According to Christabel Nettey, her first track season at age 10 was a disaster.
Luckily for the Sun Devils, Nettey stuck with the sport to become a star in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles in her home country of Canada.
Before heading to Tempe, Nettey earned a silver medal in the long jump for Canada at the 2009 Pan-American Junior Championships. She also competed for Canada in the 2007 IAAF World Youth Championships and was a three-time MVP for her high school basketball team.
The Freshman All-American recently sat down with The State Press to talk about her home country, her goals for the outdoor season and the laid-back atmosphere on the Tempe campus.
The State Press: How did you find your way from Canada to the desert and ASU?
Christabel Nettey: Well, I started club track when I was 10 and I really sucked. My older sister was really good and my dad kept pushing me, and when I got to high school I started doing well. A few schools, such as Illinois and Stanford, were contacting me but my first choice was USC. My sister actually applied to ASU but decided not to come here. She kept saying it was a really good school, but she didn’t want to come here because it was so hot. And I said it was too hot as well, so I didn’t want to come here either. But then I came here on my visit and fell in love with everything.
SP: What do you miss the most about Canada and your hometown of Surrey, British Columbia?
CN: Probably the rain. We have more rain there than we have out here. It’s fun being away from home but at the same time that’s where I lived for 18 years. The freedom is nicer here, but I don’t get to see my regular friends. But I’ve made new friends, so it’s been great.
SP: Being from Canada, are you a hockey fan at all? Who is your favorite in the upcoming NHL playoffs?
CN: (Laughing) No, I don’t know anything about it.
SP: What has been your favorite thing about ASU and being a Sun Devil?
CN: Probably how things are so convenient around campus. People are always willing to help you and everything is very student-based. Every time I tell people I go to ASU they say “Oh ASU!” It’s known, and it’s nice knowing that people appreciate and recognize the school.
SP: What are you majoring in?
CN: I’m currently undeclared, but I’m going to declare journalism [as my] major.
SP: You made the NCAA Indoor Championships during the indoor season (along with fellow freshman Constance Ezugha) in the long jump. With the team a month away from the Pac-10 Championships, what goals do you have for the remaining outdoor season?
CN: Outdoors has kind of been a rocky start, and I haven’t competed that much. But hopefully I can get myself together and start making good marks and make some progress. For the Pac-10 [meet], I really hope to place in the top three and qualify for nationals again. Now that I’ve experienced Indoor Nationals, I’ve become more efficient outdoors. I wanted to be an All-American indoors, so hopefully I can be an All-American outdoors.
SP: How has the support system around you helped you become a better long jumper, even with the constant competition with Ezugha?
CN: Constance and I are usually on the same level and are battling, but we also have athletes like [junior long jumper] Michael Stokes who has been through it and been here for a couple years, so he helps us and shows us the technique. Coach [Greg] Kraft can tell us what to do, but Michael helps show us what coach wants from us. Matt Turner [a former Sun Devil All-American long jumper] also comes out to practice sometimes and helps out.
SP: Will you compete in both the long jump and the 100-meter hurdles?
CN: I’m not sure. Long jump is naturally a better event for me, but I really love hurdles. It can be intimidating, but I really love the feeling of hurdling. Long jump is more of a natural thing for me.
SP: Overall, are you pleased with your decision to come to ASU?
CN: Definitely! I love being a Sun Devil — it’s very fun. I love all of the excitement around campus when there are sporting events and the hype of just being at ASU is amazing. It is really cool and the team dynamic is family-oriented. It’s really nice.
Reach the reporter at eric.l.smith@asu.edu
