Meia and Jess: Two of a Kind

ompetitor. Teammate. Roommate. Friend. Mentor.

At any one time, the relationship between Jess Woodard and Meia Gordon can take multiple, and sometimes overlapping, roles. They live together, they compete against each other in the discus and shot put, but at the end of the day, they do so as friends and as student-athletes at the University of Oklahoma.

It's a dynamic that developed naturally according to Woodard, even outside of the circle, as they found a mutual affinity for music and hair while sharing a laid-back demeanor and bubbly personality.

There is also a mutual respect, both in the throwing circle and outside, where there are no class ranks or entitlement, and where each woman can appreciate the attributes of the other as a person and as a competitor.

“As a competitor, she (Woodard) is fierce, serious and one of those clutch-type people,” says Gordon. “If she needs a big throw, she's going to get a big throw. As a person, she's caring, understanding, and easy to talk to.”

Woodard is just as complimentary about Gordon, shedding a little light into what Gordon is like in competition and what Sooner fans can expect in the coming years.

“I would definitely say she is a fierce competitor. She doesn't know it yet, but she's a fierce competitor. I would say she is growing as a competitor. She is still finding herself and she just keeps setting a PR every meet, and I admire that. I would also say she's funny in competition. At Big 12s, when she threw 55.80 meters in the discus (183-1.00 for the metrically challenged), she walked out of the circle and was just at a loss for words. It was like she shut down and started laughing. It's just funny because she almost surprises herself in what she does.

As a person, she's caring, and easy to talk to, and a good person and good friend.”

They also share a commonality in their experience on the OU track and field team. Like Woodard, Gordon used a redshirt her first year at Norman, strengthening not only her throws, but the bond between Gordon and Woodard and with her other throws group teammates.

“I would say this year we have definitely gotten closer,” adds Woodard. “We're more comfortable with talking to each other. Freshman year is always kind of rough, so when Meia came in her freshman year, she was kind of quiet and to herself. This year, she's opened up a lot and that we have fun at practice, we laugh at practice. I would say that we're friends outside of being in the circle.”

Gordon agrees with that assessment adding, “We're definitely friends. I look forward to coming to practice because if I'm having a bad day, she'll say, 'Hey, you're doing good today, or that looks good, or do this.' We're definitely friends and laugh at a lot of stuff.”

Woodard is an experienced collegiate athlete with one Big 12 Conference championship and three NCAA first-team All-America honors under her belt in the shot put, and Gordon is in her first year of collegiate competition, with what Woodard calls limitless potential.

And even though the Marlton, N.J., native is the older of the two and has more accolades, she still finds herself learning from the redshirt freshman from Houston.

“I get told all of the time that I'm a leader, but I never am the type of person to speak up and say, 'Hey do this' or 'Hey do that'. I'll just do something and if somebody wants to follow in my footsteps, so then so be it. If not, then that's okay, too. Everybody is different. It just happened that it fell into place, and honestly, Meia does things that I need to do, too. There are certain things that I watch her do that she doesn't even realize that I watch, that she's helpful with. In a sense, I think that two-way relationship is unspoken.

“Unless we are just off at practice, then it's kind of unspoken. We just come into practice and, if she's doing something well that day, I may watch her. She hits the ball all of the time (on her strike in the shot put), whereas I don't hit the ball all of the time. Even in the discus, when you watch her throw the discus, it just pops off of her hand. I've never seen that on every throw. Whether it's a good or a bad throw, the discus will pop out of her hand am I'm like, 'How do I do that?' There are things that she does that I admire that she may not even realize, and I'm sure it goes both ways.”

What also makes the dynamic special is that they take as much joy in seeing the other succeed as they do as if it happened to them. Case in point, at the Big 12 mee,t Gordon threw a personal best 53-4.50 in the shot put, but was more excited for Woodard's 60-3.00 than her own achievement.

