Seattle Prep’s Will Floyd, Class 3A’s top sprinter, aiming for the WIAA state triple-crown: 'He only knows one speed — full speed ahead'

Floyd has emerged as one of the state's best sprinters this season and has eyes on winning the WIAA state 100, 200 and 400-meter races

Seattle Prep coach Deino Scott describes junior Will Floyd as focused, hard-working and, most of all, rather reserved. All of last season, Scott guesses he didn’t hear Floyd say more than 10 words. 

He didn’t need to. As Floyd, one of the state’s top sprinters prepares to potentially attempt something high school sprinters in Washington rarely accomplish, he lets his times do the talking. 

He has the top 100, 200 and 400 meter dash times in Class 3A this season, and he’s preparing to attempt to win state in all three at next week’s WIAA state track championship — a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in Class 3A since 2006. 

Scott encouraged him to try, if he thinks his body can handle it. Tatum Taylor, his club coach told him to “go for it.” And Floyd? 

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“As of right now, I’d say I’m going for it,” Floyd said. “We’re probably going to take it day by day, see how my body’s feeling and best case scenario just go for it.

“In my eyes, the triple crown is something that hopefully can live in the Washington history books," Floyd said. "It’s something not everyone has the opportunity to do, especially as a junior. I think it would definitely be something that would be great for me and hopefully my legacy here in Washington.”

For Floyd, a chance to compete for a state track championship is long in the making. His freshman year season was wiped away by COVID. As a sophomore, he broke the school's 400-meter dash record in a season that didn’t include a state meet. 

That was only the beginning. His love for track began when he first tried it as a seventh grader. He started to understand he was pretty good at it. But COVID-19 limited his opportunities as a freshman. 

His junior year has been one big breakout tour. He earned first team all-Metro League football honors as a wide receiver in his first season ever playing the sport, and has since added an offer from Portland State. 

In January, Floyd decided to compete on the national club track stage for the first time. He sought out Taylor, a former standout at the University of Oregon who set state records for O’Dea in the 100 and 200, is Bellevue’s head track & field coach who works with some of the area’s top track athletes. 

He jumped into high-intensity workouts — the most rigorous training he'd endured before a high school season — and feels that allowed him to reach heights he'd previously been unable to reach. 

"This last winter, I finally decided track is something I think I should have put more time into," Floyd said. 

Competing with GLS Speed track club, he won the AAU National Indoor Championships 400-meter dash with a 48.08-second finish and was a part of indoor national title teams in the 4x200 and 4x400 relay. The event, which took place in Virginia Beach, Va., took place on March 13 after the high school season had already started. 

“I was like, ‘damn,’ ” Scott said. “He came back and he’s just been on fire. He’s so quiet and unassuming.’ “He only knows one speed — full speed ahead. He loves hard workouts.” 

Scott calls Floyd “special” for how fast he is, how hard he works and how quickly his body recovers. He’ll tell Scott and coaches if he’s tired and has mastered his routine. Between races, he turns on his music and lays low. He's only lost one individual race this year — a second-place finish in the 400 at the Shoreline Invitational, two weeks before he set the state's best mark with a 46.84 in the Metro Championships.

Scott remembers Floyd being exhausted after the Shoreline meet. That same night, Floyd turned around and went to prom that night.

Scott light-heartedly says a certain level of a high-achieving athlete only comes around for a coach every 15 years or so.

And in his nearly 30 years, Floyd’s his only one.

“I was sitting there watching him run and thought ‘what if another one walked into practice next year?’ ” Scott said. “Holy smokes."

Now he appears ready to attempt something — winning the 100, 200 and 400 — that has been done 11 times since 2003, when WIAA digital records trace back. 

And Floyd credits his offseason preparation for his meteoric improvement.

 “Coming into this high school season (Thomas) and GLS took me to a whole new level I didn’t really know I was capable of,” Floyd said, “and I guess here we are now, trying to go for state now.”

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PAST 100-200-400 WIAA STATE WINNERS SINCE 2003

(Source: The WIAA)

Gabe Taylor, Mount Vernon Christian (1B)

2019: 11.59 (100), 22.68 (200), 50.27 (400)

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Liam Bracken, Republic (1B)

2018: 11.51 (100), 22.94 (200), 49.20 (400).

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James Thompkins, Waitsburg-Prescott (1B)

2013: 11.43 (100), 22.52 (200), 50.09 (400).

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Ben Allen, Cashmere (1A)

2009: 11.28 (100), 22.32 (200), 49.19 (400)

2010: 11.61 (100), 22.96 (200), 50.03 (400)

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Maurice McNeal, Tacoma Baptist (2B)

2009: 11.21 (100), 22.24 (200), 49.18 (400)

2008: 10.98 (100), 21.88 (200), 48.97 (400)

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Josh Fuller, King’s (1A)

2007: 11.44 (100), 22.87 (200), 50.06 (400)

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Attrail Snipes, Rainier Beach (3A)

2006: 10.71 (100), 22.22 (200), 48.83 (400)

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Chad Butorac, Northport (B)

2005: 11.16 (100), 22.07 (200), 48.58 (400)

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Devin Timpson, North Beach (1A)

2004: 11.42 (100), 22.53 (200), 49.04 (400)

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Photos courtesy Steven A. Schimmelman, @stevenartphoto