By Stephen ChupaskaStaff Writer
“Oh are they? Good,” replies Alisha Lasswell on being told thatthe Canadian men’s Olympic ice hockey team is leading 1-0 in theirgame against the Czech Republic. “I never turn my TV on. I can’twaste my time,” the Kilbride, Ontario native said.
Lasswell, a first-year high jumper, has an incredibly hecticschedule, even by the standards of a Division I student-athlete. Shehas six days of practice, usually with a meet on the weekend, whichoften involves traveling to places such as Reno or Iowa, plus a slateof classes. What’s more, she is also a budding singer-songwriter whohas already attracted the attention of record companies.
One would be hard-pressed to find two things more diametricallyopposed than being a track athlete and a songwriter. However,Lasswell is doing her best to dispel any of the incongruities.
“They relate on an emotional basis,” she said. “When I’m doingtrack, I feel this drive, this feeling. Let’s say I have a bad day atthe high jump. Afterward, I’ll sit down at the piano, still feelingthose emotions, and write a song about them.”
The “drive,” it seems, is that nebulous quality that stokes thedesire to compete as well as create. It also manifests itself in theaspiration to expand the parameters of one’s capabilities. Lasswelldemonstrated this quality after her first few piano lessons.
“I loved playing other people’s music, but it just wasn’t me,”Lasswell said. “I found that I was always changing the rhythm alittle, trying to add a note here and there. My teacher would getfrustrated with me, so I started to write my own stuff.”
Lasswell, who has been playing piano since the second grade,explains that her songs are not “happy,” per se, but they tend to beintrospective in nature.
“My music is based on personal experience — on past relationshipsor break-ups. They are like a diary to me,” Lasswell said. “I view mysongs as a little section of my life, and they tell a story of thattime.”
She claims as her greatest influence fellow Canadian chanteuseSarah McLaughlin.
“I’ve listened to her all of my life. She’s thought-provoking, andher songs are very deep,” she said.
She has yet to perform live in San Diego, as her commitments totrack and school do not allow it, but she spends an hour or twoplaying piano every day and “building a base of songs.”
Lasswell’sbusy life has already seen one of her interests fall by the wayside– modeling. After she turned 18 (her parents did not want hermodeling before that age) she spent six months working for EliteModeling Agency, which had an office in nearby Toronto.
“I decided to go to an open call,” Lasswell said. “The vicepresident took an interest, they took some photos, then signed me. Idid some runway work, some commercials, but I didn’t go that far (inthe business). It is hard work, despite what people say.”
It was her passion for track that ultimately led to her decisionto ditch the models’ life and come to SDSU.
The high jump, it turns out, is a life-long obsession forLasswell.
“I’ve been high jumping since I was in grade seven, and I decidedto pursue it in high school,” she said. “I ended up making theCanadian Junior National Team. It opened me up to a whole differentlevel of competing.”
Lasswell claims it was head coach Rahn Sheffield who influencedher decision to come to San Diego.
“He is such an incredible coach,” Lasswell said.
He was equally impressed. When asked about what made him want tobring Lasswell to SDSU, the usually loquacious Sheffield respondswith one word: “Talent.”
And you can hear him capitalizing the “T” with his voice.
He is looking for Lasswell to do great things, but they are notgoing to rush her. She tied for third in the Aztecs’ last meet inFlagstaff, Ariz.
Another factor in Lasswell’s choice of SDSU was the proximity toLos Angeles, where there is a recording studio or two.
While she had to give up modeling, a decision that Lasswell sayswas difficult, she is reluctant to make a choice between music andtrack.
“If someone wants me to sign a contract and walk away from track,it wouldn’t happen,” she said defiantly. “They’re going to have towork around my schedule and be willing to understand that I loveboth. The reason I’m here is to pursue my track career.”
Lasswell’s immediate plans call for a meeting this week with aproducer, though she will not reveal his identity. Also ahead thisweek is the trek this weekend to the Air Force Academy in ColoradoSprings for the Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships.
“Hopefully, I’ll jump high and do well,” she said.
Perhaps it takes a high jumper/singer to disprove Dick Clark’sancient show biz dictum about keeping your feet on the ground whilereaching for the stars.
