Five Hills Track & Field Club

The Five Hills Track & Field Club achieved an unprecedented 12 athletes competing in 29 events during the AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa in August 2004. Solely identifying the twelve newly crowned Olympians would not acknowledge the summer track program true worth and efforts. So let's examine the Jack Rabbits and their competitive efforts. We must start off with the Jack Rabbits' Sprint King Donald Buckram (100m, 200m) and the seven different Jack Rabbits who made it to the Region 9A State Championship in San Antonio. Well for starters, our explosive pint-size sprinter Steffin McCarter led a talented pool of sprinters in both the 100m and 200m Dashes, which included Brandin Byrd (12), Brittney Noorwood (9), Desha' Smith (10), Jasmine Williams (15), Troy Vital (14) and Anthony Cotton (14). The King of the sprints, Young Buckram performs his agility and explosive power in a highly regarded and contested events. The Quarter Milers (400m) consisting of 4-time Olympian and 4-time National Champion Robert Griffin, III, Jasmine Clarke, and Daniel Ruff was up to the challenged in the serious and competitive charged to the Championship round. Our half milers (800m) are led by Jasmine Clarke (15), and followed attentively by Daniel Ruff (9), Toni Johnson (13), Michael Griffin (12), and Kelsey Sloan (12). The cornerstone of the Jack Rabbits Long Distance Racing program is Zachary Ornelas (13), who inspired his sibling Olivia Ornelas, and teammates Kelsey Sloan, and Demitri Pace to challenge themselves within first before taking on their highly regarded competitors. Jacqueline Williams (10) is a race walking machine, as she exhibited great speed walking technique to influence fellow Jack Rabbits of her true craft. Pole Vaulting is not a lost art in the Five Hills Country, as Anthony Cotton (14) and Kyle Strickland (14) soar above the track atmosphere over the horizontal bar with technical flare. Our Discus Throwers are packed with a talented pool of young ladies, Dejon Griffin (15), Star Martinez (12), and Tiffany Frailey (12) had a whale of a time with the power throws and later introduced spinning/whip action, which sent the Discus even further into the air. The Shot Put Throwers were plentiful as Dejon Griffin (15), Bobbie Martinez (9), Brandon Varisce (10), Ryan Babbs (9), Shawn Noorlun (9), Sabrina Martinez (7); all were determined, competitive, and committed to task. The High Jumping Jack Rabbits' Rashad Hawk (16), Robert Griffin, III, Donovan Johnson (12), Michael Griffin (12) were top notch jumpers over the horizontal bar. Wow, and there are still the Triple Jump, where Solomon Williams, Rashad Hardy, and Desmond Gibson (14) all Youth Boys honed their skills with competitive practices and meet performances. The Jack Rabbits Long Jumpers utilized their sprint speed finely messed with technical jump off to soar far in the sand pits. Our Jack Rabbits consisted of Casey Stephens (15), Troy Vital, Robert Griffin, III, Donovan Johnson, Michael Griffin, Alexandria Norris, Daniel Ruff, Brittney Noorwood, and Steffin McCarter. The Hurdling program has continued to gain great exposure as 2002, 2003, 2004 Olympian Robert Griffin, III led the charge with the national's fastest 100m hurdling time of 13.55 seconds for Youth Boys. Casey Stephens, Khristina Ruff, Rashad Hardy (13), Solomon Williams (13), Donovan, Michael Griffin, James Buckmire (12), Romando Garcia (12), Chris Barrick (12), Chris Haynes (13), Alexandria Norris, Olivia Ornelas. Donovan Johnson anchors the sprint hurdles in the Midget Boys (12 years old) Division with the third fastest time in the nation of 13.85 seconds in the 80m Hurdles. Troy Vital and Brittany Clarke (13) challenged themselves in the half lap hurdles of 200m. Their natural 200 meters sprint speed gives them a decisive advantage over the curving 5 hurdles. Our Track Club even had several athletes take their skills to the "Test of Will" in the Multi-events. Ryan Babbs led the charge in the Triathlon, Troy Vital, Robert Griffin, III, Rashad Hardy, Kyle Strickland, Donovan Johnson, and Michael Griffin competed in the Pentathlon. Casey Stephen Challenged herself for two days of events in the Girls' Hepthalon. The Track Program is multi-facets, and there's an event for all who may just want to throw or jump, and for the purist at heart who wants to gain running or sprinting supremacy. "Our program is a very small representative sample of the talent within this community. We strive to have no idle youth during these troubling times. There's many games to play like football, baseball, basketball, and soccer. Their only one truth sport to engage, test your will, determination and commitment to task; Track and Field. Mrs. Strickland, who son Kyle is an emerging Pole Vaulter and Pentathlete, says, "Kyle really began taking track serious as the season progressed. He (Kyle) used to hide before practice, and then he didn't want to miss practice as the competition grew fierce." A