For Witt, starting pole vaulting began almost by accident during his freshman year. After using track as conditioning for lacrosse, Witt decided to make the switch.

“I first got into my sport in February of my freshman year when my friend from middle school asked me to come try it,” said Witt. “…I quickly figured out that I enjoyed track much more a couple of months after starting it.”

That transition between sports is what led to his indoor season and recent wins. Despite a season full of ups and downs, Witt placed first with a jump of 15-06 (meters) at the indoor state meet. The second-place jumper from Willow Spring was at 12-06.

“Winning the 25-26 Indoor State Championships was a big moment for me,” said Witt. “After a long season of performances that didn’t go quite how I wanted them to, I had a huge breakthrough at states. Being able to come through and support my team meant a lot.”

For Witt, standing at the top of the podium represented the hard work that he put in over the years. This hard work has paid off again, because Witt also won the outdoor state title for pole vaulting last weekend.

“Getting the state title was super exciting, and it felt rewarding after putting in the work building up to it,” said Witt. “I had never won a competition as big as States before, and doing it meant a lot to me and the whole team.”

Witt gives credit for his progress to the environment created by those around him, saying that his coaches, competitors and teammates provided the motivation to push through difficult training blocks.

“Something that people may not realize about competing and practicing is that progress definitely isn’t always linear,” said Witt. “Practices and meets are always full of ups and downs… trusting the process is always important.”

Looking ahead, Witt is trying to compete at the collegiate level, with a focus on finding a balance between his sports and his grades.

“Ideally, I’d like to go on to compete in college and continue my athletic career at the Division 1 level,” said Witt, “Although I’m still considering my options… I’d like to put my academics first.”

Carter Wooten’s swimming career started at age six alongside his sister, Hannah, where watching her compete in summer leagues inspired him to do the same.

“My sister Hannah loved the water, and she found early success in summer league, so I was drawn to the water at a young age after watching her compete and win rubber ducks,” said Wooten. 

While Wooten has had many highlights, including setting two state records at the North Carolina Club State Championships, this year had a different tone. After the tragic loss of his friend and teammate this past September, Wooten and his team found the motivation to keep going every day for him.

“Learning to train without him helped me become closer to my entire team,” said Wooten.  “This pushed us to swim for him day in and day out, no matter how tired, sleep-deprived, or hungry we were.”

The resilience throughout the fall carried him to the Athens Swim Team, where he competed at the state championships for a title. Wooten swam the Boys’ 500 Freestyle, with a time of 4:31.07; the second-place swimmer’s time was 4:35.89.

“Winning a title is one of the most accomplished feelings ever because it finally felt that my hard work, dedication, and time spent in the pool had finally paid off,” said Wooten. “Being surrounded by my family and friends… made me feel amazing.”

Wooten credits this win to his club coach, Coach Silver, and high school coaches, Mrs. Thomas and Coach Paul E, for pushing him. Beyond the pool, his success relies on a strict lifestyle of recovery and time management.

“If I’m not swimming, eating, or studying, I am most definitely sleeping,” said Wooten. “Everything from sleep to food to mobility plays an essential role in my success.”

With recruitment opening on June 15th, Wooten is preparing for the next step by planning visits across the country to find a Division 1 program where he can compete for the next four years.