Indy Star

 

By Nat Newell

Daniel Hurrle was dedicated to basketball when he was growing up. Then the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder discovered he was an even more gifted football player when he reached Bishop Chatard High School, and attracted interest from Division II colleges. But in the final semester of his high school athletic career, Hurrle is aiming even higher.

Literally.

For the first time this winter, he devoted his training to high jumping and won the 1A-3A Division of the Hoosier State Relays on March 21 at Purdue University by clearing 6 feet, 8 inches -- fourth best overall and four inches higher than the personal best he'd set in finishing 11th at last year's state track meet.

"We always knew (Daniel) could be a good high jumper," Bishop Chatard track coach Sean McGinley said. "At the end of last year, it clicked for him. He realized, 'If I was a full-time track athlete, I could become one of the top jumpers in the state.' The work ethic wasn't a question when he was here. It was his different commitments throughout the year, even in track season, that was holding him back."

Hurrle started high jumping in fourth grade and recognized he had some natural talent for the event, but he was so focused on basketball that he didn't even compete in track as a sophomore. He decided to drop basketball after his junior season and was talked into rejoining the track team, but he split his practice time between high jumping and football weight training.

Hurrle's athletic focus shifted again following a one-day high jumping clinic at Purdue this winter. The program wasn't recruiting Hurrle, but the head coach, Jack Warner, also is the Boilermakers' jumps coach. He watched Hurrle jump once at the clinic, recognized his athleticism and started recruiting him as a decathlete.

"I'd never even heard of the decathlon before they said something about it," said Hurrle, who has committed to Purdue to participate in the 10-event competition, which consists of the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meters, 110 hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500 meters. "I'm interested in trying new things."

McGinley believes Hurrle has the potential to be a great decathlete because of the ability he's shown to absorb high jumping techniques so quickly. Bishop Chatard jumps coach Rob Hartman calls it the sports' most technical event and, though Hurrle's form is still raw ("I just muscle it up," he said), he's learned enough to set a goal of jumping 6 feet, 10 inches this season.

"Technically, his mind is very strong," said McGinley, who also will use Hurrle in the 200 and 400 meters this year. "That's what the Purdue coach saw in him; that he's going to be doing 10 events, he's going to have to learn them, and he'll learn them quickly.

"It has been enjoyable to see (Daniel) realize (his high jumping potential) and grow from where he was last year to where he is now through work ethic."