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Matthews jumping for joy about Bethel signing
Greencastle High School senior J.T. Matthews hit a top height of 6 feet, 3 inches last year in the high jump as he qualified for the state track finals.
Matthews signed a national letter-of-intent recently to compete collegiately for NAIA-affiliated Bethel College in Mishawaka, and hopes to hit 6-foot-5 this season.
Busy competing as a wide receiver for the 9-2 Tiger Cub football team in the fall, and as a forward for the Greencastle basketball team this winter, Matthews admits he hasn’t had time to work on his jumping.
He has a lot to still accomplish before heading to college in northern Indiana, but is excited when that time comes.
“I chose to go to Bethel College because it felt like home to me,” Matthews said. “Coach [Tony] Natali is a great coach and really makes you feel like family.
“I loved their campus, their facilities and I even got to eat lunch with a couple of the people from the men’s track team,” he added. “They were super nice and welcoming to me. “
Matthews noted that Bethel has a “well respected and very good” track and field program, having finished 20th in NAIA Nationals last year, second in the National Christian College Athletic Association, and second in the Crossroads League Championships.
Matthews plans to major in Sports Management.
Individually, he is the back-to-back and current reigning Putnam County High Jump Champion as well as back-to-back and reigning Western Indiana Conference High Jump Champion.
The past two seasons, Matthews has been an IHSAA Regional Qualifier. He also advanced to the 2016 IHSAA State Track and Field Meet and took 17th overall in the high jump.
Along with his personal accomplishments, Matthews also helped the Tiger Cubs with both the 2105 and 2016 Putnam County Championship.
Off the track, Matthews has picked up six additional varsity letters with three being earned each on the football field and the basketball court. He has also contributed his time to a variety of community service activities with the GHS boys’ basketball program and is a member of the French Club, Fishing Club and Key Club.
GHS Assistant Track Coach Mark Jedele stated, “J.T. has put and incredible amount of time and energy into perfecting his craft and has acted as a role model for the Greencastle Track Program. We are elated at his successes and happy to see him continuing his athletic pursuits at the collegiate level at the conclusion of his high school career.”
Natali is looking forward to next year as well, saying,
“We are so very excited to have J.T. join the Bethel college track family. He is a great talent but I believe his best days are ahead of him. More importantly, J.T. is a tremendous young man that fits everything I want in a member of our program.”
