With the new school year beginning next week, we want to highlight a few of the athletes from last year, starting with King’s High School senior Jeshua Singletary. He was also the KRKO Russell & Hill Male High School Athlete of the Month for March.
Singletary claimed the 100-meter title (10.81), finished runner-up in the 200-meter (21.42) and fifth in long jump (21-07.75) at the 2025 Class 1B, 2B, 1A Track and Field Championships. The Knights boys team took home the first-place trophy, and Singletary was also a part of the 4×100-meter relay crew that placed fourth (43.80). Prior to King’s, Singletary competed for Cedar Park Christian-Bothell High School where he won back-to-back 1A long jump titles as a freshman (21-06.25) in 2023 and sophomore (21-04.75) in 2024. Also during his second year, Singletary finished seventh at state in the 100-meter (11.11) and helped the 4×100-meter relay crew place eighth (49.30), which helped the Eagles boys team lift the first-place trophy.
In this interview, Singletary discussed his track and field journey while competing for two different schools, his plans to attend a Power-5 institution and his outlook for his upcoming senior year.
SCSC: The first time you heard of track and field and were introduced to it, what were your initial thoughts?
Singletary: I just saw track and field in the Olympics. I didn’t really know about the sport. I just knew about Usain Bolt and those athletes. But I was originally a basketball guy; that was just kind of my sport for so long. And then my dad was like, ‘You should try track and field. You’re really fast.’ I played flag football, and I would be able to outrun my opponents. And he was like, ‘You should try track and field.’ I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’ So I did it the spring of eighth grade, and I figured out I was super fast at it. And I was like, ‘OK. I’m a little too short to play basketball. I’m probably not good enough to do college basketball. So I’ll try to stick and really put my effort in track.’ And that’s how I kind of fell in love with track and field.
SCSC: Was there a specific moment at Cedar Park or King’s where you were like, ‘I want to take this seriously. I’m not just out here to run around the track’? What happened where it’s like, ‘I need to build my body so I can do multiple events’?
Singletary: I think the moment where I really wanted to focus on track was my freshman year. It’s a crazy story. I barely made it to the conference championships. That’s like your league championships for long jump. And then I made it in districts; I wasn’t supposed to. I jumped 20 feet to make it to state, and then I was seeded like 15th. And I actually won the state title my freshman year. And I was like, ‘OK. I’m actually pretty good at this. Let’s focus on it.’ And that’s kind of how I got into club track where I started doing track all year long, putting in the work, starting to lift and just really focusing on it. My sophomore year when I was still at Cedar Park, I was like, ‘OK. I’m just going to be all track.’ And that’s when I really shifted. Eventually my junior year, I played no basketball, just track from October all the way to July.
SCSC: Why’d you start at Cedar Park and then eventually move to King’s because they’re both 1A (schools)?
Singletary: There were a lot of challenges with the school. It just wasn’t the best fit. I was having pretty negative experiences there, so that’s why I decided, for the best of me, so I could grow and be truly myself, and I could be Jeshua, I had to leave to go to a different school at King’s where I could be in a more positive environment and really grow. … I have such an amazing coach at King’s. His name is coach Rod, and he’s just really built me to be the track athlete I am today.
SCSC: When you placed first in long jump, as a freshman when you’re beating out juniors and seniors, what’s that mentality? Are you thinking about it, or is it like, ‘I’m a freshman. The expectation isn’t on me to win. I don’t have anything to lose?’
Singletary: That was the reason I won it freshman year. There was no pressure. I was just jumping. I was just having fun. This year, there was more pressure on me, and that’s why I wasn’t able to win long jump. I was able to win my freshman and sophomore year for long jump. But the reason I won was there was no pressure on me. I was having fun. I was loving it. And I could just jump freely because I knew there was no expectation for me to win.
SCSC: These two teams that you won the team title with, what are the team dynamics?
Singletary: Both teams have been really positive. My freshman year, I was the only one who was actually able to win an individual state title. It was a really positive experience. The seniors there were amazing. It was a lot of fun, and that’s when I really started to love track. State is just a really fun experience where you can be out in Yakima and have fun. … We placed fourth. We were super happy about that because usually we didn’t do too well. … And then my sophomore year, we were like, ‘OK. We’re actually really good.’ … I was able to win the long jump, and then the 4×400 team got some points; a lot of people contributed to that. … And then this year was probably my favorite team title because, fortunately, I was able to win the 100 meter. And so many guys were (also) able to win individual state titles. … This year was really special. And even the girls (team) was able to win the state title. So it’s just a lot of fun.
