Like twins: Riggses think, act, compete alike

By TRAVIS METCALF

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS May 09, 2008 12:20 pm

— Calvin and Jade Riggs aren’t siblings but they act just like siblings all the way down to the way they dress.
As the two got ready to hop on to the bus leaving for Tulsa East Central where the two will compete in the state track meet, Jade in the long jump and Calvin in the 100 and 200-meter runs as well as the starter in the 4x1, for Tahlequah High School today and Saturday, the two both wore a light blue shirt and blue jeans.
“We’re cousins but everybody called us twins because we look so much alike,” Calvin said. “We’re exactly the same so one wants to be better than the other and we just fed off of that since high school.”
“We’re like brother and sister because we were raised together,” Jade said.
Combined, the Tigers and Lady Tigers have athletes entered in nine events overall, the Tigers qualified for state in six different events including the 100, 200, 400, 4x1, 4x4 and 4x8 while the Lady Tigers qualified in three different events, the long jump, high jump and 4x8 relay.
Jade said her nerves were starting to get the best of her right before jumping on the bus partially due to the fact that this will be her last time performing for the Lady Tigers.
“It’s a lot of weight on my shoulders because my mom is expecting me to beat her record,” Jade said. “I’m just kind of nervous about if I’m going to do it or not. Last year I was cool about it because I knew I had another year to worry about it but this is my last year, my last chance to get it done.”
Her mom’s record was 17-8. Jade jumped a 17-4 during the regional meet last weekend at Tulsa East Central, a meet Jade won.
“That was cool,” Jade said. “I was so excited. I just wanted to do backhand springs everywhere because I was so excited. My mom was real proud of me.”
If everything goes according to plan, Lady Tigers coach Elzy Miller said she doesn’t have a thing to worry about.
“Right now, Jade is sitting about fifth in the competition based on regional distances alone,” Miller said. “Jade has a chance to move up and probably finish in the top three If Jade gets a good jump off.”
Jade said she believes she can break that 17-8 mark.
“I’m confident, I just have to believe in myself,” Jade said. “I just have to get all of these nerves out of my system. I’m just right on the edge right now.”
Jade said it is her mom where she draws a lot of her inspiration to be competitive and she got started in it early.
“I did the standing long jump when I was in elementary school and I thought ‘I want to do this when I get older,’” Jade said. “Whenever I got into seventh-grade, I did that and I just loved it because of the sand and running and jumping because I was all spastic when I was younger. I had a lot of energy.”
Another piece of motivation for her to compete well is she wants to run track at Arkansas University.
“This year, I’m just expecting to go out there and do my best,” Jade said. “Second (place) is a success for me. Second in the state would be awesome. If I got second I’d be thrilled. If I got first, I’d have a heart attack.”
Like his cousin, Calvin also expects good things out of this weekend’s state track meet.
“It’s always a privilege to go to state,” Calvin said. “I’m nervous before I run. I get butterflies, I don’t feel like eating anything.”
Calvin finished fifth in the 100-meter run and sixth in the 200-meters at regionals last weekend.
His warm up routine is a little unique.
“I know this sounds kind of silly but I warm up with no shoes on,” Calvin said. “For one lap I just don’t wear my shoes. It makes me feel tougher.”
Calvin feels lucky being able to make it to the state meet after suffering an injury during the football season.
“I got hurt in football and was forced to sit out all through basketball,” Calvin said. “So coming back and making it to state is amazing.”
Track is an individual sport, and that’s the thing Calvin likes the most about the sport, why he likes it better than football or basketball.
“It’s something I can do and I don’t have to depend on anybody else to make me better,” he said. “I can just go out when I want to on my own and get better at it.”
The meet started at 10 this morning with the high jump event, which Shelbi Bowin competes in.
The running events start at 1 p.m. The girls’ long jump will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

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