RED WING MINNESOTA
Throughout my high school career, I chased the dream of becoming a ‘good high jumper’, but I never knew how many aspects went into that. I wanted to get better, so I kept training, and training, but at some point I started feeling like I wasn’t improving. I had my first camp with Coach Hugo in November of 2024, and I knew right away that I was going to sign up for another. I was an upcoming junior when I found out about the camps, and although I’d made slight progress over that summer, I wanted to see more results and to be able to jump in college one day. Even on that first day, I felt like I had found a coach who could really understand me as an athlete better than anyone, and he always knew exactly what to say or do to help me learn the concepts.
Training under Coach Hugo has been the best decision for me, and I’m so grateful for the progress I’ve made in under a year by trusting him to break down my old form and bring me a new perspective on high jump. He can point out athletes’ differences and knows exactly how that athlete needs to jump in order to reach the heights they want to achieve. He doesn’t see athletes who have an “advantage” or not, but rather two jumpers who may end up jumping in different ways, but he knows how to work with them both to accommodate different strengths to reach the same ending goal. He is the kind of coach who lays out the path for you and dedicates his time to helping you, but leaves it up to you to want to work hard and trust him to make you better.
When I have a win, (meet where I got a PR or I fixed something important) he is always happy and excited for me, but he is never surprised because he always knows what I am capable of and believes in me. He doesn’t just say “don’t lean into the bar” or “keep your head back longer” because there’s much more technicality to high jump. He uses exercises and drills to break it down so you feel the difference, and analogies and metaphors help you visualize it. He gets you thinking in a new way that helps you understand what he’s showing without feeling frustrated. I have never been more ready to train and work hard to see what I can do, and it’s all thanks to the dedication and care of Coach.
SEE ALYSSA’S JUMPS HERE: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNKotsziRZx/