South Lakes' Hannah Waller Looks Back On Record Indoor Track Season (as seen on Milestat.com)

Hannah Waller broke the 757 girls strangehold on the
short sprints at the most recent 6A state meet in Hampton

Hannah Waller is fairly new to track, but it hasn't taken her long to make waves on the national level. With her wins in the 55 (6.87) and 300 (38.50) last weekend at the 6A girls state championships at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, the South Lakes sophomore broke the 757's stranglehold on the girls' sprint titles from this decade, and she is primed to stencil her name all over the Virginia state record books. Still, she came to running from another discipline.

"I used to be a swimmer," said the Seahawk, who specialized in the freestyle and breaststroke as a member of her local YMCA swim team. "But my mother always thought I was fast."

It turned out that Mother knew best. "As a sixth grader, she took me to an all-comers meet in Centreville, and I made it to the finals (in my event). She thought I should continue, so I joined the Ashburn Elite track team," added Waller.

To the surprise of her track friends, Waller didn't immediately sign up for indoor track during her freshman year at the Reston school. "At one of the meets, I ran across a coach named Lee Watts who had run for Georgetown (University). He wanted to coach me, so I trained with him in Bethesda (MD), and work on my technical form."

The specialized work must have helped. After one invitational in outdoor season, Waller was chosen as one of seven South Lakes runners to travel across the country to compete at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in California.

"Our coach (Scott Raczko) takes us there for the competition," said Waller, who ran region qualifying marks of 12.41 in the 100 and 25.53 in the 200 at Arcadia, while running a 200 leg on South Lakes' school-record sprint medley (4:06.84).

The progress continued and the then-freshman won the 6A North region meet with an 11.99 in the 100, tying the mark of Hayfield's Murielle Ahoure. She also captured the 200 in 24.74.

After placing third in the 100 and fourth in the 200 at 6A outdoor states, Waller started to get an idea about her ability. But it was only in the following week, after racing at Nationals, that the possibility of her potential began to sink in.

Coach sat me down and we went over our whole season," said Waller. "We went over every race, and it motivated me and gave me inspiration. After talking with (Raczko), I knew that I could get to new heights."

Now in her first indoor season, Waller has yet to taste defeat in her primary events, as she is undefeated in both the 55 and 300. However, she did hit a wall toward the end of January.

Jokingly, she recalls, "I knew that I could consistently run 6.99 (in the 55)," an opinion supported by the fact that she hit the mark three times over a two-week period, along with a single 6.98. Thinking ahead to the state meet, she also noticed that "Shadajah (Ballard of Western Branch) was just under 7."

After region wins (6.99 in the 55, 39.43 in the 300), Waller realized that she would need a new wrinkle in her training to achieve the final boost to winning two state championships. Coach Raczko set a plan into motion.

"We drilled on starts, and coming out of the blocks," said Waller, who also spent extra sessions working on her "drive phase". "I worked on the movement of my arms and my frequency (of landing)." For the 300, we talked about going after the last 50 (meters) off the turn. Coach likes to call it "blazing." My goal was to make sure that I wasn't losing form, to keep my arms going."

The extra work paid off as Waller stunned her competition with a marginal win in the 55, a race that had not seen a non-757 (area code) athlete win the event since the state meet moved to the Booplex in 2009. Asked if breaking the streak motivated her, Waller admitted, "I didn't know about it until he (Nolan Jez of Milestat) mentioned it in the (video) interview." Her time of 6.87 kept Waller ranked at #3 in the U.S., and beat Ballard, her fiercest competitor, by a whole tenth of a second.

The 300 also went according to plan, as Waller drove off the last turn to win the race and finish in a new PR of 38.50, a quarter-second improvement.

Next up - New Balance Nationals, where Waller ran the 60 and 200 at the Armory complex in New York City. Waller placed fifth in the 200 (24.41), and ninth in the 60.

"I like it," said Waller talking of the track. I ran there at a youth meet, and then again last year. It's really bouncy, plus it's a banked track. We ran a 1:43 in the 4x200 and my split was 23.8, so I'm hoping to be somewhere around there (at Nationals).

