At the end of the year, many will look back and remember the great things which have happened over the calendar year. While some will look back over their social media account, Westlake's Tristan Goodly looks at his wall and the big cardboard poster hanging on his wall. The poster was presented to him for winning the NSAF Nike Outdoor Nationals long jump showcase in Eugene, Oregon.
It was the experience of a lifetime for Goodly as he competed at the newly renovated Hayward Field.
"Man, it was great," Goodly said. "It was a championship atmosphere. The facility was amazing. They had just had the national college meet so some of those athletes and coaches were still there watching us."
While the highlight was the long jump showcase were he won with a personal record 23-3.5, the triple jump competition wasn't far behind.
Goodly finished fourth with a triple jump of 47-5.75 earning All-American honors.
Nationally, Goodly is ranked No. 4 indoors in the triple jump among all returning triple jumpers in the nation. It's the highest ranking of any Louisiana high school athlete headed into the indoor season.
"It's an honor to be ranked that high," Goodly said. "That's quite an accomplishment, but I want to move up to No. 3, or No. 2, or-better yet-No. 1."
It is certainly not out of the realm of possibility for the three-sport star who is juggling his track and field preparations while also playing on the Westlake basketball team.
"It's really not hard," Goodly said. "I work for it, and I've always done it. I like staying active, and I don't like having down time. So, I make it work."
Left up to him, Goodly would be competing in Saturday's LSU Indoor Classic, but with only a week of preparation behind him it doesn't seem likely that the best horizontal jumper in Louisiana will be ready to go.
"For sure on January 21 (LSU High School Qualifier)," Goodly said on his plans to open the 2023 indoor season.
When he does make his debut, Goodly is looking forward to see what he can do in the long jump.
"I know that I am stronger and faster than I was a year ago," Goodly said. "It's looking good."
As for goals? "24 feet, maybe 25."
In the triple jump, Goodly believes he can join the 50 foot club.
"I've got to hold that second phase longer," Goodly said.
While Goodly's accomplishments in 2022 were somewhat overshadowed during his junior year by two of the nation's best triple jumpers in Ruston's Brandon Green and Ouachita's Jeremy Nelson, his LHSAA Class 4A jump of 48-7 turned heads and gives Louisiana track and field fans hope that they will see yet another triple jumper at the top of national rankings in 2023.
Another positive for Louisiana track and field fans is the fact that Goodly will be continuing his career at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. While he signed a letter of intent to join the SLU football team during the early signing period, Goodly made sure that his football coaches would allow him to compete in track and field in the spring.
"That was something that was very important to me," Goodly said. "That went into my decision during the entire process," Goodly said.
Goodly's thoughts on 2023?
"It's going to be exciting," Goodly said.