University Southern California Trojans
Getting To Know Mecca McGlaston
November 20, 2018 | Track & Field, Features
Entering her third season as a Trojan, junior Mecca McGlaston is looking to continue the momentum of her comeback 2018 season after being slowed by injuries as a freshman. Last year, she made it to the semifinals in the 100m hurdles at the USATF and NCAA Championships. We sat down with McGlaston to talk about her time at USC so far and her goals for the next season.
Q: "Why did you choose USC?"
MM: "I chose USC because of the Trojan family and how deep it runs, and of course the coaching staff here."
Q: "How did you get into track?"
MM: "I actually didn't want to run track, it was more so a hobby for me just for fun. I was playing volleyball and at high school, the track coach there went to school with my siblings so he is a family friend. He asked me to come out to the track team so of course I said I would come out. I ended up being pretty good my freshman year and the following year I won state. After that, they told me I had to quit volleyball and stick with track so I've been doing this ever since."
Q: "What is your favorite memory at USC so far?"
MM: "Definitely winning nationals. I was injured my entire freshman year so I didn't get to compete that much and watching them at nationals, I just felt useless on the team. The following year, I actually made it to nationals and I couldn't believe I was there. The fact that we won, it just made it ten times better, and the fact that it was a complete turnaround from my freshman year's outcome and me not being there."
Q: "How do you balance student life and academics with track and field?"
MM: "I really just have to prioritize my time and do everything that I need to do and take care of things ahead of time. Of course, I have to take care of my body as well, so it is like a third job when it comes to being a student-athlete. I tend to focus on why I am here and my goals, so it doesn't stray me from what I am supposed to be doing"
Q: "Who are your biggest mentors at USC?"
MM: "My biggest mentor at USC would be our previous hurdles coach and current volunteer coach Joanna Hayes. She and I are extremely close and she helped me through a lot on and off of the track. She helped me to develop as a runner and as a person mentally."
Q: "Who is your biggest mentor in your life outside of track?"
MM: "My father is my best friend. I mean my mommy is my best friend too, but I'm a daddy's girl. So my dad is that coach, that best friend, that daddy, the mentor, the pastor, he is all of that, so I always have to talk to him before I race. He's part of my pre-race ritual, too. Before I go down to the starting line, he is always right there and he gives me a little pep talk. We do two kisses on the side of each cheek, and then we pound our hearts and do a peace sign."
Q: "What has changed in the program since you've been here?"
MM: "I definitely see a growth because, my freshman year, I wasn't too familiar with stuff in the past like the previous teams, but I knew that they were as eager to win a championship as we were. I just feel like the faith grew because of some of the new freshman coming in, including my class. I feel like as a team, we have had our issues, but at the same time we have always been a family so it is easy for us to fight through those issues together and come out stronger. Ultimately, that is a big part of the reason why we became champions, because we went through so much adversity, that God put it in our favor because he knew we deserved it and worked hard. There were tears and the pain and that was our prize."
Q: "Do you have a pre-race ritual and what is it?"
MM: "Yes. I wake up, depends on how much time I have before it is time for me to race and get ready. In high school I used to eat the same breakfast, but when I got here I didn't because obviously I am not allowed to eat McDonalds. First things first, I pray, and then I take a long shower and do everything I need to do. The long shower helps to relax my mind. Then, I take my slow, sweet time putting my makeup on and getting "glamified" just to make myself feel good because when you feel good, you look good and when you look good, you run good. I take pampering myself very seriously on race day. I have to listen to music while I'm pampering. That gets my ego up and my juices going. It is usually gospel music, but sometimes I like to switch it up with some R&B just to sooth my mind and put my mind at ease because I get really anxious on race day."
Q: "What are your goals for this season?"
MM: "I definitely want to make it to finals at indoor and outdoor nationals. Since we are defending champs, I want to come back and reclaim our title and earn a new title indoor."
Q: "What is your favorite USC tradition?"
MM: "That would be our Dual Meet dinner. The Friday before our Dual Meet competition, we have a big dinner with the whole team and the seniors get to give their goodbye speech. They talk about what they have loved, competing here for four years, what they will miss, and their favorite part about the Dual Meet. Everybody gets so pumped up and just wants to race right then. It's fun, the food is good, the atmosphere is good, emotions are flying, but it's a lot of fun."
Q: "What are your goals after USC?"
MM: "I really want to work in the film industry and become a producer, make films, and be both in front of and behind the camera."
Q: "What will you take with you from the program here after you leave?"
MM: "I would say that throughout my years here, I noticed how important it is to give back and to give thanks to the community and to those who help you because we have a lot of help outside of the athletic department with the Trojan family in general. The biggest thing I would have to take away is definitely giving back."
Q: "You were injured your freshman year but had quite the breakout year last year. What did you learn from the experience of coming back from that injury?"
MM: "The hardest part was when I had the little setbacks because I had been set back so many times so I would get frustrated and think that it was never going to happen and that it was not meant to be. I had already been through so much and I kept thinking, 'Why is this happening to me?' Then I realized God gives his toughest battles to his strongest warriors, so I just had to keep fighting through it. The more I fought through it, the better the outcome ended up being and the better the reward felt, so I just told myself to keep my faith strong and to persevere even through the minor headaches and stuff I didn't want to do. Like Coach Caryl says, 'You have to do one hundred things you don't want to do, to do the one thing you do want to do.'"
