Chaise Cook-Martin is Leaps Ahead of her Closest Competition

When you meet 16-year-old Bogie sophomore Chaise Cook-Martin, the first thing you’ll notice is the big smile she always seems to have on her face. She is the calm one among her friends and the one they always call when they have a problem. Diminutive, but extremely compact, she is also lightning fast and had been tearing up the track since she started running in seventh grade.

“I always knew I was fast,” she said smiling. But I never thought about track. My grandfather encouraged me to start running track, so I did.”

Did she ever….

Cook-Martin started her track career in several events; Long Jump, High Jump, 4x4 Relay, 4x1 Relay and 100 Hurdles. Anytime Azalea Middle School needed a person for an event, Cook-Martin was the one they called upon.

“In the middle of ninth grade, someone showed me the Triple Jump,” she said. “So I tried it... I jumped 35 ft on my first try! I said to myself, ‘I can do this’ so that became my main event.”

Cook-Martin, bothered with shin-splints, gave up the Long Jump and the High Jump and decided to concentrate on just the Triple Jump, 100 Hurdles and the longer 300 Hurdles.

“I decided that with my Triple Jumps being so long, that was my best shot at a college scholarship.”

As a freshman last year Cook-Martin continued to improve, jumping 36ft, 5 inches which earned her 6th place in the State, quite an accomplishment for a 15 year old who had just started jumping the Triple less than two years earlier. She is a phenomenon and is determined to be the best.

But accomplishment is what drives Chaise Cook-Martin. She comes from a large, blended family of 11 kids and credits her family for their unending support and motivation. Her sister Chynna is about to go to Australia for a semester abroad; she is almost finished with college at age 19.

“My sister is a genius; she motivates me in every way. She is so smart and I really look up to her,” Cook-Martin smiles.

“Whenever I have a meet, there’s always someone there from my family. It’s usually my mother and father, (Jerry Martin and Jamie Cook-Martin can be seen in the stands wearing their trademark hats) or my grandmother (Marilyn Cook) and maybe a sister or a brother too!”

Chaise seems to be driven academically as well. Carrying a 3.5 GPA (3.6 weighted) she is in all Honor’s classes… except math.

“Not too sure about math,” she laughed.

Chemistry is her favorite class; she actually thought about being a RN, OBGYN or maybe a pharmacist.

“It just takes so long for school for those professions. So I think I want to be a Family Marriage Counselor, like my sister. I’m always the one my friends come to for answers and I can usually help them with their problems. My friend Mia Clarke comes to me with everything.” She smiles again.

Chaise Cook-Martin has a major goal this year; break the Bogie record of 41 ‘ 10” held by Neidra Covington, one of Cook-Martin’s idols, who is now an All-American at Texas Christian University. Cook-Martin is not far behind her. She is now 2^nd on the State with a jump of 39’ 2 ½” and knows 40’ is just around the corner.

“I know I definitely have at least 40 feet in me,” she says laughing. “And my goal is also to go 41’. I know I can do it!”

Cook-Martin’s grandparents have decided to become her “patrons” and help keep a steady supply of shoes, gadgets, uniforms, shorts and whatever else Cook-Martin needs to meet her goals. Her grandmother Marilyn calls her “my ‘to the moon and back’ girl.”

“I call her that,” she says, “because she has so much talent she can conquer anything! She is amazing and driven and just a wonderful child!” Marilyn Cook says proudly.

The apple does not fall far from the tree in this family; Chaise’s mother Jamie was a star basketball player at Utica College of Syracuse University and was inducted into the Upstate New York Hall of Fame. So was her father, Chaise’s grandfather, Charles Cook, who played basketball at U.C. Berkeley. Chaise also plays basketball and moved up from the JV to Varsity team this year. Her mother Jamie credits Coach Will White with helping her daughter outline her goals and gives her advice to meet them.

After the regular school track season is over, Chaise will switch to the A.A.U, Amateur Athletic Union, 727 Track Club, run by Head Coach Leviticus McKinnon and Triple Jump Coach Robert Covington. Chaise credits Coach Robert with keeping her in top mental and physical condition, which helps her with her endurance in the hurdles as well as her Triple Jump. The track team competes nationwide; Chaise was able to go to Detroit and Greensboro, North Carolina to compete. Her grandmother Marilyn traveled with her both times. Competing in the A.A.U. is expensive. The competitors are expected to pay for everything themselves.

Asking Chaise Cook-Martin to tell what accomplishments she‘s achieved, she shyly rattles off a few of her track endeavors.

But she forgets to include the Female Athlete of the Year, while at Azalea Middle school, an award created especially for her. Last year she won the Knology Cup for Athlete of the Week. She won medals at the Disney Rise Games; medals hang all over her room. Her parents could not be more proud of her.

Chaise Cook-Martin is a phenom on the track field; she is surely set to break Triple Jump records all over the State. She hopes to get that elusive number one spot at State.

Next week, Bogie runs in the PCACs, then on to Districts, then hopefully Regionals, the finally the State Championship. Watch out for the girl with the funny cackle and the look of determination. She plans on being first.