Tucked behind the family photos and layers of dust in the garage, was a trophy. Under the old clothes that no longer fit, stuffed inside the storage bin, there was a medal. Jessica and Jonathan Carter rarely spoke about their success, but it was always evident. At friendly functions and random meet-ups, they shared chuckles about memories past with old teammates. The playful show of respect sparked something in their daughter—a quiet understanding that greatness was in her blood.
“They might not know that I was watching their every step, but I definitely was,” USC track star Jassani Carter reflected when speaking of how her parents were the foundation for her success. Though she came from a family of winners, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Jassani’s track aspirations. But now she’s one of the most decorated runners in USC track and field history. Jassani is on a mission to go further than her parents.
Jonathan, her father, has his name etched in stone at his alma mater, Florida State University—a legacy that naturally drew Jassani toward the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). And if not for Olympic medalist and former USC assistant coach Carmelita Jeter, who instilled in her what it meant to be a Trojan, she may have ended up elsewhere. “I knew there was only one destination for me at USC—to be a legend.”
The former Olympian became a mentor for Jassani. “She[Coach Jeter] always said ‘mind over body’, and tears were shed, blood was shed—my body was there but I had to catch up mentally,” Jassani said.
But Jassani, overwhelmed by the pressure to improve, allowed comparisons to slow her down. In just her fourth meet of the freshman outdoor season, Jassani failed to qualify for the semi-finals, describing that race as one of her slowest since high school. Jassani had felt her feelings of the track shift. It was a place where she could easily display her speed. Now it was where she was constantly reminded that she needed to be faster.
Had it not been for Coach Jeter’s words to Jassani before her eventual exit as a USC coach, Jassani may have always let comparison be an obstacle: “She pulled me to the side and talked to me, ‘You’re not doing nothing wrong. You have everything you need.’” The short but significant affirmations from the former Olympian-turned-mentor propelled Jassani to have a change in mindset. Comparison was no longer an obstacle, it was motivation.
Going into her sophomore season, Jeter was no longer there for Jassani; the affirmations had to come from within. Having missed being a part of the USC Indoor National team due to an illness, the drive to be the best was at an all-time high. Traveling with the team, training tirelessly to become the runner that she knew she could be, each setback was seen as a challenge to come back even faster.
When the outdoor season came, the ‘monster’ as Jassani puts it, had been unleashed. She became an All-American in the outdoor 200-meter race, placing fifth at the NCAA championships. She also reached the NCAA semi-finals for the 100 meters and is currently sixth and seventh all-time for those respective events at USC.
Jassani’s self-doubt was gone. When I asked her what her goals were for her junior season and continued career, she answered with a confident smile, “I don’t really speak on my long-term goals because I want everything.” Dreams of being the world’s fastest, being in magazines and even on cereal boxes was the new standard of excellence; merely having her name engraved in stone was expected.
Jassani’s confidence isn’t unwarranted. Word of Jassani’s rise had far exceeded the USC campus. Now a participant in the USA trials, she steps to the line with stars like Jenna Prandini, Twanisha “Tee Tee” Terry and Sha’Carri Richardson. And according to Jassani, she is acknowledged as a legit competitor, saying that Sha’Carri paid respect to Jassani and her teammate for their showings.
At that point, Jassani recognized that her internal belief had manifested into results that great runners from all over had noticed. Her spark had been fanned into a flame, and Jassani felt that it was only a matter of time before her dreams became a reality. When speaking further about the professional stage, her message was simple: “I’m running and watching from behind you, but one day I’ll be in front of you.”