She loves track so much she said it is kind of like an addiction.

“I can’t not do it,” said senior Iashia Castle. “I can’t imagine not running track. I can’t imagine going through college and not being competitive.”

Castle, a triple jumper who came to Missouri Southern from Hickman Mills High School in Kansas City, is scheduled to compete in the NCAA-II national indoor track and field meet Friday and Saturday in Boston.

She also competed in the long jump, 400-m dash and mile relay for the Lions in the indoor season.

Castle noticed the competition level had risen much higher when she came to Southern.

“The competition level is always there, no matter what meet you have,” she said. “To high school, it’s like state at every track meet.”

She said she really enjoys the team atmosphere at Southern, and Patty Vavra, head women’s track and field coach, said Castle has played a key role on the team.

“When I think of Iashia, No. 1: we put her in a leadership role since she was a sophomore,” Vavra said.

She said the role of a team leader is a difficult one to play, but Castle does it well.

“She handles it with a lot of care,” Vavra said. “You have to keep the relationships you need to and have a lot of respect, which she has been able to gain from all her teammates.”

Castle’s jump coach, Shauna Sherrell, said Castle is definitely a leader on the team.

“She gets things started and makes sure the girls push themselves to the limit,” she said.

Castle said since her goal is to be a good role model to upper and lower classmen, it helps them to see that she is struggling in the hard workouts too.

“If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything,” she said. “You just have to be patient also.”

Freshman teammate Shannan Borgard said Castle is an individual with a lot of focus, discipline and stamina.

“That’s Iashia for you,” Borgard said. “She carries herself well under pressure.”

Vavra credits Castle’s success as a team leader to her example as a good role model.

“She’s a great student and is very active in the campus community as well as Joplin’s community,” Vavra said.

She also said Castle is extremely well-rounded as a student athlete.

“She’s the definition we hope we have when we consider the term ‘student athlete,'” Vavra said.

Vavra said because Castle is such a hard worker, she is able to reach a lot of high goals she sets for herself.

Off the field, keeping a high GPA continued from high school was one of the goals Castle set out to accomplish in college.

“I didn’t want to let that go down hill,” said Castle.

Castle is an accounting and business management major who will graduate in May.

Castle said it was a big accomplishment being the first of her parents’ four kids to graduate from a four-year university.

However, on the field her goal was to compete in the national track meet.

She got her chance this season with a triple jump mark of 39-04.50 and a eighth place national ranking.

“Finally,” she said. “I was waiting for this forever.”

Castle hopes to jump 40-0 at nationals and be All-American.

The opportunity is especially sweet for Castle, who, after pulling her hamstring her sophomore year, didn’t think she’d be able to compete at the same level she has been.

“I’m excited it’s my first national meet,” Castle said. “It came at the right time – my senior year.”

Sherrell said she’s glad Castle can enjoy the fruits of her labor now.

“When she sets her mind on something, she never strays away until she meets her goals,” Sherrell said.

Castle credits part of her hard work to her fellow senior jumper, Dionne Prince.

“Some days I don’t feel like jumping and she’s just like ‘Get out there and jump,'” Castle said. “During my lazy moments, Dionne motivates me.”

She said she also has a deep appreciation for her jump coach Shonna Sherrell, whose different techniques have helped her become more consistent in practice.

Castle said she admires Sherrell’s hard work ethic.

“She’s the most dedicated person I know,” Castle said. “I’m grateful to have her as my jump coach.”

While Prince agreed Castle is a hard worker, she also said Castle is funny and sarcastic.

“She always brings humor to practice,” Sherrell said. “She’s a real joy to be around.”

The next obstacle Castle hopes to conquer is the CPA exam which takes 14 hours to complete. She will be taking this in August.

Castle said graduation is bittersweet. She is happy to graduate but will miss the people she’s gotten to know.

“Especially the freshmen – we’ve started a bond this year,” Castle said. “Hopefully they’ll continue the legacy the seniors have been doing this year.”