Oliver Ames Athlete of the Week: Volleyball, Basketball and Track Standout Candace Steadman

The plan for Candace Steadman never really included a run (no pun intended) in the world of track and field.

Yet, there she was on the triple jump runway leading the OA Tigers at the Hockomock League Outdoor Track and Field Championship Meet. For someone who hasn’t competed since her freshmen year, Steadman looked like a seasoned veteran. Or, at least as seasoned as a senior in high school can be.

“It just shows you what kind of athlete she is. She’s come a long way. She trained really hard to get back into track shape and she just had a phenomenal year,” Oliver Ames girls’ coach Mike Darling said.

Already a Hockomock All-Star in volleyball and basketball, Steadman’s athleticism made her a natural fit for the sport of track and field but it was her drive that turned her into one of Division 3’s best triple jumpers.

“She brings leadership that’s for sure. She’s been at practice every day, she’s a hard worker,” Darling said. “She’s just a phenomenal athlete and she’s got great potential for the states as well in the triple jump.”

The potential was seen earlier in the season when Steadman erased a seven year old record against Sharon and became the best triple jumper in OA history with a mark of 35-10.25.

“That was amazing because I haven’t even been doing track. My brother actually broke the triple jump record too so I just wanted to be like him and break a record too,” Steadman said.

The jump gave both the boys' and girls' triple to the Steadman family.

Candace’s older brother Kyle broke the both the triple jump and long jump records in 2009. He also was a member of the record-breaking 4x400, long jump relay, triple jump relay, and decathlon teams.

At the league meet, Steadman showed a flair for the dramatics, needing to almost match her personal best to get out of the preliminary round of the triple jump and then needing to jump well above her best in the finals to win the league title.

“I just realized that needed to get a good jump in because I fouled in the beginning and I realized that one girl got 36-01 and I’ve never jumped like that,” Steadman said.

With Mansfield’s Kelsey Ferreira in the lead, Steadman got a mark of 36-04.50 on her final jump of the competition to win the league title and break her own school record.

“That’s just great. I don’t even know what to say,” said an excited Steadman shortly after winning the event.

As someone who has scored points for the Tigers in four events, one must wonder what could of been if Steadman didn’t take those two seasons off from track. Considering that track practices usually don’t start until mid/late March, who knows how far Steadman could jump if she had more than two months of jumps training.

“We always do that anyways as a track coach, it’s what if,” Darling said. “But just take what’s going on in the present and enjoy it.”

As someone who enjoys the Baltimore area, Steadman will attend Towson University in Maryland this fall where she will play Division 1 volleyball for the Tigers of the Colonial Athletic Association.