From Calgary to Charleston

Jill MacEachen, a hurdles jumper, hails from Calgary, Alberta in Canada. MacEachen, an art major, particularly likes painting and drawing. (Kim Foster | The Daily Eastern News)

Sophomore Jill MacEachen is a hurdler for Eastern's track and field team. With the exception of two other athletes, every member of the women's track and field team is from Illinois. 

Every member of the Eastern track and field team also calls the United States home; all but one that is, Jill MacEachen is the only exception.

Jill MacEachen comes to Eastern from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Calgary, Canada's fifth largest city is nearly 1,775 miles from Charleston. So what brings MacEachen all the way to Eastern? Track and field.

MacEachen first got in contact with Eastern by way of her high school track coach at George McDougall High School. 

The son of MacEachen's high school track coach had previously been a runner at Eastern, which led to MacEachen getting in contact with head track and field coach Tom Akers.

"I just wanted to run down in the States somewhere, and then when I met Coach Akers, I knew this is where I wanted to train," MacEachen said.

Since coming to Eastern, MacEachen says she really enjoys the school's atmosphere and climate, as compared to Canada.

"I like the atmosphere of the school. I like how it's not super huge, and I really like the weather down here too," MacEachen said.

MacEachen said the winters are much shorter in Charleston, than in Canada, that the weather stays nicer longer, and that there is a lot less snow.

Other things that really attracted MacEachen to Eastern was the overall level of competition for track and field in the United States and the way the team works as a whole.

"I really like the competition, and I like how the team is kind of like a family," MacEachen said. "We are more like a family, not just individuals."

"Track is a lot bigger down here than it is up there. Up there, it is kind of like everybody knows everybody from different track teams, but down here there are a lot more people," MacEachen said.

Other than the differences in the levels of competition, MacEachen said the United States and Canada are, for the most part, very similar.

Despite only getting to visit home a few times a year, MacEachen said she does not get at all homesick.

"I like going away. I wanted to go as far away as possible," MacEachen said.

In her free time, when she is not practicing, MacEachen says that she likes to hang out with her friends. 

She says that one her favorite hobbies is to do arts and crafts, such as making jewelry and picture frames, as she would someday like to make a career out of it.

"My major is art and my minor is psychology, and I want to do art therapy," MacEachen said.

"I always liked working with kids, and I wanted to work in a hospital, but I didn't want to be a doctor. So I always thought arts and crafts with kids in a hospital would be a lot of fun," MacEachen said.

MacEachen is also a big fan of music. She enjoys Nelly, Gucci Mane and Usher, but also likes anything and everything. MacEachen also likes music from her fellow Canadians, such as Justin Bieber and Drake.

"I used to hate Justin Bieber, but now I love him. I'm not embarrassed or ashamed at all. I'm proud."


Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7944 or emaildcrenzetti@eiu.edu