Glacier Peak heptathlete is jack of all trades on the track

SNOHOMISH — Maya McFadden is a jack of all trades in track and field.

The Glacier Peak senior standout has the power and strength to excel in throwing events. She has the speed to succeed in sprints. She has the athleticism to shine as a jumper and hurdler.

And with the dedication to tirelessly maintain top form in numerous different events, she has showcased her versatility while becoming an elite heptathlete.

McFadden, a University of Idaho signee, has earned second place each of the last two seasons in the state heptathlon — a seven-event competition consisting of the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin and 800 meters.

“She’s a great overall athlete,” Glacier Peak coach Loren Childers said. “(She’s) very consistent and normally one of the top girls at every meet, no matter what the event.”

McFadden also placed second in the 2015 AAU Junior Olympics heptathlon with a personal-best score of 4,509 points, which ranked second in the nation that season among high-school girls, according to Athletic.net.

Last spring, McFadden took ninth in the heptathlon at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational, an annual star-studded meet near Los Angeles that draws some of the nation’s top high-school track athletes. She is set to compete Thursday through Saturday in this year’s Arcadia Invite.

And in addition to her well-roundedness, McFadden has excelled outside of the heptathlon. She earned three top-10 finishes in last spring’s Class 3A state meet, placing fifth in the javelin, eighth in the 100-meter hurdles and ninth in shot put. She also holds school records in the javelin, 100-meter hurdles and high jump.

McFadden’s single-event success is particularly impressive considering the challenging nature of being a heptathlete. While many track athletes focus their attention on two or three events, heptathletes have seven different events to prepare for.

For McFadden, that means year-round training and long days of practice.

“She works really hard,” Childers said. “She’s usually the last one to leave practice every day, and she’s disciplined about making sure that she’s working out in the different events. … She’s been jumping all over the place to get in the technique work that she needs.”

Even so, heptathletes like McFadden still can’t devote as much time per event as others.

“That part is so hard,” she said. “I only get four events per meet. … It drives me crazy sometimes, because I don’t get the consistent practice. But it’s just part of it. Every heptathlete deals with it.”

McFadden, a member of last season’s 4A state runner-up Glacier Peak girls basketball team, comes from a strong track family, with both parents having competed collegiately. Her father, Pat, was a decathlete for both Washington State University and the University of Idaho, where he ranks fourth all-time on the school’s decathlon list.

Pat introduced McFadden to multi-event competitions at an early age, and both parents have helped play a role in her success.

“My dad has been pretty much my coach this whole time,” McFadden said. “I have my coaches that I go to, but as far as putting everything together and the total training, he’s helped me a lot. And my mom coached me in hurdles when I was younger. … They’ve been a huge part.”

Also at an early age, McFadden was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. The disease requires her to frequently monitor her blood sugar, especially during competition. But McFadden is plenty experienced with handling it.

“It’s just been part of my life,” McFadden said. “It’s not something that I really think about a whole lot. It’s just there. It does affect sports, but it’s manageable. And growing up with it, it’s been easier to deal with, just because it’s been there forever.”

McFadden is aiming to continue her success in the heptathlon this season, but also is setting her sights on contending for the state title in javelin, which she says is her best and favorite event. She has trained under two-time Olympic javelin thrower Duncan Atwood and currently holds the state’s third-best 4A javelin mark of the young season.

“One of my big goals is to go for the state title in javelin,” McFadden said. “That would mean a lot to me to win an open event at state and validate all the hours I’ve put into training for the javelin.”