Ethan Wright Likes It Hot

Jun 04, 2019

School: Desert Vista HS

PRs

110m Hurdles: 14.76w @ Tempe City Meet

300m Hurdles: 37.28 @ Arizona Meet of Champions

Over the course of the season, Ethan Wright went undefeated in the 300m hurdles while competing at the biggest meets in the State. At the AIA State Championships, he clinched the State Title in the D1 Boys 300m Hurdles and placed 4th in the 110m Hurdles. The following week, he ended his season at the Arizona Meet of Champions by executing a school-record performance on his future home track.

Where are you from and when did you begin competing in track and field?

I'm from Ahwatukee in Phoenix, AZ. I began running track in 6th grade as conditioning for Lacrosse. I switched once I started high school.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals that you go through when preparing for meets?

I'd start carbo loading the night before. On race day, I'd wear a pair of tights to feel warm even on the starting line.

Did you ever listen to music before competing, and if so what's on your playlist?

Ali Bomaye by The Game and Father's Day by Gucci Mane. Those are the first two that come to mind.

What was your most memorable race?

Probably the last Meet of Champions. It felt great to beat my PR, after not PRing all season. It was just my last race with my team and my guys.

What was your greatest accomplishment?

The individual State Title. A lot of people set a school record but very few can be State Champions.

STATE CHAMPION!! @Ethan_Wright_14 goes undefeated on the season!!! @DVThunderTrack @dvactathletics pic.twitter.com/9tJTsJS9FH
-- Trent Elliott (@CoachElliott13) May 5, 2019

If you could do it all over again what would you change about your track and field career in high school?

I'd probably do more jumps. I quit high jump my sophomore year but I feel like I should've given long jump a try. I feel like I could've been good at it.

What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

After falling at Great Southwest last year, there was a mental barrier after that to get my confidence back sprinting full speed over the hurdles. I just needed repetition to get over it and block it out of my mind.

What will you miss the most about competing for your team?

I'll definitely miss a lot of the guys and especially the young hurdlers and the guys on this year's 4x400m team, who were all younger than me.

What advice would you give to younger athletes?

Trust the training. If the coaches seem crazy, they're making you the best that you can be. Those workouts can seem ridiculous but, in the end, they work out.

What is the most valuable lesson you've learned from Coach Elliott?

Coach Elliot's been my coach for seven years. He's a great coach, and he saw that I was reluctant with sending my speed over the whole distance. I would get out of the blocks really slow my first three years of track. This year, I started sprinting out of the blocks and after I did that, I started dropping my times a lot. He drilled into my brain that I could survive the whole way.

Have you decided on a major and if not, what areas would you like to pursue?

I made it into the School of Engineering and I'm going towards Civil Engineering with an emphasis on Sustainability.

(Below: Ethan Wright with mother and future coaches Dion Miller [left] and Javonnie Smalls [right])

What was the deciding factor that made you choose Arizona State University?

The education was a big part of it. I like that it's a great school of engineering. All the other schools were too cold. I'm not good with cold as a skinny man. I like the heat here.

Your future coach Javonie Small, recently joined the Sun Devil staff after working with Olympians and NCAA Champions for several years. What do you like about his coaching style or philosophy?

He definitely seems like he's gonna' push me and make me work very hard. Hopefully under his training he can make me into an All-American. That's what I'm going for.

Who would you like to thank for your success in high school?

Probably my parents and Coach Elliot for supporting me through all of it. Coach Elliot helped me through the hurdles all seven years, and my parents gave me the necessary requirements to be the best I could be.