- April 18, 2024
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Dillard soars over 5 feet 8 inches in a practice round.
Alex Giorgianni looks on with Dillard at all of his best jump heights. Photos by Jeff Dawsey
Dillard classifies himself as a "band nerd."
Aspen Dillard won the Bob Hayes high jump championship. Photo by David Halliday
The self-titled “band nerd” Flagler Palm Coast senior Aspen Dillard’s confidence with his trombone soared to an all-time high, when Stetson’s band professor personally suggested he try out for the college’s band, at the All-County Band Concert. His high-jumping ability met that confidence in the air, when he surprised himself with his new personal record.
Just a few months ago, Dillard only jumped 5 feet 6 inches as a personal best. High jumping was never his thing, but track coach David Halliday suggested he attempt the event, due to his 6 feet 3 stature and the fact that he wasn’t a great sprinter.
Dillard’s big break came when an unlikely coach, Alex Giorgianni, took interest in him.
Giorgianni, an FPC assistant track coach, was previously coaching long-distance runners until head track coach David Halliday asked him to learn to coach high jumping, so he went to various clinics, taking dozens of pages of notes to educate himself. Armed with an array of new knowledge, he began to pour his learnings into Dillard, and the hours of education has already paid off.
Last month at a practice, Dillard drew a raucous ovation from his teammates, when he cleared his height, 6 feet 3 inches.
“I was very shocked,” Dillard said. “My previous personal record was 5 feet 10 inches, and the PR before that was 5 feet 6 inches. “I want to defy and prove the "white guy can't jump theory" isn't necessarily true.
Dillard hopes to reach 6 feet 8 inches before he graduates, which will surely be competitive enough to compete for an individual championship. This past week, Dillard took home the Bob Hayes high jumping championship. While both believe he has a lot of work to do before reaching that number, Giorgianni believes he has the work ethic to jump at it.
“He’s not done yet,” Giorgianni said. “I thought he would get a little cocky after getting that height, but it just made him want to practice even more, which is good.”
“I’m extremely motivated,” Dillard added. “With a jump coach that spends almost every day working with me, and I hope to leave my senior track season with a bang.”
