Caffrey Makes Her Mark

By Matt Levins, The Hawkeye Newspaper
Burlington, Iowa

DES MOINES ? Jenna Caffrey had just finished her heat of the women's university 100-meter hurdles Friday during the 100th running of the Drake Relays at Drake Stadium.

Caffrey was not happy with her time ? she ran 14.29 seconds, good enough to win her heat but not quite fast enough for the NCAA regional qualifying time of 13.92.The Burlington High School graduate, who is a junior at Iowa State University, had seen better days. And she had certainly seen worse.

As Caffrey stood in the tunnel area under the southwest stands of the stadium, she glanced across the room and spotted Logan-Magnolia High School sophomore Alex Gochenour sobbing uncontrollably.

Gochenour, who was the favorite to win the high school girls 100-meter hurdles race after finishing a heartbreaking second last year, hit the first hurdle in the final and this time was edged by Pleasant Valley senior Susan Rodriguez.

The Drake Relays title Gochenour thought would be her's once again slipped away. And all she could do was sob.

Caffrey put her media interview on hold, walked over to Gochenour and gave her a hug.
Caffrey, you see, had been there before. She shares the same passion for hurdling as Gochenour.

Caffrey was feeling Gochenour's pain.

So Caffrey did the only thing she knew how to do ? she went over and comforted her fallen fellow hudler.

“That was a great race. You have plenty of reason to come back, OK?” Caffrey said to Gochenour. “You've got more events to compete in?”

“Yeah, 400 hurdles and shuttle,” Gochenour replied.

“OK, well go get those. You can break those.”

Gochenour, who was obviously comforted by Caffrey's display of kindness, replied, “Thank you.”

That, in a nutshell, is Jenna Caffrey.

Caffrey was a three-time Drake Relays champion in the 100 hurdles during her days at Burlington High School. She was the recipient of the Gerry Cooley Award as the outstanding high school girls performer as a senior at BHS during the 2006 Drake Relays.

Caffrey qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100 hurdles her freshman year at Iowa State.

But the last two years haven't been exactly a bed of roses. Caffrey battled a painful stress reaction in her right leg last year, an injury which slowed her and eventually brought her season to a grinding halt.

Earlier this year, Caffrey was switched over to the heptathlon, a decision which tore Caffrey up inside. She knew she could compete at a high level in the heptathlon and didn't want to disappoint her coaches. She wanted to do what was best for her team.
But Caffrey's heart was not fully in it. She is a hurdler at heart. It's in her blood. It is her passion in life. It is all she has known since she was a little girl.

Then, just after switching back to the hurdles after spring break, she sustained an injury to her left hamstring, an injury which once again brought her hurdling training to a grinding halt.

Yes, Caffrey could feel Gochenour's pain, could empathize with the Logan-Magnolia sophomore. Caffrey has been down that road before. And she knew how much it was tearing Gochenour up inside. Caffrey wanted to comfort Gochenour, assure her that everything would be all right.

“I'm sure she was thinking, ?Aw, if I just wouldn't have clipped that hurdle,''' Caffrey said. “She's got a lot of talent though, and she'll be back in the next few years.''

Caffrey is majoring in adult family services. She wants to be a social worker after she graduates.

Caffrey is sure to be successful in anything she puts her mind to. She has compassion for her fellow man, a compassion which was on display Friday afternoon in a tiny, dark corner of Drake Stadium.

Caffrey, who had never met Gochenour before Friday but had seen her at the Iowa State Indoor meet, made a lasting impact on an impressionable young lady in the matter of just a brief minute.

Caffrey comforted Gochenour, made her see the big picture. There will be plenty of tomorrows for Gochenour, who has a world of talent and a bright future in front of her.
And in her own special way, Caffrey restored some hope in mankind, reached out to a fallen comrade, someone who has a passion for hurdling just like Caffrey.

That, in a nutshell, is Jenna Caffrey.