Every student athlete dreams of winning a State Championship just once, oh just once, during their 4 year High School career. Those who have experienced the emotional triumph and even moreso, those who haven't, can understand and truly appreciate the extraordinary chain of events that must occur in order to win a state championship.

But....every once in a blue moon, a gifted athlete emerges and separates herself/himself from the pack while crushing opponents in individual and team sports. Even more rare, is the athlete that can produce state championship caliber athleticism in 3 different seasonal sports. While most 5A & 6A athletes are being forced to have to choose a single sport to play, the 1A-4A athletes have the opportunity to play a different sport each season and excel if the talent is there.

When Jaela Dinsmore walked into the Burns High School gym in late August of 2004 for Volleyball daily doubles, with a huge, bright smile on her face, I had no idea the impact nor the athletic accomplishments this girl would achieve in the next 4 years. Yes, I could tell in the first hour of watching her, she was the type of athlete coaches dream of having. She never complained, she gave 110%, 100% of the time. She listened, she trained, she stayed late after every practice, she lifted weights at every opportunity and she soaked up every bit of information she could get from the older girls. Jaela made the varsity volleyball team her freshman year. Being part of an already talent-laden team was a dream come true for Jaela. She took her role seriously and gave everything she had in every practice. Jaela won her first state championship trophy  in November of that year at Lane Community College.

Obviously, she liked the taste of championships,  for that volleyball championship set the precedence of many, many more to come. Jaela was a 3 sport athlete all 4 years of high school and amazingly enough, the lowest finish she and her teams had in 4 years of volleyball and basketball was 4th in State! Her volleyball teams won the state title 3 times in 4 years and placed 3rd the other year. Her basketball teams won the state title in 2006, 2nd place in 2005, 3rd in 2007 and 4th in 2008. Jaela received 1st Team All Tournament and 2nd Team All State in volleyball her senior year plus 3rd Team All State in basketball.

However, the sport in which Jaela sets herself apart from the others is track, an individual sport where the outcome solely depends on the athlete.  A  dynamic runner with beautiful, muscled legs similar to the ones we'll see on Olympic sprinters this summer, all because of the hard work and hours upon hours of training she's put in since middle school. Jaela won 5 gold medals  in track her junior year. She out-sprinted all competition in the 100, 200, 400 and 4x100 relay plus her team won the 3A Team Championship. Jaela was also awarded the top 3A Female Athlete at the state track meet. Jaela's senior year of track was the icing on her "unsurmountable cake."  Jaela again won the 100, 200, & 400.  Her 4x100 relay team entered the meet with the fastest time in 3A, but was disqualified in the prelims.  Jaela's 200 time of 25.49 set a new state track meet record and also placed her in the top 2008, 5 best 200 sprinters in the State 1A-6A. Her 400 time of 56.98 again set a new state track meet record and placed her in the top 2008 4 best 400 sprinters in the state, 1A-6A.

If you haven't been keeping "track" while reading this story, Jaela's state championships add up to 12, yes TWELVE. I'm convinced this too, is a state record and as far back as I can research, I don't believe anyone has come near this record for championships in 3 sports. There are several state athletes that have 4-16* track/swimming gold medals but I dare someone to find an Oregon 3-sport athlete with the accolades Jaela has attained.

Did I mention Jaela was her class Valedictorian? 4.0 honors student all 4 years. Also received Oregon Dairy Farmers of America "Got Milk" awards for her 07' & 08' basketball teams having the highest GPA in the State of 3.91 and 3.87, all classifications.

Jaela will be attending Willamette University this fall, she plans on pursuing a degree in International Studies. She'll be suited up this fall for Willamette's volleyball team plus will run track in the winter/spring. I'm looking forward to following her collegiate career.

Another interesting tidbit to end on.........Jaela has a little sister who will be a Freshman for Burns High School this Fall. Maddye Dinsmore has already beaten Jaela's Middle School Track time in the 200 meter dash and exhibits the same athleticism as her sister except she started practicing at a much earlier age.  Wait til you see her play volleyball!! Oh my!

*My good friend and Track guru (cipole) informed me of an individual track star sensation that certainly should be mentioned in this article.  Her name is Maranda Brownson, Yoncalla 1998-2002, accumulated 16 Gold Medals in her 4 years of track.  Certainly a state record by one individual from 1 sport!  A record you would think would remain unbroken forever, however, Kellie Schueler of Summit High School will be a junior next fall.  She already has 10 Gold Medals in Track, at this pace, she could finish High School with 20 Gold Medals and that, is as many as one individual could possibly achieve in 1 Sport.