Castleton’s JaQuincy Bostick has emerged as a promising Castleton University athlete, capturing the LEC’s rookie of the week on Jan. 17 for his track performance in the Middlebury Winter Classic. Bostick leaped an impressive 6.23 meters, placing him third in the long jump and sixth in the LEC this season.  

 Q. Can you tell me what ran through your mind when you received news about winning the LEC’s rookie of week?

A. I was appreciative of the recognition, but it was just another day because I’ve received similar awards in the past. Awards from multiple sports including football and track, so this was just another award to add to my collection. 

Q. Was this level of performance a surprise or did you expect it and why? 

A. It wasn’t a surprise for me because I have a high level of expectation for myself when competing. I expect nothing less than excellence with my approach to competition.

Q. Who do you credit most for your recent success? 

A. First and foremost I give credit to God for my recent success. I believe God has given everyone a talent and mine is the ability to be a superb athlete. God’s blessing has given me the right path to operate with hard work, dedication, and the proper mindset. I must also credit my beloved cousin, who lost his life, but gave me insight into becoming a better athlete. He, like me, was a college track athlete striving to do better. It only felt right to follow in his footsteps when given the opportunity. 

Q. Is there a specific artist or song that you may listen to before competition in order to go out and compete?

A. Lil Durk & Meek Mill are my go-to artists before competition. Their music brings me peace of mind because there’s a sense of relatable-ness. A lot of what they say I see back home. Listening to them keeps me calm because they preach that you can beat the odds even if they’re stacked against you.       

Q. Can you tell me any other pre-game rituals that you use to get you ready for competition?

A. Drinking a teaspoon of honey before every meet to avoid any cramping in my muscles. I also isolate myself from others prior to competition because it puts myself in a good headspace. 

Q. With you being a multi-sport athlete, does your approach to the game/competition change depending on the sport and why?

A. No difference. I pretty much isolate myself with music to get myself ready to compete no matter the sport.

Q. Can you distinguish the different dynamics between the football and track environment?

A. Football has more of an upbeat vibe. We try to keep a hype environment either on the field or in the locker, which breeds tons of support and encouragement. Track is more laid back because of the individualistic component.  

Q. Take me through your process of handling academics while being a two-sport athlete?

A. I value my free time a lot because it’s a must to get my schoolwork done. It’s a lot easier to manage my academics during the track season as opposed to the football season because track practices run during the day, which means I have the rest of the afternoon and evening to myself. But football causes me to lose that luxury with meetings during the day and practice being at night. It makes it tough to finish schoolwork because my time management has to be precise.

Q. Walk me through your first conversation with Coach Jay Condon?

A. We initially spoke about me possibly being able to join the team and once he told me there was a roster spot for me, I began telling him about my track success in high school. Informing him about all my personal records in high school. He was excited to hear it, and voiced his opinion about me being a great athlete. Coach Condon stated that I’d be among the top of the conference in my events.     

Q. What does receiving this award mean for you going forward?

A. It’s pushing me to do better and maintain focus as the season progresses. I want to make sure this award doesn’t make me complacent but rather driven to continue to thrive and become better.