She hasn't had much time to think about outdoor season, or even a potential college at this point of her career. Yet, surprisingly, for a 10th grader, Waller has a laser-like focus on her career venture.

"I want to get into marketing," said Waller, again sighting her mother's wisdom as a guiding factor. "She's an entrepreneur, a promoter, and she has motivated and guided me in that way."

Perhaps she will gain a few lessons from those who aim to move her running career to greater levels. Ha

Potomac Boys Sprinters Prep For NB Nationals (As seen on Milestat.com)

Lost in the shuffle of some magnificent performances among the young men and women within the 5A and 6A classifications was a solid group effort by the boys’ sprinters from Potomac High in Dumfries. Six Panthers combined among six events to score 53.5 of Potomac’s 58.5 points, which was enough to put them in solid contention for the state title right up until the last event when L.C. Bird nailed down the decisive eight points to win with 66.

Donovan Louis is one of five Potomac HS sprinters
hoping to find the medal stand at this weekend's
New Balance Nationals in NYC.

Under the tutelage of sprint coach Kenny Harrison and head coach Jeffrey Foy, five of the six runners will attempt to make noise on the national scene this weekend as the Panthers compete in two events, with aspirations of scoring in each one.

Last year, most of the fireworks coming from Dumfries came from Donovan Louis, a former 1,000-yard rusher on the Panther football team who made bigger waves with indoor and outdoor track and decided to forego his senior year on the gridiron and concentrate on his sprinting and jumping. The decision paid off as Louis earned a track scholarship to Virginia Tech, where he will contend on the track and in the field.

At the 5A state meet, Louis won the 55 in 6.43, ran a leg of the Panthers winning 4x200 (1:30.03) and placed second in the long jump with a 23-5.5. He will be concentrating on the long jump this weekend at the Armory in NYC, and hopes to get past his best jump of 24-3. How much farther remains anyone’s guess, and Louis isn’t quick to tell.

“Looking to win,” said Louis on Monday evening when asked about his goal. “And to put up a jump that’ll shock everyone.” However, the specifics were left out. “I wouldn’t say the distance I’m aiming for.”

Rawle Brebnor Jr. improved exponentially last year to move into the upper echelon of 5A sprinters. Brebnor, who recently committed to run for Indiana Institute of Technology, placed sixth in the 55 at States, and ran the 300 and Potomac’s fourth-place 4x400, but the senior has specific goals for his weekend, in which he will run on the 4x200 and open 200.

“My goal is to just run fast try to make the finals in the 200. (In the) 4x200, we are trying to win the whole thing,” said Brebnor, with no pretense of modesty intended.

Bryan Ahouman, third in the 55 (6.47) is the up and comer of the Panther contingent. Ahouman has emerged as a sophomore and also ran a leg on the 4x200, a task he will duplicate in New York.

Matthew Mitchell placed second in the 55 hurdles at the 5A meet, and he will join Ahouman, Brebnor and Anthony Cole (4x200 champion, sixth – HJ) as the Panther’s fearsome foursome. Mitchell also eked out a point as the eighth-place finisher in the long jump (21-8.25).

Dashon Reeves was also on the winning 4x200 squad, as well as the 4x400, but will be unable to make the trip to New York. But the five Panthers making the trip will hope to bring back a reminder of their journey, preferably in gold, silver or bronze form.

T.C.'s Nyla Ward Wins Virginia 6A Long Jump with 19-2 Leap. She's Now Aiming For 20.

It would be hard to find fault with T.C. Williams junior Nyla Ward for scratching on all three of her attempts in the 6A long jump. After all, there haven't been many opportunities this indoor season to jump in a real pit.

 

"This was the best practice we have had all season," exclaimed jumping coach James Garner, minutes after Ward had wrapped up the state title with her leap of 19 feet and 2.75 inches. There was no disrespect intended in the comment, especially after Garner elaborated on the reason for stating it.

"It's been a tough winter for us. Our pits are frozen, and last Tuesday and Wednesday were the first days we have been able to practice outside in four, five weeks."

