Justice Summerset didn’t have to answer any questions about where he was going to college when he took a seat on the stage of a crowded auditorium at Mountain View on Wednesday morning.
The 6-foot-3-inch senior high jumper donned a cardinal Arizona Wildcats shirt and Jason Terry-inspired “CATS” socks. But it was the smile on Summerset’s face that showed he was more than set on keeping Drachman Stadium his home.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better because I’ve been there, I’m comfortable with it, and I’m excited,” said Summerset, who accepted a full scholarship with the UA track team. “It’s really a blessing to be able to stay here for another four years.”
Summerset is plenty familiar with the UA’s track facilities. He has practiced there numerous times over the last six years as a member of the Tucson Elite Athletic Club. He has also competed at the venue in a handful of high school meets, including last Friday’s Mario Castro Invitational, where he cleared 7 feet for the third time this season.
The college choice was just a small factor in Summerset’s decision: He was one of Tucson’s top football players over the last four years and had the potential to earn a Division I scholarship.
Some track coaches were hesitant to pursue Summerset because they weren’t sure which direction he was going to go.
Summerset wondered, too.
“It was really tough because I’ve been playing football since I can remember,” Summerset said. “It was a tough decision but it came down to what I could see myself doing for most of my life. I think track is definitely the right decision for me.”
The opportunity to perhaps someday represent the United States at the Olympic Games also helped Summerset in his decision.
“Over and over again, you think about things like that, but you never really imagine yourself with ‘USA’ across the chest,” said Robert Summerset, Justice’s father. “When I look at my son, I know he has the potential one day to possibly do that.”
The decision to become a Wildcat was relatively easy. Summerset’s family lives in Tucson and his sister already attends the UA, so they’ll be able to come to his practices and meets whenever they like.
Arizona State, UCLA and Washington showed interest, but Arizona was the front-runner all along. Summerset will compete in the high jump but could also run on the 1,600-meter relay team down the road.
Summerset’s club coach, Janet Harvey, remembers the first time she heard about him, when he was just starting middle school.
“His dad told me, ‘I have a kid who jumped 5-foot-2; he’s really good,’ ” said Harvey, wife of UA track coach Fred Harvey. “People tell me that all the time, and it doesn’t always turn out to be. But, the moment I saw him jumping, I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll take him.’ ”
Now Summerset is the state’s best high jumper and is among eight individuals across the country who have cleared 7 feet this spring. He’ll go for that height again on Saturday at Mountain View’s Southern Arizona Championships in his final home meet.
“I might get caught up in the moment and just take a minute to look around,” Summerset said. “I don’t know if there will be any tears or anything.”
Summerset also has a chance to break the high school state record of 7-2¼, a mark held by his future college teammate in Bryant O’Georgia. The two have talked about Summerset overtaking the record; O’Georgia jokes that he doesn’t want him to get it.
One of the keys to Summerset’s success this season has been his socks, the same pair he wore for Wednesday’s signing ceremony. He has worn them on all three times he has cleared 7 feet.
“Every time I wear them, as soon as I get home I throw them in the wash because I don’t know when will be the next time I’ll need to wear them,” Summerset said. “They’ve become pretty lucky.”
You can be sure Summerset will be wearing them in two weeks at the state meet, which opens May 4 at Mesa Community College. The Division II boys high jump finals are scheduled for May 7.
Summerset has come close to winning in each of the last three seasons but has come up short. He was the Division I state runner-up as a freshman (6-6), finished fifth in Division II as a sophomore (6-4) and tied for second a year ago (6-6).
“I look at it like I don’t have any more chances to get a ring so I’m definitely taking this seriously,” Summerset said. “Coming up short, it hurts. I just feel like it would be a good statement to end my high school career and hopefully I can get some good momentum going into college.”
