By Rich Winter 

605 Sports

Despite limited practice reps this winter, Ethan/Parkston senior James Deckert is picking up right where he left off last May. 

Deckert has competed in two indoor long jump competitions, winning both and stretching out to 21-09.75 at the Mount Marty meet on March 27. 

“I haven’t been outside much but I start by just doing some run throughs and getting on the board,” Deckert said.

Deckert has been ‘getting on the board’ for the last five years, long jumping 19-06.5 at the region meet his eighth-grade year. Deckert placed fourth in the Class A long jump his freshman and sophomore seasons. Last year, Deckert won the Class A long jump with a leap of 21-09.25. 

With the Ethan/Parkston Earlybird meet set for Tuesday, April 8, Deckert is hoping to cap off a brilliant athletic career with another state long jump title. 

“I feel pretty good so far, pretty similar to last year,” he said. “I’m looking to get out beyond 22 feet more consistently this year and I want to win another state championship.”

While jumping comes naturally for the Deckert family, a lot of hard work goes into improving distances by just a few inches. Ethan/Parkston coach Joe Shepardson said Deckert has been working on his speed for the 100-meter dash with an eye on jumping further.

Shepardson says Deckert’s impact off the playing field has been big for the next generation of Ethan/Parkston athletes.

“James is a dang good kid and has been a leader on the team for a long time,” Shepardson said. “James had a big impact on the basketball court and all of the little guys see his picture in the paper and they all know who he is.” 

For track fans that have become familiar with the name for the past few years get ready for Deckert to become a household name as James has three younger brothers. 

“Mark is a sophomore that ran on our third place 400-meter relay team (:43.55),” Shepardson said. “He also ran the third leg on our 1,600-meter relay team (3:26.46).”

Mark Deckert finished second in the 60-meter dash (:7.17) at the Dakota Wesleyan meet on April 1. Mark Deckert typically starts the short relays for Ethan/Parkston and hands off to brother James for the second leg.

“My favorite person to run with is my brother,” James Deckert said. “It’s pretty special to be able to do this with a family member and not many people get that opportunity.” 

James Deckert holds the school record in the triple jump (44-05) set in 2023 when he was a sophomore. While he’s been a state qualifier in the triple jump he’s also grown to a 6-feet-1, 190 pound athlete, a build he thinks isn’t perfectly suited for the triple jump.

That school record may be in jeopardy soon as younger brother, Sean Deckert, an eighth grader, jumped 40-10.5 to win the indoor meet on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University on April 1. 

“Sean just missed making it to state in the triple jump as a seventh grader,” Shepardson said. “He scored points for us at the conference meet last year and he is off to a really good start this indoor season.” 

Ethan/Parkston scored 36 points at the 2024 Class A state track meet to earn a sixth-place finish. In addition to the Deckert’s the team returns Kolter Kramer, sixth in the 400-meter dash (:50.21).

Shepardson feels like the team has a number of jumpers that can score points with the short relays being well stocked by the time the state meet rolls around in May.