Jenna Rogers inching skyward in the high jump

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

The evolution of one of the best high school jumpers in the country started on a couch in Rutherford, N.J.

Jenna Rogers, a sophomore at Rutherford High, was first introduced to the high jump at a regional youth track meet when she was 11. She took an instant liking to the event, so to practice, she went home and started jumping on her couch. 

“I thought it was a cool event,” Rogers recalled. “And from then on, I started practicing at practice on actual mats with an actual bar, not just a couch. Then, I eventually got to the point I’m at today.”

There’s some big steps and some big jumps in between the couch and where Rogers is at now -- the No. 1 girls high school high jumper in the nation with a 6-foot, 0.75-inch personal best (1.85m).

But the point is, Rogers just keeps jumping higher and higher. Earlier this month, she accepted an invitation to compete Feb. 3 against some of the top jumpers in the world in the women’s field at the NYRR Millrose Games. 

“Sky’s the limit, literally,” Rogers high school coach Curtis Arsi said. “She can jump as high as whatever it takes. She shocks everybody, every day.”

Rogers, known for her bubbly personality and always having a smile on her face, burst onto the national scene in June at New Balance Outdoor Nationals. As a freshman, she cleared 6-0.75 to win gold and eclipse the national prep freshman record of 6-0.25 owned by Olympian Vashti Cunningham. Before that jump, Rogers’ personal best was just 5-8. 

“The 6-foot honestly came out of nowhere,” Arsi said. “Every time she steps on the track, 5-10 that was her goal, but when she got to nationals, it kind of changed everything. The progression from last year to this year has been a huge eye-opener in how she’s more comfortable with her body and body awareness and control.”

Rogers, who stands 5-10, is actually just in her first indoor season.  A dual-sport athlete, the winter for Rogers has always been reserved for another season of volleyball. Rogers, an outside hitter, earned second-team all-state honors this past fall for Rutherford, and plays for a club team. But after a sensational outdoor track experience, Rogers decided to keep the momentum going. 

“I’m really getting into the whole track thing right now, so I thought why not add another season to it because I love it so much,” Rogers said. “I just have volleyball on the side for something different because I can’t be doing track all year round.”

While it’s a lot for Rogers to maintain, from school to track to volleyball, and then back home for schoolwork, always having something different to do is what she relishes. 

“It’s not just high jump, she’s doing volleyball, she’s throwing, long jump, sprinting, and hurdles for us,” Arsi said. “She is a complete team player. She’s always looking to do what is best for the team. I can put her in every event and she’ll probably be the best on our team. I think her overall athleticism is what really separates her.”

So far this indoor season, Rogers has produced a national-best 5-10 mark at the AT&T Coaches Hall of Fame Invitational in December. Rogers, who also is coached by Anthony Scanella, said the focus now is on her knee drive. The meets leading up to Millrose Games are being used to hone her technique. 

While the Millrose Games will be the biggest event Rogers competes in to date, her indubitable positive demeanor has her sights on the experience and what she can learn. 

“She’s confident she can do whatever she puts her mind to,” Arsi said. “She understands the situation and doesn’t let it overcome her. Being positive is a huge attribute that helps her with her success.”

How high Rogers will go this indoor season is yet to be determined. The indoor high school record is 6-6.25, set in 2016 by Cunningham.

Arsi said Rogers can maybe get to 6-2. But for the girl who has gone from jumping on her couch to one of the best in the country, she’s just enjoying everything about the high jump right now. 

“I love it, it’s like flying in the air for a second and as soon as you’re right over the bar it’s like everything stops for a second,” Rogers said. “And then you hit the mat and you always look up and see if you clear it or not. It’s the best feeling when you’re on the mat and you clear it.”