On February 1st 2020, Rachel Edler etched her name in the Howard record books. The then Junior, now graduating Senior jumped 12.25m on her final triple jump attempt. Now over a year later, Rachel and I caught up between midterms. Born in Stone Mountain, Ga, Rachel grew up dancing and competing in gymnastics, not yet introduced to track and field. As many gymnasts do, she eventually grew too tall for competition. The transition to track was relatively smooth, though Edler was not yet jumping. As an underclassmen, she competed in the sprints and relays for her team. Along with taking on bigger leadership during her junior season and beyond, she began triple jumping. Edler had seen teammates go off to contribute to collegiate programs and saw that as a possibility. She sent out a mass of emails including one to her dream school, Howard University. After her unofficial visit, she was sold on everything, not that she needed much selling. When she came to Howard, the track program was between coaches, and Edler was adjusting to the fast-paced student-athlete life. Upon the new set of coaching hires, she decided to prioritize jumps and quickly became a mainstay in the event group. Now Captain of the jumps, she reflected greatly on her 4 year growth. Both physical and mental growth withstanding, she stood on the Runway at The Naval Academy before her last jump, ready to make a splash. By tuning out those around her, she was able to concentrate enough to leap past her goal of 12.20 and the rest is history. Unfortunately there was no follow-up outdoor season for Edler as the Pandemic began to really wreak havoc. However, Edler has taken advantage of the pandemic to grow her name as a youtuber and influencer. Her channel, sunshine.locd, was originally a page for tracking the progress and growth of her locs. Included are helpful tips, dos and don’ts, and a variety of products to use for the best results. She has grown to the level of monetization, and has shifted to more general lifestyle videos, including travel vlogs. With her upcoming completion of her degree in the school of business, Rachel has accepted a full-time offer with HubSpot. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel here!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ePoK1a4XQw&feature=youtu.be Recorded: 3.4.20.
