Alexis Orloff '15 Recruiting Profile

*** I ran the 100m for the second time (to help with long/triple jump approach) and PR'd by .6 seconds (13.95 to 13.35). I am hoping to break 13 by the end of this month. ***

Hello, my name is Alexis Zofia Orloff. I am currently a senior at Simi Valley High School. I aspire to learn about business, specifically administration and economics. I want to take over my father's growing businesses one day, so I want to be as knowledgeable and experienced as him.

As a young child, I was diagnosed with chronic asthma. I was sent to the hospital numerous times because my asthma turned into pneumonia. Each time flu season or allergy season would roll around, I would be hit with a crippling asthma attack. It was at the point where I could collapse and die at any moment. My doctor told me the only way to fight my asthma was to pick up a rigorous sport. That is when I was enrolled in tae kwon do. Doing tae kwon do not only fought my asthma, but I was able to eliminate it almost completely. I haven't suffered from a severe asthma attack in over 5 years.

I did tae kwon do for more than 10 years of my life. I earned my second degree black belt. I also reached the instructor level and taught the newer kids the way of tae kwon do. I was part of the Spar Team, a team in which we compete in only sparring, and Demo Team, a team that performs stunts and routines for an audience. I trained in mixed martial arts, jiu jitsu, and hap ki do for about three years. 

Once I started high school, I wanted to try something new. That is when I decided to pick up track and field. Track and field was always a breath of fresh air for me, no matter how horrible my day was, I was always happy to be outside. Everyone made you feel welcome and that you mattered to the team. It was a second family, a family away from family. The track was where I left my drama behind and focused on being the best I can be.

I eat, breathe, and sleep long, triple, and high jump. When I'm at home, I research different techniques to add to my checklist or watch the Olympic jumping trials, noting different things they did right or wrong. I would be constantly arching my back and jumping onto my bed for high jump, cycling my arms and legs for long jump, and bounding up and down the hall for triple jump. I video tape myself and identify everything I do right and wrong, then I fix it. I will spend any amount of given time to perfect a technique or hit a certain mark. I definitely consider a perfectionist when it comes to these events.

 I am currently a varsity long, triple, and high jumper. I have run varsity in all these events in all my seasons. I started my track and field career as a sophomore. I had no prior experience or training before high school. My personal record in long jump thus far is 16'11.75", but amazingly I have been achieving 17 and even 18 foot marks at the end of my last season in practice. My personal record in high jump as of junior year is 5'1", but now I have been hitting 5' and 5'2" marks from a 6 step approach in practice. And lastly, my personal record in triple jump is 32'6.75", though I have struggled with it, I am improving my technique and opening up my middle phase.

This past year, I have started coaching the Spartans youth team in long jump. I am happy to be helping kids understand and excel in long jump. Not only that, they actually now enjoy their practices more than ever and are willing to come back to practice some more. It makes my day when a child tells you that they had fun learning about long jump.

As of this upcoming season, my jumps coach got a job at a college to become an NCAA coach. He entrusted me to coach and lead our team to victory. I am very grateful that he trusts me enough to help out the new recruits and lead the workouts. Truly, this is a dream come true.

Obviously, this is my last season in high school track and field, but I want to continue on in college and better myself in every way, whether that be physically, internally, or mentally. I will stop at nothing to improve myself and be the best in the league or in the county. I want people to notice me as I walk onto the runway and be amazed at the amount of work I put in to get to where I am.