SCSC: You took home the long jump title your freshman and sophomore years, and then you got fifth this year. What was the difference this year? Was it the mentality?
Singletary: My freshman and sophomore years, there wasn’t a lot of competition, so I was able to win it a little bit easier. But this year, the competition was pretty brutal. Everybody got so much better. Everybody wanted it more. And I think I just kind of put a little too much pressure on myself because I was the back-to-back state champ. So I think for me, I was just in my head a little bit too much. … There’s some really talented guys in 1A.
SCSC: You do the 100, 200, and you’re a long jumper. How do you adjust for that and do all three?
Singletary: It’s a very heavy load, especially at state because it’s a Thursday-through-Saturday thing, (and) you got your prelims, your finals. Besides long jump, you have to run everything twice. So you just have to have endurance for it. The 100 meter is probably the event that I’m probably the best at because it’s shorter, (and) I don’t have the best endurance. The 200 meter is a little harder event for me because you’re coming off the curve, and it’s more really about how fast you can be for a long time. And long jump, I’m still trying to figure it out because I’m more of a sprinter, so I just use my speed to jump into the pit. … Each event is a little bit different and learning how to be strong in every single one.
SCSC: What specifically did your coaches at Cedar Park coach you on? And then when you get to King’s, how did you have to readjust to a new style?
Singletary: The trainings are very different. At Cedar Park, … there’s a little bit more volume but less speed. So you’re very fit, but you’re not fast. And at King’s, it was more you’re less fit, but you’re really fast. And coach Rod at King’s, he really helped me with jumping because at Cedar Park, I got packed. I didn’t really get a lot of jumping practices there. It was more focused on sprinting. But it’s been really nice at King’s (because) I’ve been able to focus on both. I only PR’d my freshman year in long jump, but it took me until this year to PR, and it was all thanks to coach Rod because he really helped me be a true jumper. … It’s been a little difficult for me to adjust, but I’ve been able to kind of figure it out.
SCSC: Do you have a pre-event routine?
Singletary: For me, it’s just trying to get into the zone because sometimes I can make the moment too big, especially at state. It’s some bright lights. What I try to do is listen to some music. I try to listen to some rap … and kind of get hyped and get ready. … I usually just kind of sit on my phone, make myself relax and watch TikTok or Instagram and try to talk to friends, … my parents, talk to coaches how to execute my race and stick with my game plan. … I (also) pray to God and give me some peace. This is just another race, don’t make the moment too big and just learn to have fun.
SCSC: How are you able to balance a really rigorous track and field schedule with your academics?
Singletary: I’m a hard worker in everything I do. … School is not a lot of fun. (But) if I have a test the next day, (I) stay, play (and) study. The high school track season is a six-day-a-week thing. … Sometimes I wake up early in the morning before school starts, and I would just do homework there if I don’t have time, if I need to sleep.
SCSC: Obviously you want to win titles, but is there anything specific you want to achieve in your last year next spring?
Singletary: I ran 10.4, 10.5 this year, but if I can go 10.2 or 10.1 next year (in the 100), that’s kind of the goal. I really want to get the state record. … For the 200, (I want to) just get better in that where I can eventually go high 20 points in that race. And I want to be able to long jump 23 feet. I was trying to win every title, like the 100, 200 (and) long jump this year, but I only got the 100. Next year the goal is to win the 100, 200 and long jump and then get the team title again, which would be amazing.
SCSC: How’s the college search been going?
Singletary: I just got done talking to a couple schools. I got three official visits. I got done talking with Eastern Washington, a Division I school. I’ll be taking an official visit there in the fall. And then I got smaller schools, a Division II school called Mount Ulla in North Carolina, so I’ll be doing a visit there. And I got some HBCU schools that I’ll be doing a visit. The goal is to try to go Power 5, but we’ll see where it takes me. I might go to the smaller school, just to learn, develop and get better.
SCSC: If you could look back on these past three years with the ups and downs, you’ve won and lost, and you’ve experimented with two different teams and coaching styles. What advice would you have given yourself as a freshman?
Singletary: I think my advice because I’m ambitious is like, ‘It’s OK to lose.’ Losing, it builds you. Learning to just show up every day, work hard and trust the process because if you don’t enjoy the process, what’s the point? And just have fun. You’re going to have ups and downs. You have days where you run the state lead, and you’re going to have days where you don’t know why you do this sport. But just remember it to keep your head up, keep putting in the work, the results will come and you’ll eventually be a state champion.