April 1, 2008

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - A true competitor always tries to achieve new heights of success each time they compete. The same is true for USC Upstate men's track and field freshman Justin Crawford, both figuratively and literally.

With USC Upstate in its first season of track and field competition, Crawford, a pole vaulter, has become a steady performer whose finishes are getting higher along with his vaulting.

In his first track meet, Crawford finished fourth in the Clemson Indoor Opener. Since then, he has four other top-five finishes including a third-place finish at the Buccaneer Invitational and two fourth-place nods at the 49er Classic and the Weems Baskin Invitational.

Recently, Crawford sat down with Adam Walker of upstatespartans.com to talk about his performance thus far, the USC Upstate men's and women's track teams and his coach, Jimmy Stephens.

US.com: How would you describe your performance in the pole vault so far this season?
Justin Crawford: I could do a lot better than I've been doing and I just need to practice more. I have competed really well in meets. I have improved, but my performances haven't really shown that yet.

US.com: What does it take to become a great pole vaulter?
JC: You have to be athletic and keep at it. When I was in high school, I was told I couldn't do it because I wasn't crazy enough, but I kept at it and here I am now.

US.com: What are your impressions of the track and field team so far in its first season?
JC: We weren't doing so well in the beginning, but we're progressing a lot. We're getting better almost every meet and we're going forward and making the right steps.

US.com: How impressed are you with the level of competition you've faced so far?
JC: I was very impressed. I had no clue that we were going up against teams like Clemson, Alabama, Auburn and big Division I teams like that. I like that a lot, going up against people like that.

US.com: Does the level of competition you have faced so far motivate you to want to get better?
JC: It does. It makes you want to compete with those guys and hopefully beat them. If you do, you could say that you beat guys from Alabama or Florida. It gives you a boost in attitude if you do something like that.

US.com: What is it like being 13 or 14 feet in the air when you are doing your vaults and the feeling you get when you reach that height?
JC: I really don't feel anything because it all comes natural to me. I done it so many times now, but you just go up and you fall. When you get a new pole, it's a different experience when you shoot up in the air and it feels really good.

US.com: If you we're not on the track team, would you be playing any other sport in college?
JC: Football. I was recruited by Coastal Carolina to play safety, but I tore my meniscus my senior year and they stopped looking at me after that.

US.com: What is the best part about being at USC Upstate?
JC: Track and field and all of the people here. It's not too big, but it's big enough to where you can meet new people when you are going to class. You still see the same people most of the time and you get really acquainted with them. I went to a small high school and I knew everyone that went there. I pretty much feel the same way about here.

US.com: What kind of person is head coach Jimmy Stephens?
JC: He's a funny guy. He's a really great person to be around and is always there to help you out whenever you need him.

US.com: Since you are a freshman and there are several talented freshmen on the track and field teams, do you feel that you and the other freshmen are laying the foundation for the future of the program?
JC: I do. I feel like we're setting the bar not too high, but setting good standards around here and next year, we're going to do even better than we are right now.