Jeremy Dodson has accomplished many feats in his collegiate career.
The Colorado Buffaloes track star is a two-time All-American, participated in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and after last Saturday’s Air Force Invitational, the senior now owns four school records.
Despite all his accomplishments, Dodson is worried.
The reason: Quinton Dodson and A.J. Whitaker.
Quinton Dodson and Whitaker are Jeremy Dodson’s little brothers. The baby bro duo also happens to be on the track team – as freshmen.
“They are getting too fast for me,” Jeremy Dodson said.
While the baby bro duo still has yet to prove they are faster than big brother, they have proven they are not slouches.
Whitaker: An all-league selection in all four years of high school; was all-state as a freshman and junior; was named an indoor All-American as a junior.
Quinton Dodson: As a junior at George Washington High School in Denver, he was named an NCIS All-American.
The Dodsons use competition to fuel their success.
“We haven’t raced each other really, but they already know who’s the fastest one,” Jeremy Dodson said.
“Me,” Quinton Dodson and Whitaker both said.
Not to be outdone by his younger siblings, Jeremy Dodson makes another statement.
“I just know when it comes down to practice today, they are going to see the back of my spikes,” Jeremy Dodson said. “That is all I got to say.”
The trio’s competitive juices do not end on the track either. It extends to video games as well.
Whitaker is the king of Madden NFL football while Jeremy Dodson’s domain is in NCAA Football.
“It’s intense. There’s a lot of talking back and forth,” Whitaker said. “We don’t get mad though. A lot of people get mad when they start losing, but it’s always fun.”
But what’s Quinton Dodson’s role?
“I’m the dude who sits on the side and watches,” Quinton Dodson said.
Even though the brothers will continually try to one-up each other, they all know it is done with love and for their best interest. Each brother looks at another for the strength to be better.
For instance, Whitaker looks at Jeremy Dodson and sees the embodiment of the term student-athlete. Older brother is a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and owns a 3.4 grade point average.
Jeremy Dodson says he improves because Whitaker is always determined to try to catch him. So far, it has not happened.
“The worst thing is this dude just smashes me,” Whitaker said. “I’m going to hype myself up every time even though I know sometimes it’s not even possible (to win). The worst thing is for him to go out and showing me it wasn’t possible.”
As for Quinton Dodson, he’s got the luxury of having both Whitaker and big brother ganging up on him.
“The best thing about Jeremy is his motivation towards me,” Quinton Dodson said. “The best thing about A.J. is he doesn’t motivate me mentally, he motivates me physically. He’ll make me do the weights while Jeremy makes me think to do the weights.”
While older brother’s time is coming to an end, the baby bro duo has plans of their own for the next four years.
“I can tell you that [Jeremy’s records] are going to be broken,” Whitaker said. “Either this year, next year, or before I graduate.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Cheng Sio at Cheng.sio@colorado.edu.
