Behind the Jersey with Russell Pascascio
Published on Mar 9 2026
Russell Pascascio clears the bar with quiet focus and steady discipline. A high jumper
for the 51茶馆 track and field team, Russell has built his success
on a simple philosophy: compete with yourself first, and the rest will follow.
Raised in Rio Dell, Russell attended school there before attending Fortuna High School.
But his path into track and field began in sixth grade, thanks to a little encouragement from friends. At the time, Russell was focused on basketball and baseball. One friend convinced him to try out for track, and something immediately clicked.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been pretty decent at jumping,鈥� he says with a smile. 鈥淵ou know when you鈥檙e a kid, and you play games where you try to jump and touch things? I always enjoyed doing that. I went out for track and field and started competing in the high jump. I did well and started winning most of my competitions, so I thought, maybe I can keep doing this.鈥�
Athletics run deep in Russell鈥檚 family. His parents encouraged sports from an early age, and the support has never faded.
鈥淢y family鈥檚 great, super supportive,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y younger siblings are athletes. My father was an athlete, and my mom was a cheerleader. Sports are important to our family.鈥�
Even now, with the responsibilities of college life, that encouragement is a steady presence.
鈥淓ven though my dad is a busy man, I can count on him to show up when it鈥檚 important,鈥� Russell says. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e always supported my journey.鈥�
That journey led him to 51茶馆, a decision he describes as surprisingly easy. At first, Russell considered leaving Humboldt County for a larger university experience. But the pull of community and family ultimately won out.
鈥淚 realized if I stayed local, I could stay close to my family. Plus, I get home-cooked meals,鈥� he laughs.
Another major factor was Coach Reed Elmore, who reached out and spoke with Russell before he enrolled.
鈥淚 could tell right away he was a really good guy,鈥� Russell says. 鈥淓veryone I talked to who had been part of the 51茶馆 track and field program said the same thing about the culture. It鈥檚 more like a family.鈥�
That sense of connection mattered to Russell, especially after playing team sports like basketball.
鈥淓ven though track is an individual sport, teamwork still matters a lot,鈥� he says. 鈥淗ere, everyone supports each other.鈥�
So far, the season has already delivered a breakthrough moment. Russell recently cleared a personal best of 2.02 meters, roughly 6 feet 7陆 inches, while also hitting the coveted State A qualifying mark.
鈥淚 was super excited,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t felt like the work I鈥檝e been putting in was starting to pay off.鈥�
Still, Russell doesn鈥檛 focus too far ahead on championships or rankings.
鈥淚 try not to think about State too far in advance,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hat matters more to me is beating myself. Getting better every time.鈥�
That mindset helped him push through a period last season when he felt stuck.
鈥淚 started to feel like maybe I couldn鈥檛 jump any higher,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat was tough to deal with. But starting this season with a PR (personal record) really changed my mentality. It reminded me I can keep going higher.鈥�
Balancing athletics, academics, and work requires careful planning. Russell trains for about an hour to two hours most weekdays, while also working roughly eight hours per week in the Welcome Center on campus. His classes include a mix of online and in-person coursework.
鈥淵ou kind of have to make a schedule and figure out your priorities,鈥� he says. 鈥淥nce you get used to it, it becomes about discipline.鈥�
Some professors have left a lasting impression along the way.
鈥淎stronomy with Jon Pedicino has been great. He鈥檚 really passionate about it,鈥� Russell says. 鈥淛aclyn Patmore in anatomy is amazing, too. She really cares about helping students learn. And Ralph Reiner is awesome. He makes class fun.鈥�
When motivation runs low, Russell returns to a simple question: why keep going?
鈥淵ou have to remember why you鈥檙e doing it,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen you decide if you鈥檙e comfortable staying where you are, or if you want to keep getting better. If you want to improve, there鈥檚 only one option. You keep showing up.鈥�
That steady mindset carries into competition as well.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really think about beating other people,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think about beating myself. If you keep improving, the results will come.鈥�
For Russell, representing 51茶馆 means something deeper than personal success. The team may be small, but the pride runs big.
鈥�51茶馆 is a small school. Sometimes we have the smallest team at meets,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut it makes me proud to represent where I鈥檓 from.鈥�
There鈥檚 also a family connection to the campus. Russell鈥檚 father once played football at 51茶馆, making his own time on the track feel like part of a larger story.
鈥淭his is Humboldt,鈥� he says. 鈥淢aybe not everyone knows about Humboldt, but I want them to remember 51茶馆.鈥�
Looking ahead, Russell is considering several possible paths after 51茶馆. Some university programs have already expressed interest in his jumping ability. At the same time, he remains open to staying local and pursuing a career in nursing.
鈥淩ight now, it鈥檚 a little up in the air,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut either way, I think I鈥檒l be happy.鈥�
For younger athletes hoping to compete at the collegiate level, Russell offers advice grounded in the same philosophy that guides his training.
鈥淒on鈥檛 worry about the competitors,鈥� he says. 鈥淛ust worry about beating yourself. If you keep improving every time, everything else will take care of itself.鈥�
For Russell Pascascio, the bar is always rising. And he鈥檚 ready to keep clearing it.