LONG JUMP QUEEN

AMES — It all started, innocently enough, as a friendly side bet between a grandpa and his granddaughter. Sydney Willits has always considered herself an elite competitor. Motivation has never been an issue for Iowa State’s junior All-American. Yet when Fran Long of Fort Dodge offered Willits — the daughter of former Dodger Christie (Long) Willits — an added incentive, his eldest grandchild saw the NCAA Indoor Track Championships as the perfect opportunity to reach a whole new level. Willits won a national title in the women’s long jump last...