Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Latrobe’s Jacob Pittman

By: Anthony DiFilippo
Monday, June 3, 2024 | 1:11 PM

The track and field season recently came to a close, with the PIAA championships concluding May 25.

Latrobe sprinter Jacob Pittman’s season did not end in a state medal, but the Wildcats’ 400-meter relay he was a part of won WPIAL gold after coming into the competition seeded fourth.

“We had really good chemistry this year. All the guys were really close,” Pittman said. “We’d been working on handoffs, and we hang out all the time, so we know each other really well.”

That performance, along with his fifth-place finish in the 200, earned him a trip to the state meet.

“It was super exciting. It felt great having good individual accomplishments,” Pittman said about WPIALs.

Pittman’s 2024 season went beyond medals in certain competitions; he also etched himself into the Latrobe track and field record books.

This year, Pittman broke the school record in the 200, and the 400 relay team’s time was good enough for second in program history.

Before the events on the track can play out, it all begins with strength and conditioning.

“It’s all about the consistency and getting through every workout. It’s all about running fast every time,” Pittman said. “It’s about doing what you have to do every day at practice and pushing through it.”

Pittman plans to attend Shippensburg to participate in track, and his major is undecided.

This week, Pittman took some time for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

How did you get started with track?

So, it started in seventh grade. I played soccer, and everyone told me I was pretty fast. Everyone told me I should go out for track. So, I went out during my seventh grade year, and that’s when I started track.

How much of an honor was it to qualify for states in your senior season?

It was a big honor because we had a lot of confidence after WPIALs, winning the 4×100. Then going to states for the 200 as well, it was a huge honor to qualify for an individual event.

What can you say about putting yourself into the record books at Latrobe?

Getting the 200 school record was amazing. That was a goal coming into the season to grab that one. So, I’m really glad I got that one. Then being No. 2 all time in the 4×100 was also a big accomplishment too.

Do you have a favorite memory from high school track?

My favorite memory would probably be in the WPIAL prelim in the 200, crossing the line and seeing the time pop up. Seeing I broke the school record, it was pretty awesome.

What is one thing that people may not know about you?

I have a pet goose. We have chickens, and we wanted to have her protect the chickens. It didn’t work out, so we have a pet goose roaming around the house. She has nicknames, so we call her Goobie, Girlfriend, Goose.

Tags: Latrobe