At just 15, Jadyce Burns is already making waves for Ada High School’s track and field team. The 2024-2025 freshman shattered two school records this track season and landed on the podium at the 2025 Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) 5A Track and Field State Championships.
Burns, a Chickasaw citizen, broke Ada High School’s 100-meter dash record with a time of 12.28 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 12.8 seconds.
“I was really proud of myself,” Burns said. “At the beginning of the season, I was running 13 seconds, so to come that far really surprised me.”
She also shattered the 200-meter dash record with a 25.35-second sprint, more than a second faster than the previous 26.69 record set in 2016.
Her strong performance earned her a third-place finish at the OSSAA 5A Track and Field State Championships in the 200-meter dash. Her record-breaking time was set during state preliminaries.
“For a few seconds, I was in second place,” Burns said of the state final. “But I was going to push myself to at least get third. I felt accomplished.”
Burns said she had coach Frank Lindsey’s motivating words in the back of her mind, pushing her to the finish line.
“He said, ‘You’re getting no less than third place in the 200-meter dash,’” Burns said.
She took those words to heart and made it her reality.
Even though she finished the season out strong, Burns still described her first year in high school track “chaotic.”
“At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t doing the events I wanted,” Burns said. “We also had new coaches.”
With new coaches and new competition, Burns had to prove her talents. Her first few track meets did not go as planned, and she only competed in the 200-meter dash twice before the state competition.
Dedication, consistency and a love for the sport helped her hit her stride. Training every day, running longer distances in practice than her race events to build agility and eating healthy helped her meet her mark.
Burns credited coach Blake Hollenbeck as a key figure in her progress.
“He always encourages us,” Burns said.
Burns also credited her teammates for helping her along the way. She said she could not have had the successful season she did if it were not for the support of her teammates as well.
“I love my team,” Burns said. “I feel like we are always posting each other (on social media platforms) and just working hard.”
Burns’ main motivator and mentor on her team was Lilli Keefer, an upperclassman.
“She’s been pushing me throughout my season,” Burns said. “She’s really nice to me, and she encourages me before my races.”
However, Burns’ main inspiration and driving force is her mom, Jalena Walker. A former short-distance runner herself, Walker joked about her daughter beating her own track records.
“I’ve actually pulled up some of my old records from when I was in high school, and she would have beat me,” Walker said, laughing. “Last year as an eighth grader she would have beat me.”
Off the track, Burns is a leader in other ways. The former 2023-2024 Chickasaw Junior Princess said her experience as Chickasaw Royalty gave her confidence that she carries over into athletics.
“It pushed me out of my comfort zone,” Burns said. “It helped me in track too, both mentally and physically.”
Burns also plays soccer and basketball, but she is most passionate about track. Though the young athlete has three more years of high school, she is already looking ahead at collegiate-level track, with dreams of running for the University of Oklahoma or Oregon State University.
Until then, she is setting goals for next year.
“I want to get my time down, and I want to get first or second at state next time,” Burns said.