Senior Spotlight: Howell jumps into Wildcat history books
photo courtesy of Nicole Beck-Wilkening
One, two, three. That is all senior Clark Howell needs to re-write history in triple jump for West as he leaps into the pit. With a new record of 46 feet and eight inches, he has now broken the school record three times in the last two years.
But every expert once was a beginner, and Howell is no exception.
“My dad did track so he told me I should do track, and I did track in middle school. So I joined the track team,” he said. “I was doing high jump originally, and then my high jump coach told me I should try triple jump.”
Matthew Howell, Clark Howell’s father, also remembers the time that his son showcased his athleticism as well as his interests.
“Clark’s talent in track and field really started freshman year, maybe even a little before. He was always fast and athletic,” he said. “He always participated in sports such as soccer, and cross-country in middle school. So he seemed to really gravitate towards the later half of middle school and by his freshman year, he was full on.”
Scott Mankiewicz, boys track and field head coach, acknowledges the younger Howell’s noticeable transformation in physicality from his freshman year.
“Clark has grown to be an exceptional athlete. I believe he started his freshman year with a personal record of 30 feet. Not only has he gotten taller, but his personal records have grown considerably,” he said. “Also the dedication. He has really done a nice job honing his skill and excelling at triple jump, which is one of the more technical events in track and field.”
Ethan Nelson, long jump and triple jump coach, also applauds the changes that Clark Howell has shown over the years, especially his physical traits.
“Well for one, he’s gotten a lot bigger and stronger. So the physicality over time really shows the work ethic over the years. When he came in as a freshman, he was tall and lanky, like a baby giraffe,” he said. “By the time he was a senior, you could tell he filled up, got a lot stronger, a lot more stable.”
Mental discipline is also a necessity for an athlete to be successful and Matthew Howell recognizes the discipline that his son has shown over the years.
“When it comes to Clark about being proud, I would come back to the word dedication,” he said. “The fact that he showed his maturity, his level of responsibility and being able to do it himself, without being told, is a reminder that he is a self-driven person and I couldn’t be more proud of raising the kid.”
Nelson agrees with the work ethic along with humility.
“The thing that separates Clark from other athletes, I would say, is Clark’s work ethic. He works hard in silence. He’s not boastful, he doesn’t talk about his accomplishments,” he said. “I think he leads by example, and I think people just see how hard he works and kind of follow along with that. He puts his head down and he works like crazy. Hardest worker out of any athletes for sure.”
However, every athlete faces struggles, even the most talented. Clark Howell has faced challenges during his journey
“I’ve had a couple injuries to my side. I had a metal rod in my chest for the longest time and that was causing issues so then I had to rest up to make sure I can take care of that,” he said. “I pulled my hamstring this year, so I’ve been trying to rest up and trying to just kind of keep honing through.”
There are always supporters along the way of overcoming those challenges and Clark Howell’s number one fan has always been by his side.
“Probably my dad. He inspired me to do track because he did track in high school and he was going to track in college,” Clark Howell said. “He was a really big support because he watches me and supports me and always wants to help me out.”
Matthew Howell showed that support in multiple ways
“Supporting Clark is really about opening up time. From answering questions, to trying to help him with whatever he needs to do for the day,” he said.
Nelson is proud of his son for overcoming challenges with silence despite adversity, not letting a bad performance determine the season.
“Clark is kind of keeping to himself, sort of a guy. He’s outgoing for sure, but he’s silent and he mourns in silence, but also his successes are in silence and he celebrates in silence,” he said. “What that usually looks like is he is completely silent, doesn’t talk to anybody, and he’s very reserved. So I think he internalises it and he uses it as motivation going forward.”
Nicole Fischer, girls track and field head coach, appreciates the leadership the senior brings to the team.
“Clark is a great athlete and separates himself by stepping more into a more leadership role, and so he practices with intent; he’s just an overall good role model,” she said, “It’s hard to find athletes who really complete every aspect.”
Nelson also praises Clark Howell’s ability to step up when it matters the most during his absence as well as his ability to recreate drills with perfection, setting an example to others.
“He is like a sponge as far as knowledge, all the drills, and everything that we’ve done over the last four years. He could probably tell you every single workout that we’ve done,” he said. “If I’m busy doing other stuff with jumpers, I can lean on Clark with other jumpers to keep the ball moving as far as practice in different drills. He’s just been a huge help with other athletes around the team.”
Matthew Howell has always appreciated that level of attentiveness towards the people around him.
“Clark, you look at him, he’s a very athletic guy. He’s very quiet and reserved, so you may not know this, but he’s actually between very funny and witty,” he said. “He’s a pretty intelligent dude when it comes to thoughtful answers and being caring about the people around them.”
With this support, Clark Howell looks forward to being remembered as an athlete who wrote the history of the team.
“I want to be remembered as a contributing member of the team, trying to score points for the school record,” he said.
by Mark Jung
Published April 27, 2026
Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue VII