summer full of travel, competitive efforts, while merging much kinship both within the team, and amongst competitors. All 86 Jack Rabbits provided their fellow Olympian with something special from practice habits to a will to achieve. The twelve athletes soon to be mention can look toward their fellow Jack Rabbits for inspiration, which was developed in those very hard practices running hills, pulling tires, and peforming a multiple amount of tasks with the jump rope. So, here's the Five Hills Track & Field 2004 Junior Olympians: Leading the way is Ryan Babbs, 1st-time Olympian in the Sub Bantam (9 years old) Boys Triathlon. Daniel Ruff, the Jack Rabbits pine-sized quarter-miler place 4th in the Sub-Bantam Boys 800m Run expanding his ability and arsenal, also a 1st time Olympian. He won his heat, and will prove to the other three Texans whose the best 800m in Iowa. The Primary Boys' (6-8 years old) Steffin McCarter provided excited in the track club as he qualified in three events for the Junior Olympics. He was 1st in the 100m, 2nd in the Long Jump, and third in the 200m, not bad a first time Olympian. Olivia Ornelas is now a 3-time Olympian, as she increased her running distance and ability winning the Silver Medal in the 3000m Run with a time 12 minutes, 7 seconds. She ran 5 minutes, 29 seconds in the 1500m earning a Bronze Medal for her 3rd place finish. Alexandria Norris, also a 3-time Olympian, won a Bronze Medal in the 80m Hurdles with a determined time of 14.95 seconds. Donovan, A 2-time Olympian qualified for the Junior Olympics winning the Midget Boys Pentathlon with 1794 points, he won a Silver Medal in the High Jump wit a height of 4' 10", and a Bronze Medal in the 80m Hurdles with a time of 13.87 seconds. Robert Griffin, III exemplified his committment to the Jack Rabbit program with a high level of practice habits, and results to match in all track meets and qualification rounds. He won 4 gold medals at the AAU Region 9A Championships in San Antonio. His quest to defend his 2003 Youth Boys Gold Medal in the Pentathlon from Detroit, Michigan started on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 at Trinity University. He continued to turn heads as he reached the finals in 100m Hurdles, and 400m dash on Friday, July 2, 2004. The great form (conditioning) of the athletes proved to be a stellar "Showdown" for Saturday in finals, July 3rd. Robert was out quick in the hurdles demonstrating great technique and clean hurdling to win gold. He immediately ran to the High jump Pit to take three jumps to win that competition. He quickly moved to our rest area to mentaly prepared for a competitive 400m Dash. Once called, he lined up in lane 3 for the one-lapper; yes the world record holder Michael Johnson's specialty. The first 250 meters were ran quickly saviong little, the final stretch (100m) came down to a Houston athlete and Robert. The other athlete began to tire, but the Jack Rabbits four phase approach to running the quarter mile proved to be a great confidence builder as Robert ran pass the Bay Area athlete. He ran a personal best of 51.20 seconds. Troy Vital proved to be the most popular Jack Rabbits of the day as his 200m hurdles sent all members of the Jack Rabbits to the railings for a up-close and personal view. Coach Griffin relayed several critical areas of his previous race by looking at his semi-finals race on video. Troy started out running to qualify, but by his second hurdle, he, and his fans were screaming for him to win. He nearly did, running 26.76 seconds winning a Sliver Medal to the applauding and cheerful Jack Rabbit Family of his first time Olympic berth. Jasmine Clarke, a 2-time Olympian ran the two-lapper with power, grace, finesse and wisdom. She ran a personal best of 2 minutes, 22 seconds winning the Silver medal. Dejon Griffin came to the "Championship" with a purpose and a mission to throw the Shot Put high and far. She threw the 8-pound steel ball 35' 8" winning the Bronze and her first trip to the national stage. Three-time Olympian Donald Buckram overcame adversity in the Intermediate Boys 200m Dash. On Friday, he and six other boys rans a great race, but the automatic timing device was unplugged mistakeningly by an athlete near the finish line, so they had to send 14 boys to the finals, running two heats , and taking the fastest four times as a qualifier. Donald was given lane number one, while the other boys were positioned in the choice lanes (4,5,6). He consulted with Coach Griffin and receive specific instruction which Donald carried out to the the letter of his coaches' word. He won a Silver Medal in a blazing time of 22.41 coming off that tight curve in lane number one. He also won a Bronze Medal in the 100m Dash in 10.84 seconds in a very exciting power sprint. So, there are your 12 Olympians up - close and personal. We are gearing up for TAAF, so don't let up, whether you are 2004 Olympians or schedule competitors in TAAF at Baylor university. "Train Hard, Eat Right, Hydrate!!!!