Q: "Why did you choose USC?"
MM: "I chose USC because of the Trojan family and how deep it runs, and of course the coaching staff here."
Q: "How did you get into track?"
MM: "I actually didn't want to run track, it was more so a hobby for me just for fun. I was playing volleyball and at high school, the track coach there went to school with my siblings so he is a family friend. He asked me to come out to the track team so of course I said I would come out. I ended up being pretty good my freshman year and the following year I won state. After that, they told me I had to quit volleyball and stick with track so I've been doing this ever since."
Q: "What is your favorite memory at USC so far?"
MM: "Definitely winning nationals. I was injured my entire freshman year so I didn't get to compete that much and watching them at nationals, I just felt useless on the team. The following year, I actually made it to nationals and I couldn't believe I was there. The fact that we won, it just made it ten times better, and the fact that it was a complete turnaround from my freshman year's outcome and me not being there."
Q: "How do you balance student life and academics with track and field?"
MM: "I really just have to prioritize my time and do everything that I need to do and take care of things ahead of time. Of course, I have to take care of my body as well, so it is like a third job when it comes to being a student-athlete. I tend to focus on why I am here and my goals, so it doesn't stray me from what I am supposed to be doing"
Q: "Who are your biggest mentors at USC?"
MM: "My biggest mentor at USC would be our previous hurdles coach and current volunteer coach Joanna Hayes. She and I are extremely close and she helped me through a lot on and off of the track. She helped me to develop as a runner and as a person mentally."
Q: "Who is your biggest mentor in your life outside of track?"
MM: "My father is my best friend. I mean my mommy is my best friend too, but I'm a daddy's girl. So my dad is that coach, that best friend, that daddy, the mentor, the pastor, he is all of that, so I always have to talk to him before I race. He's part of my pre-race ritual, too. Before I go down to the starting line, he is always right there and he gives me a little pep talk. We do two kisses on the side of each cheek, and then we pound our hearts and do a peace sign."
Q: "What has changed in the program since you've been here?"
MM: "I definitely see a growth because, my freshman year, I wasn't too familiar with stuff in the past like the previous teams, but I knew that they were as eager to win a championship as we were. I just feel like the faith grew because of some of the new freshman coming in, including my class. I feel like as a team, we have had our issues, but at the same time we have always been a family so it is easy for us to fight through those issues together and come out stronger. Ultimately, that is a big part of the reason why we became champions, because we went through so much adversity, that God put it in our favor because he knew we deserved it and worked hard. There were tears and the pain and that was our prize."
Q: "Do you have a pre-race ritual and what is it?"
MM: "Yes. I wake up, depends on how much time I have before it is time for me to race and get ready. In high school I used to eat the same breakfast, but when I got here I didn't because obviously I am not allowed to eat McDonalds. First things first, I pray, and then I take a long shower and do everything I need to do. The long shower helps to relax my mind. Then, I take my slow, sweet time putting my makeup on and getting "glamified" just to make myself feel good because when you feel good, you look good and when you look good, you run good. I take pampering myself very seriously on race day. I have to listen to music while I'm pampering. That gets my ego up and my juices going. It is usually gospel music, but sometimes I like to switch it up with some R&B just to sooth my mind and put my mind at ease because I get really anxious on race day."
Q: "What are your goals for this season?"
MM: "I definitely want to make it to finals at indoor and outdoor nationals. Since we are defending champs, I want to come back and reclaim our title and earn a new title indoor."
Q: "What is your favorite USC tradition?"
MM: "That would be our Dual Meet dinner. The Friday before our Dual Meet competition, we have a big dinner with the whole team and the seniors get to give their goodbye speech. They talk about what they have loved, competing here for four years, what they will miss, and their favorite part about the Dual Meet. Everybody gets so pumped up and just wants to race right then. It's fun, the food is good, the atmosphere is good, emotions are flying, but it's a lot of fun."
Q: "What are your goals after USC?"
MM: "I really want to work in the film industry and become a producer, make films, and be both in front of and behind the camera."
Q: "What will you take with you from the program here after you leave?"
MM: "I would say that throughout my years here, I noticed how important it is to give back and to give thanks to the community and to those who help you because we have a lot of help outside of the athletic department with the Trojan family in general. The biggest thing I would have to take away is definitely giving back."
Q: "You were injured your freshman year but had quite the breakout year last year. What did you learn from the experience of coming back from that injury?"
MM: "The hardest part was when I had the little setbacks because I had been set back so many times so I would get frustrated and think that it was never going to happen and that it was not meant to be. I had already been through so much and I kept thinking, 'Why is this happening to me?' Then I realized God gives his toughest battles to his strongest warriors, so I just had to keep fighting through it. The more I fought through it, the better the outcome ended up being and the better the reward felt, so I just told myself to keep my faith strong and to persevere even through the minor headaches and stuff I didn't want to do. Like Coach Caryl says, 'You have to do one hundred things you don't want to do, to do the one thing you do want to do.'"
Players Mentioned
Hurdles
/ Track & FieldWednesday, June 17
Sunday, May 17
Thursday, May 14
Saturday, March 28
