We have written much about Garrett Marsing. He has proven time and again that he is one of the best, if not the best, cross-country and track and field athlete who has ever attended Carbon High School. Marsing added another accolade this past week when he was named the 3A Track and Field MVP by the Utah High School Track Coaches Association.
We were able to catch up with Marsing just a day before he embarks on a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Moscow, Russia. Marsing, speaking with inherent genuineness, spoke about the legacy he leaves behind him at Carbon High and his plans for the future.
When asked how he felt about the legacy he leaves behind, he responded with two humble words.
“Pretty good,” he said with a smile.
Marsing then said he hopes his records can stay put for awhile, but ultimately wants to see other athletes break his records as he broke multiple Carbon records this year.
Marsing broke former Dino John Powell’s 3200 and 1600 meter records this year, records Powell had owned since 1980-81. In all, Marsing holds records in the 3200, 1600, and 800 meter races and in the sprint medley relay, which he holds with Kyle and Dallin Quinton and Kyle Barrett. Marsing also brought home a cross country championship in the fall, a feat that nobody had accomplished since Powell in 1980.
“He is pretty much a once-in-20-years type of athlete,” said Carbon High School Head Track and Field Coach Jimmy Jewkes. “He didn’t just come out and break records, he could inspire other kids to be better.”
Jewkes praised Marsing’s abilities to make his fellow teammates better.
“He was just as good of a teammate as a leader,” he said.
Jewkes also said that he has seen other athletes with comparable athleticism, but that Marsing had other intangibles that set him apart as one of the greatest Dinos to ever wear a uniform.
“His drive, pure athleticism and personality on and off the track went unmatched,” he said.
One would think after such a successful year, a person could get a bit self-centered. Not Marsing. He continues to think about his fellow teammates and school and how to make each better.
“I am hoping I brought Carbon a little more publicity,” Marsing said. “I hope I inspired some on the team to reach some goals and get to college.”
Marsing’s talents haven’t gone unnoticed. After breaking his own record in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:15.24 at the 2014 UHSAA State Track & Field Championships at BYU in May, the Provo-based school invited Marsing for a visit to its campus. He left that visit with a well-deserved verbal agreement with coaches for a roster spot upon his return from his LDS mission.