The start of the fall term at university finds Squamish triple jumper Tiffany Sprenkels far from home.
The 18-year-old, who recently graduated from Howe Sound Secondary, has moved to upper New York State, the lucky recipient of a full scholarship to the State University at Albany.
Having previously stood on the podium at regional and national track and field competitions around the country, Sprenkels brought home the gold medal in her sport at the Canadian Junior National Championships at the end of July, as well as the silver at the Western Canada Games in August.
From there, it was a quick trip home to pack her bags for the big move to Albany, where she will study business for the next four years. "It's definitely a great opportunity," said Sprenkels in a telephone interview from her dorm on campus.
"All my classes are good and I've got cool roommates. I had visited a few schools in the states and I really like Albany's track coach and the team."
The University at Albany's track team has a highly regarded reputation in America. Credited with Division 1 standing with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the team will allow Sprenkels to compete against the top tier of college-level triple jumpers in the US. Her immediate aim is to try to make to the NCAA's regional qualifying level and move up the ranks from there.
Sprenkels said she was impressed with the facilities on offer to students, and currently trains at university two hours a day, five days a week, to prepare for her first competition at the start of the indoor collegiate track season in December.
"It is incredible here - there's an indoor and outdoor track, a great weight room just for the university's athletes to use. Everything that's needed," she said.
She also has to keep up her grades, she added, and the university runs a strict sign-in policy for their athletes that means they must attend six hours of study hall each week or be suspended from practice.
Living on a campus with a top-level track program right at hand is quite a change for Sprenkels, who used to travel to Vancouver four days at week to train with her coach Elena Voloshin at the NorWesters Track Team. She said that the coaches at Howe Sound Secondary also played a huge role in her development as a triple jumper.
Sprenkel's mother Shelley, having just returned from helping her daughter settle in at the university, said she would love to see a competitive track built in Squamish. She said her daughter has a tremendous drive that served her well in taking her to the top of her sport.
"She would do her best to try and maintain good grades. Tiffany is fortunate to have had the coaches and teachers she's had in the past here in Squamish. These people volunteer the time and effort and because of them, Tiffany got a full scholarship."
Sprenkels turned down an offer from Simon Fraser University and several other American colleges. Her mother said the chance to take a full scholarship - which covers everything from books to tuition to accommodation - was a definite attraction.
"Who would think you can get a full-ride scholarship in triple jump?" she said.
