This is the first of a series episodes chatting with some athletes with notable performances at the recent 2023 Colorado State High School Track Championships. We love to find inspiring comebacks on the WASP, and this young man is right there. Brandon Hills of Vista Ridge H.S. in Colorado Springs was already a dedicated track and football athlete when he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He got caught in the crossfire between two feuding knuckleheads at a party in December, 2021 and was struck by a stray bullet that embedded itself in his chest. A few centimeters over, and the outcome might have been drastically worse. After a surprisingly quick recovery, Brandon returned to training and a fresh outlook on life, which included being grateful for the opportunity to resume doing what he loves, and appreciating every day of his life. His subsequent junior year track season resulted in getting onto the podium in the 100 and 200 meter dashes at the state meet, but with the lost training time he did not succeed in defending the long jump title he’d won as a sophomore, placing second. He then produced a very special football season his senior year, leading the state of Colorado with 1548 receiving yards for an average of 129 yards per game, and scoring 20 TDs as his Vista Ridge Wolves made it to the state playoffs quarterfinals. Even though he's only 5’9” and 160 pounds, his prodigious talent has earned him a football scholarship to Washington State. All that was left after that was to crush the state track meet. He won the 100 in 10.52 seconds, narrowly took second in the 200 in 21.12 seconds, and anchored Vista Ridge’s 4x100 meter relay to a gold medal. It’s fun at the state meet to take it all in and find where there’s extra energy being generated.  That was the case before Brandon’s last high school long jump when he leapt 24’8” to break the state record that had stood for 33 years. It will be exciting to see what this humble young man accomplishes in his career at Washington State, where he plans to study kinesiology.

Brandon Hills
Instagram @bebe.hills
Twitter @BebeHills5

Please consider supporting Warriors' Ascent for which 37 men and women will run the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon on June 21.  Warriors' Ascent provides a holistic program to help veterans and first responders who are enduring PTS, post-traumatic stress.  We have all heard the staggering number of veterans we tragically lose every single day to suicide.  Warriors' Ascent is saving lives!  Donate at (tax-deductible):
https://give.classy.org/WeAreSuperman
Thank you!

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast