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Janson took 8th at the US Outdoor nationals
in 2002 as a freshman (Seminoles.com) |
1. You were the top ranked freshman in the vault last season that included earning All-American indoors and outdoors. What can we expect from you this season heading into 2003?
This year is going to be a technical year for me. I'm really hoping to improve on my plant and takeoff. If it means that I have to go down before I go up again then that has to happen. Take for example Tiger Woods. When he took time out to improve his game, he didn't win anything for a while. When he came back, he was a monster eating up all competition in sight.
2. Among your accolades before Florida State is winning the 2001 Junior Pan Am Games and national high school champion during the same year. What title are you most proud of so far during your career?
The title I like best has got to be Jr. National Record holder. That title is something when you are in a field with such talented people competing in it.
3. During your high school career you also played volleyball and earned all state honors during your junior and senior years. How much, if any, has the other sports you competed in helped you in preparing for the vault?
Oh my! I can't even begin to tell you how much other sports helped with vaulting. First of all, every child should take gymnastics. That has given me such a good base. It taught me a lot about body awareness, flexibility, strength, discipline and most importantly…the fire for competition. Volleyball helped in over all movement and coordination. Teamwork is also a major, major part of volleyball. Track also involves a certain amount of teamwork. When your track team works together, that is when you win rings.
4. You also competed in the javelin at the Florida State opener last season. Is this an event you will be working on at all this season as well?
Ah, I'm not going to say anything about the javelin. It looks really fun, but I found out that I should stick to vaulting…hehe. I would really like to try to hurdle or the high jump. I high jumped in high school and would like to get my pr a little higher.
5. Is there any preference at all for you comparing vaulting indoors to outdoors?
I like Indoors so much! I love vaulting in the air-conditioning.
The atmosphere is a lot closer together, which makes it more intense.
Outdoors just seems so much more real though. Indoors is like a
warm up to outdoors.
6. How has the coaching staff at Florida State helped you to be where you are today in your career?
I have a great vaulting coach, Dennis Nobles. He is really compatible with my personality. I'm a laid back, go with the flow type person and so is he. I don't deal well with intense, in your face people, so naturally I wouldn't have one as my coach. He knows how to coach me mentally and is very patient, which is a good virtue to have a vault coach. Both the Terry Long, the head coach, and Coach Nobles have really done a lot to get me to big time meets which has given me some really good experience.
7. Who are the athletes or role models you look up to that inspires you the most to compete?
Stacey Dragila inspires me most to be a great vaulter. Athletes like Steve Prefontaine and Marla Runyan give me the passion for competition. I think they both are extremely gutsy people and I admire their determination and strength.
8. What type of specific training are you involved in preparation each season before entering the competition phase?
Our preseason workouts are so HARD! We do a lot of strength and
endurance training during the preseason. Yes, it is definitely not
fun, but it just makes you that much better. Sooner or later we
will get into doing drills and pole runs, more event specific stuff.
9. For those of us who have never been to Florida State, give us a description of the campus and surroundings on what makes it a great place to visit and go to school.
I love the campus here. Florida State is very green with lots of trees and hills. Everybody is really friendly, fun and energetic (energetic mostly on the weekends!) My classes are very interesting and have challenged me. Florida State also does a great job with student athletes as help is always available and they work with you to get yourself on the right track.
10. The U.S. is loaded with talented vaulters just like yourself. Although you are only a sophomore, what kind of goals do you have entering the 2003 World Championship trials and beyond into the Olympic Games?
My goal is to make it to the trials and then improve on 8th place. I placed 8th in the Sr. National competition this summer in Palo Alto, so I think a wise goal would be to surpass 8th, shooting for 1st of course! I'm still young so I have lots of time to make it to the Olympics, but just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm not going to try like heck to get there. There is some amazing competition out there so if it is not my year to go in '04, I will be there in China!