Wyoming Area recently held a signing ceremony to celebrate Taylor Gashi’s decision to accept her nomination to attend Army West Point and compete in track and field. From left, first row: Ed Gashi, father; Taylor Gashi; Lacy Gashi, mother; and Hunter Gashi, brother. Second row: Jon Pollard, superintendent; Joe Pizano, athletic director/head coach; Kristen Lombardo, assistant coach; and Greg Riley, principal.
Submitted Photo
Taylor Gashi just needed to find the sport that gave her the best chance at achieving the goals for her future.
High-level youth gymnastics competition gave way to years of work on the volleyball court that continued even after a development in Gashi’s freshman year at Wyoming Area pointed her on the right path.
“With track and field, I kind of knew a few years back,” said Gashi, who on Dec. 15 formalized her commitment to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and compete in the sport. “Volleyball has been a part of my life longer than track and field. Freshman year, I placed second in district for triple jump so that was kind of a wake-up call for my coaches and my family that this could probably go somewhere far.”
Gashi expects to concentrate on the long jump and triple jump while competing at Army West Point, but her overall athletic ability means she could potentially help the team in the heptathlon, a combination of events she tested and did well at with a Lehigh Valley club team last summer. As a junior at Wyoming Area, Gashi finished 20th in the state in Class 3A in the triple jump after taking silver medals in District 2 in the triple jump and discus and a bronze in the long jump.
Once Gashi realized track and field was her best option for a college sport, the rest fell into place.
“That same year, I also got to experience going to West Point for a football game,” she said. “One of my good friends brought me there. Both of my parents had been in the military, so the military was never something I was opposed to doing.”
Gashi learned more about the athletic program’s status on the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level, leading to her verbal commitment in September.
“It was kind of everything I had been looking for and track and field was something that could get me there,” she said.
Gashi will report to West Point for plebe summer, beginning her military duties before academics start next fall. Accepting her nomination to the academy means a five-year military commitment after she is done with school.
While at Wyoming Area, Gashi has kept busy not just in multiple events in track and field, but in multiple sports.
In volleyball, Gashi was a four-year starter, earning first-team, all-star status from Wyoming Valley Conference coaches this fall after previously receiving honorable mention.
After taking last year off, Gashi is back on the swim team this winter, specializing as freestyle sprinter.
Unsure of a major, Gashi has interest in looking into military intelligence and aviation.
“Those are the two that really strike interest for me,” she said.
