Jayden Rendon '26 Recruiting Profile

As I close the first season in my high school track and field career, I am able to reflect on all that I have accomplished as well as the work that I need to put in moving forward.  Running for USATF since 2015, I thought that track couldn't be much different at the high school level, well, I was wrong! Although youth track has definitely prepared me to compete in high school, there are significant differences that I had to adjust to. Completing my first year at the varsity level, I believe that I know what I will have to do to continue my success and accomplish my goals. 

Despite an early quad sprain that nagged me for most of the season, I was able to get the job done this year.  To sum up my accomplishments, I was the Marine League Champion in the 110 Hurdles, 300 Hurdles, and the 4X1.  I competed in the CIF City Section Finals and placed 2nd in the 300 Hurdles, 3rd place in the 110 Hurdles, and 2nd place in the 4X1.  I was able to qualify for the CIF State Championships, as a Freshman, in all 3 of my events, which was far more than I had ever expected going into this season.  I was also invited to compete at the Arcadia Invitational and the Mt. Sac Championships for the hurdles, and although I did not medal at State, Arcadia, or Mt. Sac, the experience was amazing! Being able to compete with some of the best athletes in California made me hungry to work even harder in the upcoming seasons.  

My hard work this season didn't go unnoticed, I was named All Area Team by the Daily Breeze, Top 2026 prospects, Top 50 freshman in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 110 hurdles, and 300 hurdles by Mile Split.  And although I ended up with the fastest Freshman time in California for the 300 hurdles, I was surprised to be named on the All-State Team by Mile Split. I was honored with a city recognition award, with some of my teammates, by our city's mayor and city council for the success we had this season.  At the end of the year Sports Banquet, I received the Boys MVP award by my track coaches, and overall Freshman of the Year which is voted on by all of our sports coaches at my school. Lastly, I was voted by my teachers as the school's Freshman Scholar Athlete of the Year.  

As a youth runner, I competed in the Multis, this is where I had to compete in several events within track and field, I had to learn to master the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, shot put, long jump, high jump, and hurdles.  I believe that having the opportunity to train and compete in a variety of events really helped me to gain a lot of respect for this sport.  I had several specialty coaches with different training styles and I competed in the Junior Olympics in not only open divisions but in the Multis as well.  I had to begin competition in the pentathlon at 7:30am and we didn't finish until the meet was over later that evening.  This taught me to be disciplined and focused, I had to have a packed lunch and snacks and make sure that I stretched out, warmed up, cooled down, and stayed hydrated all day.  One fond memory that I have was when I was in the 11-12 division, I was competing in the multis and I was at the high jump pit, we had already finished the hurdles and shot put that day, but I was also competing with my team in the 4X800.  My coaches didn't anticipate that multis going on as long as it did, but there I was at the high jump pit, and my coach informed the officials that I had to run the 4X800.  The officials dismissed me and I jogged over to my teammates so that we could compete in the 4X8.  I can remember the kids competing with me, looking at me like I was crazy, but I had to tell myself that this is what I have been training for. As I was running my leg of the 4X8, I remember coming around the curve near the high jump pit and all of the kids that I was competing with in the multis cheering for me. My team ended up winning a Gold medal in the 4X8 that day and I missed the ceremony because I had to run back to the high jump pit and finish my multi events.  I was able to capture a bronze medal in the multis that year and everyone was amazed that I did all of those events and medaled in one day.  At the time, I didn't think much of it, but the next day my legs sure did get me to understand how much work that I put in the day before. 

Youth track helped me train my body and my mind for this sport, I was a Pacific Coast Shockwave, and I lived by our motto, "Where Champions are Built." Going into high school, I was ready, and even though everyone kept saying "this isn't youth track, you will be competing with 18 and 19 year olds." I didn't get intimidated by that.  My reality was, I had to train harder, eat better, and put in time to stretch and recover if I wanted my body to do what I needed it to do. My early injury hindered my performance but I didn't let it stop me for competing.  I was frustrated at times because I wasn't use to having a nagging injury that slowed me down.  Like they say, everything is a lesson, mine was that I needed to spend a lot more time stretching out and rolling out, I wasn't very good at doing that in my youth years but my body is different now and I had to adjust. High School track meets move along a lot faster, in youth I would have over an hour or two in between races, this definitely isn't the case in high school. 

Moving forward, I will continue to live by my Shockwaves Motto, and I will learn from my freshman year of high school. I was proud of my academic performance and I will continue to take honors and AP courses, and I look forward to taking a few college courses as well. Track is not only physically demanding, it also requires mental focus. I am up for the challenge of high school track and field because I have a goal to accomplish that is much bigger than track at the high school level. It was really nice to be acknowledged for all of the hard work that I put in this past season, but it is just the beginning for me, I have a lot more to do, my resume is not complete and my goals are not yet accomplished but one thing is for sure, I am on my way!