Pasadena’s Jaloni West commits to Cal State Northridge
By Aaron Valdez
If there is one thing that can derail an athlete’s career in the blink of an eye, injuries are definitely it.
This was almost the case with Pasadena High School track standout Jaloni West. Despite making a name for himself with his blistering speed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, the senior had to battle through a torn hamstring early in the season to be healthy in time for CIF.
However, West managed to make his return before CIF competition and ended up being one of the top runners in the state.
“It was a real happy and fun experience making it that far,” West said. “There was also a lot of mixed emotions because of the injury but I just stayed focused on my goal.”
West’s talents caught the attention of multiple schools but he ultimately chose to run for Cal State Northridge as he signed his letter of intent Saturday.
“It will take a confident mentality for me to succeed at the next level,” West said. “It will take a lot of hard work and commitment to stay focused … just to push yourself at all times and just always pushing your body past its limits.”
This season, West’s personal record in the 100-meter was 10.75 at the CIF State Championship Prelims while his record in the 200-meter was 21.86 at the CIF-SS Division 3 Prelims.