Freda Wood Toups
August 4, 2009
Clara Arabie Hoskins
August 6, 2009
The Greater St. Mary Youth Track Club is sending its first two athletes to the American Athletic Union (AAU) Junior National Championships today at Drake University Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
Julian Maze, 13, competes in the boys’ youth division triple jump finals at noon. Jasmine Roberson, 12, contends in the girls’ submidget division 80-meter hurdles semifinals at 12:45 p.m.
“This means a great deal because it says we’re making progress,” said Eric Lockley, the club’s head coach. “Last year we didn’t have any kids that made it.”
Two other track club members qualified for the junior nationals, but will not attend due to a death in the family. Nia Stewart, 17, earned spots in the triple jump and 100-meter dash, and Ariel Trim qualified in the 200-meter dash.
Maze, a Berwick resident, and Roberson, from Morgan City, are excited about the opportunity to go head-to-head with the best athletes in their age groups.
“It’s going to be hard because you have kids from all around the country, but I think I can pull it off,” Maze said. “I’m looking for a good experience so I can be ready for next year when I join the track team at Berwick (High).”
“This is going to be fun and I’m going to try my best,” Roberson said. “I’m excited about going out of state. I was happy when Coach Lockley said ‘Iowa.’ I didn’t even know what Junior Nationals was at first.”
During the summer, Maze also ran the100-meter dash and was on the 4×100-meter relay team. Roberson ran the 800- and 1,600-meter runs.
Lockley said Maze stands out because of his determination to improve. He reviews cell phone video of his jumps to make corrections during practice.
“I look at my technique, see if there is something I can do to get an inch further,” the ninth grader said.
“At his age it’s impressive to see him being so serious about getting better,” Lockley added.
Maze got his inspiration for jumping from his cousin Theron Madise, a Berwick High student who drowned in May. Madise competed in several events, including triple jump, for the school track team.
“He taught me everything I know,” Maze said. “He made me push myself. He taught me to never give up. Keep moving forward.”
Maze got another inspirational boost last month when he met two-time Paralympian Elexis Gillette at the AAAG Sports Festival in Atlanta.
Gillette, a long jump silver medalist in 2004 and 2008, signed Maze’s silver racing shoes.
“He inspires me to jump even more because if he can do that, then I can do it,” Maze said.
The coach thinks Maze could leap 40 feet at the junior nationals. His personal best is 37 ?.
Lockley said Roberson’s best quality is she never complains during practice.
“I just do it to get it done with,” Roberson said.
“The others, when you give them something to work out, they like to play around,” he explained. “She’s probably the hardest worker on the team.”
The coach is hoping to get her time down from 17 seconds to around 15.5 for today’s meet.
Lockley, 39, started the Greater St. Mary Youth Track Club in May 2008 to expose children to regional and national competition, especially middle school kids.
He coached track at Morgan City Junior High School the past several years and wanted to see his athletes develop. He watched the New Orleans AAU team and wanted to duplicate the program in St. Mary Parish.
“St. Mary is behind in track and field,” he explained. “High school athletes get to go to regionals and nationals, but on the middle school level, basically, there is no competition outside of the parish. The students and parents were excited about the program. All they had heard about was AAU basketball.”
The track club has athletes from ages 4 to 19 years old. The club began with 19 participants and membership peaked in June 2009 at 62 athletes.
However, economic pressures forced nearly two-thirds of the kids to leave the club. There are currently 24 youths in the track club.
It costs $15 per child to participate in an AAU track meet, and $18 for national qualifiers.
“It was hardest on the families that had more than one child,” Lockley explained. “One family had four; another had three. It was like a two-week period in June when most of the kids left.”
Lockley estimated it costs about $150 per athlete for an entire summer of AAU competition, which lasts from mid-March until the junior nationals.
This year, the track club competed in New Orleans at the Tommie Smith Youth Track Meet in May, the Louisiana Governor’s Games and AAU Area 8 National Qualifier in June and the AAAG Sports Festival last month in Atlanta.
“I calculated I need about $8,000 to $10,000 to effectively do what I need to do,” Lockley said.
The track club has some advantages over other teams around the state.
The Morgan City Junior High track where they practice is open to the public, Patterson High athletic director Tommie Minton allows the club to use the school’s facilities and the athletes get insurance through AAU.
But Lockley would like to get more sponsorships for his track club, so he can get more kids involved and compete in more meets.
“This year, sponsorships came in late. I’m going to get started with that earlier next year,” he said.
To sponsor or join the track club, contact Lockley at (985) 956-1143 or by email at elockley@cox.net.
Jasmine Roberson, 12, practices for her 80-meter hurdles competition today at the AAU Junior nationals at Drake University. Teammate Julian Maze, 13, not pictured, will compete in the triple jump. * Photo by KEYON K. JEFF
