McQueen Leaps on Faith Thursday
Friday, June 12, 2015 | Track and Field
By Will Pantages
UAA Communications
EUGENE, Ore. – Family. The ringing tone around the University of Florida track & field team this week.
UF's seniors are competing in the final meet of their collegiate careers and each Gator is here to compete for them and each other. Freshman Darrielle McQueen is here with them, but has someone else on her mind.
Her father, Darrell McQueen (52), passed away on Monday evening after fighting a three-month battle with cancer.
“This week has been overwhelming,” McQueen said. “Since my dad passed on Monday, I've received countless texts, phone calls and messages on social media from people that I haven't seen or spoken to in years. It means a lot.”
After hearing the heartbreaking news following the Gators' first full day in Eugene, both her teammates and coaches offered their condolences and support. Through them, she felt reassured. She knew that despite being away from her immediate family, she was with her extended family in Eugene.
“Darrell, was a very special man,” Florida head coach Mike Holloway said Thursday. “Every time I spoke with him, he didn't just ask about Darrielle, he asked about the whole team. Her mom, Bernice, is a special woman. She bakes us cakes all the time -- even though I tell her that I'm on a diet. They are just a special family. It's a big loss for them because he was definitely the head of that family. Darrell instilled a lot of himself in his children, Darrielle and Darrius, and that's why they are so special. He will be missed by all of us.”
McQueen, an All-American jumper indoors, flew to Oregon Sunday to compete in her first NCAA Outdoor Championships understanding she may have seen her father for the last time. Competing at the NCAA Championships was his last wish for her, and she did just that.
Darrell also told his daughter he was proud of her -- something he said to her before and after she competed at every meet she's competed in for as long as she can remember, whether it was on the phone or in person.
“It was really hard when I woke up this morning because I realized I couldn't call him,” McQueen said.
On Day 2, McQueen competed in the women's long jump and finished 12th with a 20 foot, five-inch leap on her last jump, just shy of a career-best mark for the second All-America performance of her young career as a Gator.
Coincidence? No way.
“My thought process was to leave everything on the track and that I had nothing to lose,” McQueen recanted. “Also, I was out there competing for my dad today and my goal was to make him proud as he has and will always be my biggest supporter. I know he was here with me in spirit.
“I looked in the stands a few times and saw his face,” McQueen continued. “I know I didn't physically see him but I knew he was there. A litlle bit of him helped me get that last jump. I know that wherever I compete at now, he's going to be there watching me.”
Florida assistant coach (jumps), Nic Petersen, was speechless following McQueen's performance.
Through everything, she recorded the fourth-best leap in her career and a smile never left her face.
“That was crazy,” Peterson exclaimed. “My emotions ranged from being anxious, to excited, to just keeping things together. Darrielle is so strong that it's crazy to think that she's only a freshman. It's been incredible watching her handle this situation with such grace and class. I don't have words for it.”
Just a few months ago in March, the rookie from Tallahassee, Fla., earned her first-career All-America honor after also finishing 12th in the long jump at the NCAA Indoor National Championships -- a meet her father was unable to make due to his illness.
However, not seeing her performance in person didn't stop his excitement about his daughter's accomplishment.
“He was so proud of me,” McQueen reflected with a huge grin on her face. “He kept asking me to see my All-American certificate and he just wanted to take it home.”
He did.
“I don't have much room for that stuff anyways,” McQueen said laughing. “But, that was one of those father-daughter moments that I will remember forever.”
McQueen's path into track and field is similar to a lot of young athletes.
She played multiple sports growing up including basketball, baseball and flag football. She was just one of the guys growing up.
Literally.
McQueen was the only girl on her baseball and flag football teams.
Although she has fond memories of playing those sports, she still wanted to try something different which led her to track and field. Darrielle, nicknamed 'lil bit' by her father, said he would take her to the track, sit, watch and record her workouts for hours.
Not once did he complain. Darrell McQueen loved it. 'Did you get a lil bit better?', he would jab.
“He would sit there for hours and just keep motivating me,” McQueen recalled. “He was always asking me questions, thinking of ways I could get better and then challenging me to do it. He was really my first coach, he taught me the ropes and then he released me to higher expertise.”
After winning seven Florida High School State Championships at North Florida Christian, seems he did a bit more than teach her the ropes.
However, Coach Petersen and Coach Holloway are glad to build on the skill set she has and take her the rest of the way.
“We're very excited about where Darrielle is and where she's headed,” Petersen continued. “Darrielle is one of the best freshmen in the country and under-20 year olds in the world. She has a bright future and we're really excited about it. We're glad she has a Gator on her chest.”
McQueen is catching a flight back to Florida tonight to be with her family. She smiled as she thought about the embrace she will have with Darrius and Bernice.
That smile was a trend.
McQueen even grinned when she thought about reuniting with her extended family at the upcoming funeral to celebrate Darrell McQueen's life.
“We will be telling jokes and enjoying being around one another.”
That contagious smile and laugh was something that Coach Holloway was not surprised by at all.
“I've never seen her when she wasn't smiling,” Holloway said. “I was with her when she got the phone call and she was more concerned with how her mother was than her own feelings. We talked for a little bit afterwards and I shared that I lost my dad a few months ago. I told her to remember that he's with God now and she truly believes that and feels good about it.
“If you ever catch Darrielle not smiling, she's probably sleeping,” Holloway stated laughing.
McQueen will sleep well tonight knowing that he father watched her compete today and that she's surrounded by family.
“It's wonderful I'll be with family tonight,” McQueen said. “It's going to be a sigh of relief. I'm so excited to see them. I know if they could be here, they would, but they are taking care of stuff back home. I can't wait to embrace them, but I'll be cheering on my Gator family the next two days, too.”
Gator Nation is here for you.
