The RoundHouse | 4/12/2024 12:19:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Josh is 15 minutes older than Jason, a fact of uses as a trump card for his twin brother when there's a debate. Jason responds that, while younger, he is more mature.
 
Jason follows sports more than Josh. Josh listens to slow jams; Jason prefers rap.
 
They're business administration majors and both strong in math. Jason helps Josh with writing assignments.
 
"We used to be mad at each other every day, arguing and stuff," Josh said. "Now we're closer than usual. We do everything together."

The Parrish twins are more alike than different. Their unspoken ability to push each other at practice is one example. They might yell out each other's name if they see their twin slacking a bit. The look is just as meaningful.
 
"We'll get on each other for not giving it 110 percent," Jason said. "We know the look we give each other. It's a confused look, like he doesn't understand why."
 
The bond, the competition, the look all comes together for the Parrish twins, freshmen track and field athletes at Wichita State. They will compete this weekend in the K.T. Woodman Classic at Cessna Stadium.
 
Josh ranks eighth nationally and first in the long jump in the American Athletic Conference with a distance of 26 feet, ¾ inches. He is fifth in the AAC in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.17 seconds and sixth in the triple jump (46-11 ½). Jason ranks seventh in the 400 hurdles (52.96) and 11^th in the 110 hurdles (14.84).
 
The twins, from Olathe, played football at Olathe North High School and considered that route in college at Washburn or Montana State. They chose track because of their success in the sport as juniors and seniors in high school. Their size (5-foot-8, 152 pounds) at defensive back or receiver seemed to predict more long-term rewards in track and field.
 
"Wichita State caught our eye because we ran (at Cessna Stadium) before," Josh said. "When we were doing good in track, we started talking that we both should go to the same school, because we can do good and dominate in track."
 
Last spring, they combined to score 60.5 points to lead Olathe North to the Class 6A track and field title at Cessna Stadium. Josh won three golds and a sliver. Jason contributed two golds and two silvers. Their total beat runner-up Shawnee Mission East's 53 points. In 2022, they teamed with older brother Jacob, now a cornerback at Kansas State, to combine for 67 points, again more than the runner-up.
 
"They come from a very athletic family," said John Wise, assistant director of track and field. "A lot of people were recruiting Josh. Jason improved so much his senior year that both of them were terrific recruits."
 
Wise expects the twins to compete in the USATF under-20 Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., in July. Josh popped his 26-3/4 long jump at Friends last week and is No. 1 among under-20s in the United States. Jason will run the 400 hurdles.

"Really good track I.Q.'s for freshmen," Wise said. "They're serious about track and school. When they get in here, they want to talk about track."
 
The Parrish siblings – including older sister Jaia and former Nebraska wrestler Jevon – competed in everything growing up. They played board games. The brothers played 2-on-2 basketball in the driveway. They played football on the grass at a local elementary school.
 
"Having brothers who were really competitive made me always try to be at the top of my game," Jason said. "You always want to work hard. You always want to be at their level. When we were outside playing basketball or anything, people used to have to break stuff up. Things got rough. That's how brothers are."
 
Josh excelled in the hurdles and jumps earlier than Jason, who started the hurdles a bit later. Josh won two Class 6A titles in the 110-meter hurdles and the long jump and one in the triple jump at Olathe North. Jason won two Kansas titles in the 300-meter hurdles.
 
Wise believes their background as football players and members of a talented family give them an edge when competition gets fierce. At Wichita State, they joined a strong hurdles group with Joseph Holthusen ranked third in the 110 hurdles in the AAC.
 
"What you see is an aggressiveness that football builds within somebody," Wise said. "In hurdles, that's good. You can hit a hurdle and it can knock you for a loop. If you're aggressive and you power through it, that's good."

Whether it's on the track, the football field or the driveway in Olathe, the Parrish twins are well-accustomed to a getting knocked around and staying on course.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.