“Set-Go-Move!” are phrases we’ve all heard at least once, but have you ever seen a school that has only one girl on the varsity level. Well, this is the case for senior Jordon Bray on Calera high school’s track team. However, she barely notices the difference.
“I just kind of look at them as girls.“
“I just kind of look at them as girls. Having some boys faster than others, there’s some boys that I can work with around the same speed as me,” said Bray.
Her father, Jason Bray, who helps with her training says that the intensity and attention it brings is nothing new to Jordon as she has been training at this level since she was 6 to 7 years old.
“It shows the girls in the community and some of the grownups. If you see it, you can be it. So, I think the confidence to bring that kind of ability to the city. It helps everyone,” said Jason.
Bray has even seen an increase of interest in joining the sport, not only at her school, but in general.
“I noticed some girls, whether it’s dm-ing me or texting me personally. Seeing them on the track and asking questions in real life has been a big inspiration to my journey. To keep pushing, moving forward, cause I know I have people who are watching,” said Bray.
For those wondering what it took for her to get to this level of running and persistence at practice. Her father cites sacrifice.
“You can’t have one foot in and one foot out. In order to be elite in anything, you got to bring it everyday. If everybody could do it, they would be doing it. It just takes a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice.”
“If everybody could do it, they would be doing it. It just takes a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice.”
That sacrifice hasn’t gone unrewarded as Bray has recently signed to the University of Alabama to join their track program this fall.
“Just through the whole recruiting process there was never a down moment. It was never a dry period where I felt like they weren’t there, they were always there,” said Bray.
However, before she takes off to the university this fall, her father wants her to remember to that her family and the community is behind her.
From middle school to now, Bray has ran above her grade level, won 8 state titles and gained recognition around the state and nationally. Her legacy in Calera has been cemented and her hope is to leave an impression of encouragement to those in her community.
“I just wanted to create a path that other girls or other athletes from Calera would follow. Rather it was winning or placing and realizing that they could do it, realizing that anybody can do it basically. Just paving a track that I realized that I can do,” said Bray.
“Just paving a track that I realized that I can do.”
If you want to follow Jordon as she wraps up her senior season or to see her new beginnings coming this fall, be sure to follow her here.
In this special edition this week, we’ll be highlighting the people, places and events in Shelby County. So be sure to keep tuning in and following Vallo Vision News on all platforms.
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