Wekiva’s Niaja Griffin feels like she has accomplished a lot in her high school career and she has. Griffin a three sport standout in softball, weightlifting, and track and field has won four state championships, three in weightlifting and one as a member of the Mustangs 4x100 relay team. Balancing a full schedule of academics and athletics comes easy for the senior.
“If I don’t have anything to do I feel like I am not being productive with my life. I need to be busy for myself. Most people don’t think I can balance all three sports and school work but for me it is easy to do.”
The senior goes through a normal school day and sometimes has to get her workouts in during her seventh period to stay on top of her game during both track and softball seasons. She says sometimes it will be a track workout followed by a softball game, or softball then track practice. Coach Lisa Montgomery, who coaches her in both weightlifting and track and field, explains how Griffin does it all.
“I really think when you are an athlete it’s about time management and being able to judge a few things at one time. She is one that will put in the extra time even if that’s on the weekends, on Saturdays, or in the summer. She’s always willing to put forth that extra effort and that’s what it takes to be a champion.”
Griffin wasn’t thrilled about the idea of weightlifting at first but it was something Coach Montgomery made the runners do. She happened to be fairly good at it and after her freshman year went onto win three state titles. The senior also captured a state championship last year as a member of the Mustangs 4x100 and explains how the two sports work hand in hand.
“Weightlifting has helped me with power and being explosive outside of the blocks. Also, doing the jumps in track has helped me with the power clean and that explosiveness.”
She hopes to ride that success into her final spring as a high school athlete. Much like every sport that Griffin excels at she has high expectations for the 2011 track season including, what else, more rings.
“My goal in the 100 is to run 11.3 but if I don’t get 11.3. I’ll be happy with anything less than 11.7. In the jumps low 40’s for the triple jump and 19 or 20 in the long jump, and hopefully we can repeat in the 4x1, and I can help my team get a state championship title.
The one sport that she has no titles, softball, could be her best. After some time off she said she is looking forward to playing at the high school level with her childhood friends one last time before she heads off to college.
“Softball is my favorite. It’s something I’ve been doing for a long time. It’s been about ten years since I started and it’s probably the sport I miss the most out of all three.”
She has signed a college scholarship to play for the University of Georgia. According to Griffin, the Bulldogs like her combination of both power and speed. A middle infielder and outfielder for Wekiva she will play centerfield in college. Why softball and why Georgia? She says it was an easy choice.
“I got offered my sophomore year for a full scholarship to play softball at Georgia. I chose there because it came down to which sport I was going to do the most. I feel like I can always get out and run but I didn’t feel I could always go out and play softball.”
She admits she isn’t completely ruling out the possibility to do both sports.
“Since outdoor track is at the same time it’s going to be hard for me to do that but I’m going to try and run indoor track. If there was any way possible to play softball and run outdoor track I would.”
2011 could be the last time Griffin does both. One thing is certain though. When she leaves Wekiva, the three-sport standout will be the winningest athlete in Mustang’s history. It’s a feat she is proud of.
“It means a lot. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot in my high school career being a three time champion in weightlifting and winning in the 4x1. Just winning one state championship is a great honor for me because most people can’t win one and I did that three times in one sport.”
Coach Montgomery hasn’t coached too many athletes like Niaja and says she will miss her drive and willingness to be the best at everything including athletics and academics.
“She truly is a joy to coach and I wish I had more kids like her. She will be missed here at Wekiva. You don’t find many too many three sport athletes anymore. Most people are focused on one individual sport because we’ve gotten out of the role of being well rounded. It’s been a blessing to have an athlete that diverse in every aspect and you wish you had more people like her because those are the people that make the better athletes.”
What will Griffin miss the most about her high school days?
“The thing I’ll miss the most is my coach because without her I wouldn’t have been the state champion I am. She has made me better and pushed me the most out of anyone I know. I’ll also remember winning championships. Everyone remembers that.”