Live Oak’s Cobbie Jones experienced a disappointing end to her
high school career when she suffered a season-ending leg injury in
February.
Live Oak’s Cobbie Jones experienced a disappointing end to her high school career when she suffered a season-ending leg injury in February.
The stress fracture to her left tibia prevented a near-guaranteed trip to the CIF State Track and Field Championships, thus denying her a rare feat of qualifying for the state meet for the fourth time.
But to focus on the heartbreaking end to an unbelievable high school career would be a terrible mistake.
Jones’ accomplishments include seven trips to state competitions (three in track and four in cross country) and that was enough to make her the Morgan Hill Times’ female athlete of the year.
“It’s been super special,” Jones said. “Now that I stop and think about it, that’s very rare.”
The UCLA-bound runner, who attended Los Gatos her freshman year before transferring to Live Oak, advanced to the state finals of the 800 meters in each of the three years that she qualified, with her best finish of fourth place coming her sophomore year.
“That’s quite an accomplishment,” coach Dean Raymond said of her seven appearances in state competition. In his 12 years at Live Oak, Raymond could only recall former triple jumper Aryn Murry, a second-place finisher in the state meet, to whom he could compare Jones’ drive and talent. “For a small town like Morgan Hill, these are rare finds.”
Jones credited the enjoyment she gets out of the sport for helping her stay motivated, even despite her recent injury.
“That’s what kept me being successful,” Jones said. “It was fun for me. It’s always been something that I chose to do, something that I love and makes me feel good.”
The scholarship to attend UCLA, a long-time track and field powerhouse, has also helped Jones stay committed to her sport and keep her mindset on rehabbing to be ready to run for the Bruins.
“Going to UCLA has really helped me keep my head above water and keep my confidence up,” Jones said. “You can always heal injuries, but you can’t heal motivation.”
Raymond describes Jones simply as “dedicated.”
“She knows her goal in life and she pursues it,” he said. “It wasn’t the most encouraging season, but to still get the scholarship to UCLA is encouraging that she can still impress them.”
Jones said she appreciates the opportunity she’s had to continue to compete.
“I feel very lucky and very fortunate that I have the ability and have the drive,” she said. “Sometimes I feel a lot of expectations that I put on myself and that my coaches and the community has for me. But I’m just the kind of person where I do it for myself, no one else. At the end of the day, as long as I’m happy and healthy and have my family, I’m a very happy person.”
Raymond said Jones has the talent to accomplish even more and it will be up to her to see how far she can go.
“If she can stay healthy she can probably attain all the goals she has in mind,” Raymond said.
Jones also knows it will be up to her to determine how far she can develop the talent she’s been blessed with.
“In order to be the best, I have to train the best,” she said. “The only thing that I think is limiting me is myself.”
Among her many goals is to have the opportunity to compete internationally someday.
“My ultimate goal in my sport is to run internationally out of college and have a chance to compete in the Olympics and represent my country,” Jones said. “That’d be my ultimate reward.”
Jimmy Durkin is the Morgan Hill Times sports editor. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 203 or jd*****@*************es.com.
