This past week, junior triple jumper Kyan Thomas, was awarded the University of California, Riverside (UCR) Student-Athlete of the Week. Thomas expressed that he felt very accomplished, “to be recognized for his sport at such a high level.”
Being a student-athlete can be a challenge at times, especially as a commuter. Thomas, from Moreno Valley, commutes to school and he decompresses by spending time at home. He shared that being a student-athlete can be a hassle at times, constantly going back and forth between practices and his classes.
At home, he enjoys listening to music, watching television, playing video games and caring for his pet gecko and cat. “Just typical at home activities,” as described by Thomas.
His personal goal for the rest of this season is to make it to NCAA Nationals. The top 12 jumpers in each event qualify for this opportunity, and his goal is to be one of the 12.
Thomas hopes that the team, “get[s] closer as a whole, especially with the new members that joined the team this year.” He went on to add that the team has already been getting closer at their daily practices, and this support contributes to the overall performance of the squad.
Looking forward, Thomas is focused on improving his mentality and being easier on himself. He tends to get frustrated when he is not performing to the best of his ability and can be too hard on himself.
Before a track meet, Thomas prepares himself from a mental aspect by “trying not to think about [his] event or going to do the jump.” He typically distracts himself by talking to his teammates, as if he thinks about the jump too much, he gets in his head about it, which tends to mess him up.
In order to deliver his best performance, Thomas tells himself, “just send it.” He went on to add that he, “lets his body do what it knows how to do.”
One thing people often underestimate about jumps, is how hard partaking in the event can be on one’s body. Thomas revealed “in [his] opinion, it is the most physically taxing event to practice because you are always landing on your knees and it is a lot of impact to take.” In order to combat this, Thomas ices his knees, takes ice baths and does specific stretches recommended by the sports medicine doctors to relieve the physical pain.
As a UCR athlete, Thomas’s favorite memory was this past Big West Indoor Championship in Reno. The meet truly brought his team together through various activities, and he shared that it was incredible to see his teammates, “pop out those couple of days,” and support one another.
Thomas’s stepdad was the person who sparked his passion for jumps. In high school, his stepdad was the jumps coach, and after an unfortunate ACL injury, he introduced him to the triple jump, where he found his calling.
Overall, his biggest influence on and off the field is his mother, as she has been, “the gust of wind behind his wings,” holding him accountable for him to reach his full potential.
Looking ahead, Thomas hopes to evolve in his sport in the future by being a role model and leader to his younger teammates. He added that as he is reaching, “the older side,” of his collegiate career, he hopes to be someone people can come to if they need help or have questions.