“Perfect example, we kind of do our own things during meets, but when she threw 60 feet at the Big 12 Championship, I started freaking out because I was so excited for her”, recalls Gordon. “We definitely congratulate each other. When I step out of the ring after a good throw, she's the first person there to give me a high five and congratulate me.”

Adds Woodard, “We are very stoic in how we do things, very to ourselves. At the same time, we are always hoping for the best for each other.”

Having been around each other every day, they know what the other goes through and the hours of practice, struggle, and perhaps even frustration, that have gone into those moments and milestones. The fact that they can share it and can experience individual and collective success, makes it all the more meaningful.

“It's almost like a sigh of relief for us, because you know how much they have been working,” states Woodard. “We have both been through struggles this year in practice, so when they happen at a meet, it's almost like thank goodness. I feel like I get happier for her than I do for myself. Yeah, I was happy when I threw far, but when I saw that she threw far it was like 'Yes!' I just get so excited. It's just super exciting and it's a joy.”

From Gordon's perspective, “I think it's exciting when you do well, and also when your teammates do well, too. It's great because it's like we are all coming up. We are all making a name for ourselves.”

To date, Gordon has the better mark of the two in the discus, with a throw of 183-1 achieved at the Big 12 conference meet, to Woodard's 179-11, also recorded that meet.

They push each other, encourage each other, and compliment each other, bringing out the best in each other, even if at times they don't necessarily see it within themselves.

“During indoor I had no hope,” admits Gordon. “I was throwing 14 meters. Then outdoor season came and Allison (Boevers) said that I needed to figure something out, and get it together. After I threw 15 meters at Texas Relays, it's been up since then. I got my hope back.”

Woodard is much more kind regarding Gordon's criticism, chalking it up to her just finding her way.

“I feel like it has always been there, it was a matter of just something clicking. In throws, something always just clicks. Once it does click, you normally don't go back the other way. If it does, it's a slight dip. I think it's always been there. When you watch her throw, she's obviously gotten better, but the potential has always been there.

“I think we definitely push each other,” continues Woodard. “I try to push her in the weight room because she's strong and doesn't know it yet. There's just so much potential there, and I just try to keep pushing because she is way better than I was my redshirt freshman year. I see where I am now and I know her potential is limitless. It's awesome to see her progressing because I know we both had moments earlier this year that were rough. We've come a long way from there. I'm excited to see how she unfolds as an athlete.”

Gordon attributes part of that breakthrough to Woodard and the influence she and her throws coaches have had on her. “She definitely pushes me. At Big 12, when she threw 60 feet, I was like, 'Man, I have to PR. She just got a PR, I have to PR.' She definitely pushes me during meets. If I see she is having a good day - she never really has a bad day - but if she is having a really good meet, it makes me want to rise up to the occasion.”

They both have risen to the occasion and have earned a spot in the NCAA West Preliminary Round this weekend in both the discus and the shot put. Gordon will be making her first West Prelims appearance while Woodard will be making her third consecutive.

And like always, they'll be there for each other as friends, as teammates, as supporters. Gordon will have to look no further than her roommate, both in Norman and on the road, for wisdom and guidance as she prepares to take the circle.

“I would just say patience, because in discus it's three flights of 16 people, and in shot put it's four flights of 12,” shares Woodard. “It's just a lot of waiting around and in Austin, the weather is just as unpredictable as it is here. The last two years there were rain delays. It was a matter of keeping your cool and knowing that you were going to throw at some point. The more time that passes, the more people fall off. As long as you can keep your cool, then you'll be successful.

“Another thing at regionals is to just go for it. You don't have anything to lose. Three throws, you have to get it in and you don't have another chance. You don't have a safe throw for finals because there are no finals. I have all faith that she has the potential to make it.”

Gordon and Woodard will be among 48 qualifiers competing in Austin in the discus at noon on Friday and the shot put at 6 p.m. Saturday. The top 12 marks will earn a trip to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 7-10. How far this duo will go may be unknown but rest assured they will share the journey.