Although Chelsie Decoud, junior high jumper, dedicates a lot of time to practicing and training on the track, off of the field is where she enjoys learning skills and furthering her talents.
Decoud began her track and field career in seventh grade, but began high jump in eighth grade.
Decoud first started running hurdles, but with her height and ability to jump, she decided the high jump suited her best. Although Decoud chose to high jump in college, she said volleyball has always been her favorite sport to play.
As a middle jumper, Decoud always had the ability to jump high. Playing other sports like volleyball and basketball made her realize track and field was what she was best at.
Decoud attended South Houston High School, but she is not originally from Texas. Decoud began calling Texas home after moving from New Orleans, Louisiana, when she was in the fifth grade.
It was fitting for Decoud to attend Texas State so she could be closer to her family.
Since becoming a Bobcat during her freshman year of college, Decoud has learned how to balance being a student and an athlete at the same time.
Being a part of the track and field team has meant a lot to Decoud, and she enjoys the perks that come along with it.
“My favorite part is traveling,” Decoud said. “Most times, the only places I’ve been to is because of track. I get to see more things and see the world. One of my favorite places I’ve been to is Oregon.”
Being a college athlete has also allowed Decoud to push herself into becoming the high jumper she desires to be.
“My greatest achievement in track is recently hitting my all time personal record,” Decoud said.
Decoud hit the 6 ft. and 1/4-inch mark, which broke the university’s record and became her personal best.
“It meant a lot to me to break that record because my mom doesn’t get to travel often,” Decoud said. “I’m always calling her after meets to tell her how I did, and that’s my favorite part. I sent her a video and said ‘this is the highest I’ve ever jumped’ and my parents are so proud of it.”
Decoud is majoring in psychology and minoring in public relations. She originally became interested in her major because one of her cousins finished graduate school in the psychology program.
“She has a lot of books in her room from school and stuff,” Decoud said. “I like to read a lot and found some really interesting things and thought ‘I think I could do this. This is fascinating.’”
With a psychology degree, Decoud hopes to find a job to reward herself and others.
“I know people who are recovering after injuries and need people, because they get down or depressed,” Decoud said. “I want to be able to help people get through it. I’ve had a couple of injuries, and it throws you off mentally.”
Along with reading and studying, Decoud continues to work on her artwork.
Decoud has been drawing and painting in her free time since the sixth grade. What started off as making doodles in binders and notebooks turned into one of her favorite hobbies.
One piece of artwork she is especially proud of was unplanned.
“If I see a lot of artistic stuff or if I see stuff that gives me ideas, I like to try it,” Decoud said. “I blow-dried some crayons and melted them, and then I turned it and it kind of looked like hair blowing in the wind. I ended up drawing a face and I wasn’t even doing anything on purpose, but it looked like my mom.”
Although Decoud has the skills and ability to be an artist, she does not want to make a career out of it.
While Decoud has big plans for the future and life after college, nothing is certain and she wants to keep all of her options open.
“If professional track is a path that I can take, then I would do it,” Decoud said. “If that doesn’t turn out, then I still want to have a backup plan and still be a part of the athletic field. It’ll be weird for me to be away from it since I did it for so long, so I’ll try to stay in that area.”
Although enduring the stress of school, being an athlete and keeping up with art can sometimes be overwhelming, Decoud does not let her positivity fall short. She always remembers one piece of advice from her mother.
“If I call my mom and I’m frustrated over something, she asks how I let them make me mad,” Decoud said. “She pretty much tells me don’t stress out about things that aren’t in your control. You can’t have anyone make you do anything, because you’re in control.”
Decoud plans to take control of her athletic skills, knowledge and artistic gifts to create a path that leads to her future.