Rio Linda Tutors

About Rio Linda

Rio Linda is a small town just outside of Sacramento but has a larger-than-life resident who lives there. Sheila Hudson, a triple-jump record holder, started her career at Rio Linda High School as a freshman. She went on to accomplish great things, and can point to her hometown as the place that provided her the opportunity to enter the world of the long and triple jump. Though she was not born in Rio Linda, Hudson has deep roots in this quiet community, known for its poultry farms.

Hudson, born in Germany in 1967 to an African American father and Korean mother, set two records for the triple-jump event in 1987. In 1994, she won a silver medal at the IAAF World Cup, won 8th place at the World Indoor Championships, and came in tenth place at the 1996 Olymics. Hudson went on to win fifth in 1998 at the IAAF World Cup, and retired in 2000.

Prior to going pro, Hudson competed for UC Berkeley and has worked as a track and field coach at the collegiate level for several years since her retirement. She is known for her attention to detail and form. Relying on sheer strength and force is tempting for many triple and long jumpers, but Hudson knows better. Agility and speed are also important factors to success in jumping events, which is something she emphasizes with her athletes several times over in practices and after events. She has even shared her expertise working as a sports writer for ESPN shortly after her retirement.

Hudson’s impressive career is even more notable for her diminutive frame and weight—at five feet, five inches and 115 pounds, she was the smallest world-class tripler. For this reason, her attention to the details and mechanics of the jump were of the utmost of importance. She has been featured on the covers of Men’s Journal and Vanity Fair, challenging the status quo of conventional beauty, especially for women, for what qualifies as a typical athletic body. Hudson displayed—and continues to display—confidence in the public light, and sets an example of athletic dedication and hard work to fellow aspiring track and field participants.

Rio Linda students should think of Sheila Hudson if they are struggling or considering working with a tutor. Grade Potential tutors have experience as students themselves, as well as in instructive capacities—similar to Hudson—and can help guide their clients through the difficulties of maintaining their grades and meeting the expectations of their classes. Before Hudson could compete at the Olympics, she had to start somewhere (high school track and field), just as students have to start somewhere (with tutors in Rio Linda to coach them) if they want to see academic success.