Siblings Jessica and Bobby Jazwinski were born two years and three days apart.
“We usually just share the same birthday party,” said Jessica Jazwinski, the Hart High School running phenom, who just started her junior year.
The Jazwinskis certainly share a passion for running. They hope to be celebrating together again this cross country season, both aiming for individual state championships.
Jessica Jazwinski, 16, is the MHSAA Division 3 defending state champion in cross country and she’s looking to win the title again this season. Now a freshman, 14-year-old Bobby Jazwinski is hoping to be standing alongside his sister with a first-place medal around his neck.
The elder two of Robert and Katie Jazwinski’s four children, Jessica and Bobby Jazwinski have been waiting for the moment they’d be running cross country together at Hart High School.
That time has arrived and they’ve both been dominant.
In just his fourth high school meet, Bobby Jazwinski broke the Hart High School boys cross country school record with a personal-best time of 15:33.1 on Sept. 15 at the Ottawa Hills Invitational.
“How crazy is that?” Hart cross country coach Terry Tatro said about Bobby Jazwinski’s feat.
Jazwinski placed second in the Ottawa Hills Invite behind East Grand Rapids senior Alex Thole (15:28.68). Clayton Ackley, a 2023 Hart alumnus, had previously set the Hart school record last fall with a time of 15:41.8 in the Shepherd Bluejay Invite.
Technically, Jessica Jazwinski does not hold the Hart High School girls cross country school record — not yet, anyway. That belongs to Adelyn Ackley, who turned in a time of 16:54.5 during the 2017 season. Jazwinski ran 16:47.3 in the MITCA Meet of Champions late last season, but her time did not happen in an official MHSAA meet so it doesn’t count as the school record.
Jessica Jazwinski’s top time this season was the 17:12.6 she ran in the Cougar Falcon Invite last Saturday. Last December, she placed 11th in the Champs Sports National Cross Country Championships in San Diego to earn All-American status. Bobby hopes to join his sister at nationals this December.
Photos by Scott DeCamp | CatchMark
Like the Jazwinskis, Clayton and Adelyn Ackley are siblings. Like the Ackleys, the Jazwinskis have grown up running on a farm.
The Jazwinski family owns and operates the Jazz Blueberry Farm.
“They’re pretty much the same,” Tatro said about the Jazwinski siblings. “They both have the same work ethic obviously. They both work hard. Just driven. Running and stuff is a huge thing in their lives.”
Bobby and Jessica Jazwinski have logged countless miles running the hills and training in the blueberry fields.
They push each other to be their best. They’re very supportive of each other, but when it comes to competing, they show little mercy.
The Jazwinski siblings know one speed: Fast!
“Just like a gazelle. I mean, it’s like one speed,” Tatro said about Bobby Jazwinski’s running style. “Just all out and he’s just so smooth. His form is just beautiful.
“And Jessie is the same way. Jessie’s got one speed — from the gun, it’s go,” Tatro said with a chuckle.
Bobby Jazwinski has about five inches on his elder sister now, having grown to about 5-foot-10.
As Jessica Jazwinski pointed out, however, running is not about height.
“It’s more of a mental thing — more mental than it is physical,” Tatro said. “Their mental attitude is just, ‘I can go faster.’ Just believe they can go faster (even) if it’s a second faster. They’ve just got that attitude where, ‘I can always get better, I can always get faster.'”
