If you simply skim through his track meet results, you might guess Elias Gerald’s freshman season as a D1 collegiate high jumper at Southern Cal was an unmitigated success.

After all, the Latter-day Saint teenager showcased his skills in headline-grabbing fashion — claiming a Pac-12 title, a first place finish in NCAA West Regionals and All-American honors at the recent 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

 

But the full story of Gerald’s past year runs far deeper.

Yes, he experienced remarkable highs as a Trojan freshman. He is, after all, a conference champ. And he’s established himself as one of the top college high jumpers in America. 

But he has also known struggles and doubts.

 

Now, looking back at his rookie campaign at USC, Gerald said he is grateful that he never battled his challenges alone, despite being away from his family and hometown friends. His trust in the Lord — coupled with the support of his coaches, teammates and several full-time missionaries — kept the talented athlete from ever dipping too low.

 

“Looking back on this season, I'm just just thankful for everything that happened,” Gerald told Church Ball Magazine. “There were obstacles that I had to go through. There were changes and adjustments that I had to make in a new environment.

“But overall, I just feel really blessed and satisfied.”

 

After arriving last fall on the USC campus as one of the country’s most heralded high school jumpers, the Saratoga Springs, Utah, native expected immediate success. He soon learned that expectations are not always certainties.

 

For starters, Gerald’s training was interrupted after undergoing neck surgery shortly before the 2023 indoor season. When he was finally cleared to compete he wasn’t hitting his usual jump marks. 

 

“I felt utter confusion,” he said. “I was baffled as to why I wasn’t able to compete at the levels that I had been competing at just a few months prior during my senior year of high school.

“It really rattled me.”

 

Doubts soon followed. 

 

“I started asking myself: ‘What am I doing wrong? Am I not as good as I thought I was? Am I not working hard enough?’”

 

Gerald remembers emerging from that self-described  “rough patch” through the support of “good friends and good mentors” such as his jumping teammate Dallas Wise and his USC track coaches, Quincy Watts and Tyree Price.

 

“Plus, there were the missionaries working at the USC branch,” he said. “The missionaries became my ‘go-to people’ whenever I needed to talk to somebody or get something off my chest or just hang out.”

 

The missionaries also supported Gerald as he made the cultural adjustment of moving away from Utah County where the Church is the predominant faith. The young elders also provided their athletic friend with a priesthood blessing prior to his surgery.

“That blessing played a big part in me getting through that rough patch,” he said. “I learned the true and real meaning behind ‘holding on to the iron rod’.”

 

Gerald found additional strength by attending Thursday institute classes whenever his competition schedule allowed. 

“Institute,” he said, “was the highlight of my week.”

 

Missionaries Elder Doug and Sister Connie Foster developed an immediate fondness for Gerald, who could be counted upon to contribute thoughtful and faith-driven comments during their institute class near the USC campus.

 

“Elias is just a marvelous, personable guy,” said Elder Foster. 

 

Sister Foster added that Gerald always brings a positive energy to their institute gatherings. “I think Elias did find institute to be like a sanctuary…. He has deep thoughts about his expectations for his life and what he wants to be.”

 

The All-American/Pac-12 high jump champ draws direct connections between his 2023 athletic performances and his spiritual development. 

“Obtaining those accolades was phenomenal,” he said. “But I believe they were direct results of me changing, adapting and growing spiritually….I let the Lord into my life and put it all into His hands.”

Besides participating in institute and Church activities, Gerald fortified his testimony with personal scripture study and by listening to general conference talks.

“The impact those things had was phenomenal. A switch flipped and I started improving with each meet. I won my first collegiate meet during the 2023 outdoor season — and then I won the next five straight.”