (24.81). Also set a Class 4A record in the long jump. … Won the 100 hurdles at the Meet of Champs (14.45).

… Scored 4,844 points to win the 17th annual Arkansas High School Heptathlon on May 15-16 at Fayetteville Ramay Junior High School.