Getting To Know Johnny Brackins Jr.

In today's edition of "Getting to Know," we sat down with one of the next big names in the jumping community, Johnny Brackins Jr. The sophomore transfer from Baylor has already seen major success as he claimed seventh in the long jump at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships and already has his etched his name in the USC record books. Let's learn about what makes Brackins tick, as we dive into his decision to come here, his lifestyle and what makes him the next big time jumper in the Trojans' legacy.

Q: What made you want to transfer to USC?

J.B.: When I decided to transfer, USC was one of the first schools to reach out and of course I had formed a connection with USC because I was supposed to come here originally after high school, but I decided not to. In the second round they still expressed their interest. USC has great facilities and there are a lot of great things here and I was attracted to the team atmosphere, their training styles and all of that, so all together it just seemed like a program that would do well for me.

Q: Did you want to come to USC before committing to Baylor?

J.B: I knew I wanted to go the first time, but I think things just didn't work out, and I wanted them to…so in the second go around, I definitely had USC in mind.

Q: What did last year teach you going forward?

J.B.: Last year taught me a lot. It really taught me how to compete. Some of the best athletes can have good and bad days. So even going into indoor nationals last year, I was not supposed to place and I ended up getting seventh, so it gave me a lot of confidence. It showed me how to approach every competition I get into. It was really cool to see everything you saw before you get into college, you see all the cool things on TV and stuff like that. Now I'm here with all the athletes. It's cool to be a part of that and to see all of it.

Q: Is there anything that drives you to do what you have been doing?

J.B.: I think I've just worked really hard and I've done track for a long time. I just think about that. I don't want to settle or start doing poorly, because I've worked too hard for that to be the outcome. I also want to actually do something with it. I really want to bring more attention to jumps. I'm trying to be as big as possible within the jumps and also have my name out there and just bring more attention to the event. Of course, the track bias goes to sprints and stuff like that. I just think what really drives me is wanting to bring that attention to jumps.

Q: Is there anybody that brought you into the world of track and field that truly inspires you?

J.B.: My mom introduced me to track and field when I was about 10. I started out as a sprinter at the beginning stages. Both of my parents ran track, my dad was a collegiate athlete at KU. and my mom was big in track and field in high school. She didn't do it in college, but both of them were involved in it and my sister also did track and field; it was kind of a family thing so I got introduced to it. I think I just want to make all of them proud, so I just look at how I grew up, and that's what inspires me.

Q: What are some of your favorite things that you learned in the tough moments of competitions?

J.B.: I enjoy seeing my hard work pay off because training isn't always fun. It's seeing that, I know I'm competing at a really high caliber, I'm not just fitting in with the group, but I'm actually doing well like last year I was able to win meets and place top three in most meets. My favorite part is also when it is over because I definitely stressed before, but I'm getting better with that. Seeing my hard work pay off is great.

Q: What is your mindset heading into competitions like?

J.B.: I just go into every competition very level-headed. I don't like to think about who else is there or how I'm ranked or anything. I just go into it thinking I'm the only one there. When I do get stressed, I just have to tell myself that I'm the best. It's not always a bad thing to hype yourself up. I just put it in my mind, I can be the best here even if I'm not, so that drives me at meets and even at practice.

Q: How is the transition from the Midwest to Texas to now L.A.?

J.B.: There's been a lot of big changes. I went from the Midwest to the South to here. I definitely like L.A. a lot. I think I'm still adapting to it. Of course, it's a whole different atmosphere than what I grew up in. I like that it's new for me. I'm around such a diverse group, and I think the team has really helped me adapt pretty quickly because everyone here is so welcoming. They show me around and teach me everything about the school and L.A. itself because it's a big city, so I've enjoyed it as a whole. It's definitely different from Baylor. Baylor was a much smaller city than this. Having more things to see and do is really cool.

Q: Was there like a moment that you felt truly at home when you got started?

J.B.: Once I started practicing, I think that's when I really felt at home because everybody's really supportive at practice. Never a dull moment, for sure. I think that's when I felt at home, because I see that everybody's supporting everybody.

Q: Do you have any specific pregame rituals?

J.B.: I do things before like I'll listen to some kind of motivational stuff. Honestly, I just try not to think about my competition. That's really my thing. I don't like sitting in the hotel room and thinking, I just think I have to jump through this. I just act like I don't even have to compete, I'll just go when it's time. I'll make my mind clear, that's my normal thing.

Q: Favorite motivational content?

J.B.: I've listened to live albums and there's tons of poetic stuff I've listened to, mainly I listen to a live album with the MTV Unplugged by Lauryn Hill. There's a lot of poetic stuff in there. It's stuff that makes me think and there are a lot of deep messages in it. There's a lot of long albums, basically just put your head in a safe space. I'm just looking into stuff, just anything to keep my mind clear and positive.

Q: Do you do a lot of mental preparations when you're outside of the events as well?

J.B.: I do, because last year I dealt with a lot of injuries. I always had to keep myself optimistic, because if you go in to something too worried you're going to be more worried about what you're worried about then competing well. My mindset is whatever happens, happens, so I definitely like to keep my mind in a good position because I don't think you can compete if you're not mentally stable.

Q: What is one of your favorite things in LA so far that you've experienced?

J.B.: I'm a vegetarian/pescetarian. I would say coming from where I grew up, and even being in Texas…there weren't a lot of options. It's barbecue this and barbecue that. When I got here, there's a lot of options for me. I've been to a lot of really cool places, like a lot of plant based markets and restaurants. That has been really cool. I've just liked that about L.A., and then people actually express themselves how they want to, and like that a lot.

Q: Is there any specific reason that you're vegetarian?

J.B.: I started in November and it's been five years since I started, and it was just kind of like a spur of the moment thing because I've never been a big meat eater. There were only a few things I would eat, mainly only the basics. Then one day I was just like, I'm kind of tired of eating all this. I just stopped and it's been like that since then. It definitely makes me have to come up with things and be creative with how I cook and eat. It's kind of like a challenge, but it's fun.

Q: Did you think it helped you from a competition standpoint?

J.B.: I would say it helped me in a general health way. I just feel like sometimes we eat certain things that are really heavy and because I don't eat certain meats and stuff like that, I'm not as heavy after I eat big meals. I still feel like I can get up and do something. I will say, I have to pay attention to getting my protein intake. That's a little hard sometimes, but I feel better as a whole and I feel like I eat cleaner than I would if I was eating meat.

Q: So how is life near the beach?

J.B.: I've been to the beach pretty often, actually. My teammates and I have gone on multiple weekends. It is really cool to have that access. As for the surfing side, I'm not sure we've done anything like body surfing and I don't know if I will. I think I'd be a little nervous, but I mean, who knows? Maybe one day.

Q: Are there any specific hobbies that you have?

J.B.: I definitely like to cook so that's one thing. I'm also kind of a shopaholic. I shop a lot into the fashion scene. I also like foreign languages a lot. I actually have a French minor so I like to just, I'll just watch shows in French. Try to kind of build on that. Outside of that, I kind of just relax when I have time to watch a lot of documentaries.

Q: What are your goals for this year?

J.B.: Athletically just train hard and stay healthy. I don't really put like marks out there for myself. I kind of just like to go out and do what I can. I definitely want to be consistent this upcoming season and stay healthy because injuries do happen and stop you from competing.

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