Junior Olympics: Manhattan 9-year-old approaches track's challenges like a veteran

Sam Hankins fits the profile of a serious track athlete. He is driven, motivated and he puts in extra time to improve on his events.

"I never want to quit," said Hankins, his freckled face earnest.

Oh, he's 9 years old.

Hankins, from Manhattan, finished 12th in the bantam triathlon of the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics at Cessna Stadium on Wednesday. During the meet, which ends Sunday, Hankins will also compete in the shot put, javelin and high jump. He is seeded fifth in the shot put and javelin.

"Sam's the kid who always asks the questions that you don't expect at that age," said coach Jacquelyne Leffler, a thrower at Kansas State who won eight state track titles while at Northern Heights High. "He knows what he's doing. It comes natural, but he works so hard, so you can't just say it's his talent.

"He asks, 'What causes this to happen if I mess up?' A lot of it is he drops his left shoulder, so we work on that. He knows the different things that he needs to ask to get better. It helps so he can self-coach himself, so he can practice at home."

Such intensity isn't limited to sports, either.

"It doesn't matter what it is, whether it's schoolwork or sports, he wants to excel in what he does," said his father, Kevin. "Whether it's math or football or track, he wants to do the best he can."

Hankins' parents started him in track when he was 5, but they didn't expect him to latch onto the sport as strongly as he did.

When asked how track became so intense for him, his mother, Bonnie, laughed, shook her head and said, "He was good. It was kind of surprising."

At the AAU indoor nationals in February, Hankins won the shot put and high jump and finished second in the triathlon.

He also has shown skill as a quarterback and has been invited to an Under Armour All-Star Game on Jan. 1 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. When asked if he gets hit much during a game, Hankins quickly shook his head and said, "Not with my offensive line."

He also understands how to handle the difficulties that go hand-in-hand with athletics, specifically those times when he doesn't do as well.

Take high jump.

"I've stumbled a few times, but that's just not the thing," he said. "You put that one behind you and you move to the next jump. I learn it from all my sports — have a bad play, move on."

Those are the kind of statements that usually come from much older athletes. And it's one reason why his parents forget at times that he's only 9.

"When he's competing, he seems so old," Bonnie said. "He seems 18 or 19 years old."

And then there are those other moments. Such as when he frequently answers questions in a sing-song way or when he sings the potato song, a song he made up that drives his sister, Jamie, crazy. Jamie competed in the 3,000-meter race walk on Tuesday.

That youthful joy translates to sports; it's not only about winning for Hankins.

Asked why he likes the triathlon, he said, "It's really fun."

And why he likes the shot put? "I like it because I get to hang around my friends and have a lot of fun," he said.

And there's the first clue that he fits the profile of a 9-year-old.

This story was originally published July 28, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Junior Olympics: Manhattan 9-year-old approaches track's challenges like a veteran."