Sloan takes jumping to next level at USC

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

Eric Sloan might be a newcomer to jumping indoors, but it hasn’t taken long for the USC redshirt junior to soar into the spotlight.

The former California Community College Athletic Association state triple jump champion at San Joaquin Delta College might not have been on the national radar two months ago, but Sloan enters the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Track and Field Championships at the CrossPlex in Birmngham, Ala., as the favorite, just one leap away from becoming the Trojans’ first winner in the event since 2003.

“Being the first to do it in such a long time would mean everything to me,” Sloan said. “This is my first time competing at a national championship, so it would definitely be a great thing.”

Sloan is entered in the long jump Friday and triple jump Saturday after capturing both titles Feb. 26-27 at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Seattle, the conference's first male athlete to achieve the impressive double since Arizona’s Luis Rivera-Morales in 2009.

Sloan’s lifetime-best triple jump of 55-10.5 (17.03m) on Feb. 13 at the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas is the best indoor performance by an American this year and ranks No. 3 in the world.

“I don’t feel any pressure. I just need to focus on the technique and let it take me the distances that it can,” Sloan said. “I wouldn’t say that it’s exceeded my goals because I feel like every time I jump a certain distance, I always set a new goal for myself. The 55-10.5 is definitely great. I’ve been shooting for 55 for a long time, so I’m definitely excited that I hit that and broke the 17-meter barrier. I’m definitely looking to do it again or go farther.”

After missing his senior season at Bear Creek High in Stockton with a patellar tendon injury in his left leg, Sloan won the 2014 JC state title during his freshman year at San Joaquin Delta with a leap of 53-6.25 and finished second last year. Despite battling hamstring and quadriceps injuries throughout his jumping career, Sloan’s best outdoor triple jump before arriving at USC was 54 feet.

Enter Trojans’ jumps and multis coach Sheldon Blockburger, who had to implement a stretching and strength training regimen that would allow Sloan to improve his flexibility and range of motion in an effort to keep his hamstrings and quads in balance.

“When I first met Eric, he couldn’t bend over and touch his toes and he could barely lift his knees, so I tried to find his physical weaknesses and worked on fixing them,” Blockburger said. “The key was not only getting him healthy, but keeping him healthy. I knew with that being addressed, it would help with his chronic injuries and performance.”

With improved flexibility, Blockburger then focused on refining Sloan’s technique. Following a change to a right-right-left approach at San Joaquin Delta, Sloan made significant strides after his best performance in high school was 47 feet.

“When I got to Delta, I didn’t know how to do a lot of things when it came to jumping and my coaches taught me some new techniques because there were aspects of the jump I had never focused on before,” Sloan said. “I was really stubborn at first when they told me they wanted me to switch legs (on my approach), but I finally listened and it didn’t take me as long to get used to it as I thought it would.”

Blockburger has had to remind Sloan to remain consistent and technically sound in all phases of his jumps, not only to continue progress, but to keep him healthy in preparation for the upcoming outdoor season.

“I have to remind Eric to spend more time running through the long jump board and spend more time elevating off of it and driving his right knee,” Blockburger said. “In the triple jump, it’s the same and I have to remind him to spend more time finishing each phase.”

The final phase of Sloan's six-meet indoor season is leading a group of eight USC athletes into the two-day meet at the CrossPlex, the same facility where he won the long jump Jan. 23 with a personal-best leap of 25-9.25 (7.85m).

Sloan and sophomore high jumper Randall Cunningham, who is second among all national qualifiers with a 7-5 (2.26m) clearance, helped USC win its first MPSF men’s team title. Freshman Margaux Jones, the MPSF long jump champion, is the No. 8 national qualifier at 21-0.5 (6.41m).

“This is the best jumps group I’ve ever been a part of and I’m excited to be here and jump with them because they push me every day in practice,” Sloan said. “Just seeing the energy that everybody brings is amazing and I love it here.”

In addition to Blockburger’s specialized training for each athlete, the depth and competitive spirit of a jumping group that also includes Adoree Jackson and Dominic Smallwood has been instrumental in USC’s success during the indoor season.

“They are definitely an exciting group to train with all the time,” Jones said. “Even when we are training, they always find a way to make practice enjoyable. They always give off a good vibe, so it just makes being out there so much better.”

Sloan knows he is still capable of a better triple jump, especially since his first attempt at the Tyson Invitational was ruled a foul by a fraction of an inch, which Blockburger confirmed was well beyond 56 feet. He might not need to surpass his personal best in order to capture the title, but Sloan is chasing Simms’ indoor program record of 56-7.5 (17.26m).

“There is no perfect jump, but jumping 55 in the final round at Tyson definitely boosted my confidence a lot,” Sloan said. “There was still a lot of stuff wrong with that jump, which tells me if I can put it all together, the sky is the limit.”

Florida has dominated the indoor triple jump in recent years, with Marquis Dendy, Omar Craddock, Will Claye and Christian Taylor combining to win five of the past seven national titles. Not only is Sloan looking to interrupt the Gators’ exceptional run, but join inaugural winner Bob Beamon of UTEP (1968) among the event’s elite fraternity of NCAA champions.

“Since this was my first time jumping indoors, it took me a while to find my rhythm, but I am extremely blessed to be here and to be in this position,” Sloan said. “I’m excited about the opportunity and I’m ready to jump as far as my body will take me.”