Carson High senior Corey Reid, the reigning 400-meter state champion, has signed a national letter of intent to attend Division II Azusa Pacific University.
Reid signed his letter on Nov. 12 with his parents, Jim and Julie, in attendance along with CHS coach Robert Maw and APU coach Kevin Reid, Corey’s uncle.
The Carson star entertained an offer from the University of South Dakota before deciding to join his uncle at APU. Reid’s brother currently attends APU, and his mom, father and uncle are all APU alums.
“Azuza Pacific was always there,” Reid said. “My brother is already there, so it’s easier for my parents if they want to come for a visit or to watch me run. Weather was a deciding factor in my decision.
“Azuza was a better school for the decathlon. I will have better training partners at Azuza. I want to get into computer science, and Azuza has a good program.”
Azuza is located in Southern California, so obviously Reid wouldn’t have to contend with snowy conditions.
Reid is ranked second in the nation among high school junior decathletes. He’s going to a great school for developing multi-event performers. Bryan Clay, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist and a 2004 Olympic silver medalist, attended Azuza Pacific.
“We are excited to bring in a combined event athlete like Corey,” Kevin Reid said. “He has the skills to add to the proud tradition of Azusa Pacific decathletes.
“He will be focusing on the combined events, but with his skills in the 400, he will be part of our relay pool. As with any young multi-event athlete, his throws will come with age and strength. It will be a bonus for him to be able to work on his individual events year round, and not just in the spring. We are excited about the upside in all of his events, because of the additional time he will have to work on them.”
Reid’s best events are the 400, high jump, javelin and 1500. He ran 47.15 en route to the state 400 title last spring, and his best time in the 1500 is 4:11. He has high jumped 6-feet-6 (6-4 was his best last year) and thrown the javelin around 140 feet. His worst events are the shot put (around 40 feet), pole vault (13-6), hurdles and the discus (111-117 range).
“I’m trying to get down to 46 in the 400 and win state again,” Reid said. “I didn’t work much on the high jump last year (6-2 in the state met). The 1500 is whatever I have left. I’m sure it will be pretty much the same time.
“I’m going to work on pole vault and hurdles early in the (track) season this year.”
Reid will compete in the decathlon at the Arcadia Invitational and at the national AAU meet. Based on his marks last year, he doesn’t have to go to a qualifying meet for the national event
Reid doesn’t have any interest in concentrating on one event. “I keep myself busy by doing more than one event,” he said. “One event is repetitive and boring. In decathlon, if you get tired or bored you can practice something else.”
He said the most decathlons he would probably compete in during a season is two or three.