Center Grove High School girls track and field coach Wes Dodson can’t help but get a little greedy when he thinks about the possibilities if Haley Goines was permitted to do more events.
“The cap is four, but if we could, she’d be in about seven events,” Dodson said. “She can honestly do that many different things. She runs anything from the hurdles and the 100 to 400 meters. She can long jump, high jump and run on all our relays.”
Dodson has some other stellar athletes, but Goines stands out because of her versatility and high energy.
“Not only could she handle six or seven events, but she could excel in them,” Dodson said.
Goines was named the Johnson County meet’s top female athlete by winning the long jump, 100 high hurdles and anchored the winning 4×100 relay team April 21 at Franklin Community High School. She also placed second in the high jump.
And here’s the kicker: She’s just a freshman.
“We try to vary it up for her so she gets a taste of everything and gets to do a lot of different things,” Dodson said.
Dodson is still trying to figure out what events to use Goines in the sectional May 19 at Franklin.
“We’re not exactly sure yet what is the best for Haley and our team,” Dodson said.
One thing that seems certain is Goines will run in the 100 hurdles. She was third in the 60-meter hurdles in 9.41 seconds in the Hoosier State Relays, which is considered the unofficial indoor state meet, on March 21.
“I didn’t think I’d place at all in indoors, honestly,” Goines said.
From there her momentum kept building. The hurdles are not only her best event now but her favorite as well.
“It makes me feel confident in my other events, because usually hurdles is my first event of the meet,” Goines said. “If if I do well in hurdles, it makes me feel good about my other events.”
Goines has taken her success in stride this season.
“I’m always smiling,” she said.
Goines said her preferred mix right now is hurdles, high jump, long jump and 400 relay.
“Sometimes my coaches put me in the 4×400 because they like me in,” she said.
Goines’ father, Monty, is a Center Grove boys assistant track coach, and her brother, Christian, is a sophomore on the team. Christian competes in the hurdles, high jump and long jump.
Monty Goines said his daughter start running when she was 8 years old and competing in AAU summer meets.
“She’s been very competitive and she enjoys running,” Monty said.
Goines said her goal is to make it to state meet or at least place in the top five in sectional in the 100 hurdles.
“I know it will be tough because there are some talented girls that made it to state from our sectional (last year),” said Goines, who was a point guard on the Trojans’ freshman team last season.
Dodson is eager to see how Goines, who turns 15 on May 15, develops.
“She is definitely going to grow, and she is really skinny,” Dodson said. “She is just going to get better, that’s the great thing.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”The Goines File” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Name: Haley Goines
School: Center Grove
Class: Freshman
Favorite TV show: “Dance Moms”
Favorite class: German
Favorite way to relax: “I play on my computer. I like to play Minecraft.”
Favorite musician: Ariana Grande
Goal for prep career: “I want to get a ring at state (meet), or at least place in the top two in at least one event.”
Favorite food: “I like to eat Danishes.”
Pre-meet ritual: “I usually stretch and work on hurdle mobility to get my legs warmed up. I usually try to sweat before I run so I’m pumped.”
[sc:pullout-text-end]
