Hailing from Colorado Springs, Jordan Edmonds chose the University of Wyoming as her new home in which to grow and gain an education, with the help of the track and field coaching staff; a decision which she has found to be incredibly fruitful.
“It took some getting used to, my first two years were kind of rough,” Edmonds said. “But now that I’ve kind of gotten my bearings, it’s been a wonderful experience so far.”
Though Edmonds has seen huge sums of success during her third year at the university, it has not always been as easy as it appears to be now for the Cowgirl. Edmonds’ first two years were riddled with injuries and confidence issues. However, being the competitor she is, she was not willing to let those years define the rest of her career.
“I went to go see Tucker Readdy, our sports psychologist, about what I should do and how to get back in it, and then there was A LOT of prayer involved,” Edmonds said about her journey back to mental and physical wellness.
Readdy is a staff member at the university, whom also helps with the men’s basketball team and the volleyball team, but he is also there for any athletes who may need his expertise.
“Every once in a while if the athlete is not performing as well as he or she wants, or the as well as the coach wants, then (the coach) can provide my name, and (the athlete) can choose to come see me.” Sports Psychologist Tucker Readdy said. “A lot of times we’re working on tactics to improve either skill development, the value of the sport or the relationships the athlete has with the people around them.”
Edmonds’ strong faith is something she acknowledges that helped her come out of the rut in which she found herself during her freshman and sophomore seasons. That, along with seeking help from the athletic staff around the university, proved to be monumental, as she recently moved up to second all-time at Wyoming with her most recent 200-meter dash time of 24.02 seconds.
“I was beyond excited when I found out (about moving up to second all-time at Wyoming) because, at first, I kind of started in the back of the crowd and I wasn’t expecting to do anything special when I got here,” Edmonds said. “Seeing that, it felt really good to know that I am capable of doing great things.”
Again, her competitive spirit shows when talking about her time, and where she plans on going from here. Edmonds is well-aware that the ultimate goal is not to come in second, but rather to chase down that record and make it her own. She also remains humble while working toward her goals.
“I know that things don’t stop there, though,” Edmonds said. “Yeah, I ran a decent time, but that’s not my goal time, and that’s what keeps me moving forward. I am capable of getting that record, but then why not go break my own record?”
She finds her inspiration not only from within herself and from the help of her team pushing her, but also from a place a little closer to home. She attributes her motivation to her family back in Colorado Springs.
Edmonds’ goals and her future are much bigger than just herself. When speaking of her time here, she is quick to mention others’ names before mentioning her own name. She has had to face her fair share of obstacles, but she embraces those mountains she had to climb to get to where she is now.
Even more importantly, she knows she would not have made it where she is today without the help of family, coaches, and God by her side the whole way. Jordan Edmonds is a name to keep on your radar, as she will continue to move the mountains she once was standing at the bottom of.