Ward, with remarkable modesty, explained some of the faults she need to tweak after Saturday's jumps.

"I need to work on keeping my head and my eyes up," adding that failing to do so forces her to reach for the board with her final approach step.

If Ward succeeds, a great plateau should be reached. Her best jump indoors has been 19-5, but last spring, as a sophomore, she just missed breaking the 20-foot barrier by the smallest possible margin, leaping 19-11.75 while placing second in the 6A State meet. She admitted that taking a quick peek at the takeoff board during her finals may have caused her to overstep and step over the board on all three attempts.

There was no reason for concern. With a 13-inch lead (Jazmine Tilmon of Western Branch was second in 18-1.75), Ward was allowed the chance to take three worry-free jumps at a big competition, while aiming for the elusive 20.

Of course, getting past 20 feet is her goal, right?

"Actually, I'm trying to get the school record," said Ward, referring to the 20-1.25 mark set by Tynita Butts at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in 2009. Butts had tacked on three more inches during the previous outdoor season, meaning that eventually 20-4.5 will be the mark that Ward aims for.

The comparisons between Butts and Ward are beginning to take shape, especially after Ward broke her elder's 55-meter school record earlier this season. Garner, who has coached jumpers at the Alexandria school for 17 years is the common link. 

"Am I not the luckiest coach in the world," questions Garner. "I just called my wife and told her, two state long jump champs. Incredible."

Butts moved on to East Carolina, where he developed into a 6-4 high jumper. With one more year of high school, her coaches wonder how high to set the bar with their latest prodigy. But both Garner, and head coach Mike Hughes admit, Ward is ready for the challenge.

"There is no finer athlete to work with," said Hughes, now in his 25th year at T.C. "She works hard and takes care of her life outside of track and field. She is very even keeled and down to earth."

Ward, who started in track as a nine-year old with the revered Cavalier/Cavalette youth track team in Prince George's County (MD), had ample opportunities to test her threshold of patience this winter, as snow and cold weather forced the Titans indoors on most days. Garner described what he called a "three-ring circus."

"Basically, we share a pit with the pole vaulters. So, we will have a pole vaulter jump, and then a jumper will come in from the side."

There are other training methods. "We have devised ways of working indoors. We're working on explosion with boxes. Sometimes, I'll stand in the pit with a stick in my hand and tell Nyla that I want her to jump and knock the stick out of my hand. She has to get to a certain height on her jump to do that."

There will be one more shot at 20 feet for this season, when Ward jumps at the New Balance Nationals. She will also run the 60 meters and take a final attempt at Butts' other short sprint record. Later on Saturday, she placed sixth in the 55 with a time of 7.11, just off her best of 7.07.

But there's always next year, and Ward's cool demeanor should help when the college coaches start calling en masse. To date, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech and South Carolina have reached out, and the first two schools have drawn the most attention from Ward. "Georgia has the best jumpers, and LSU is just ..." Ward's voice trails off, but she nods when the word "good" is interjected to fill in the blank about the perennially top-five nationally ranked Tiger team.

But for now, Nyla Ward will just work on keeping her eyes up.

Grassfield's A. Smith Looks To Develop R.E.A.L. Men

As seen on UltimateRecruit.com

“Who is the President of (the University of) Alabama?,” asked Grassfield High assistant football coach Anthony Smith to a group of 30 or so in attendance at his character education seminar at last weekend’s Nike Coach of the Year clinic., held at the Dulles Westin in Herndon, VA.

As the room sat in silence, Smith presented another question. “OK, who is the football coach at Alabama?” This time, several attendees were quick to verbalize the answer. “Nick Saban.”

Smith’s point had been made. Coaches are powerful figures within their institutions of learning, and in many cases, better known than the people they work for.

From this baseline, the coach of 21 years explained the R.E.A.L. Man program. In its briefest version, the acronym stands for:

R: Respect all people.

E: Especially women.

A: Always do the right thing.

L: Live a life that matters.

Smith, who lived in public housing as a young man in Virginia Beach, played football for Joe Taylor as an athlete at Hampton University. He used Taylor as an example of a man dedicated to building character and culture throughout his program. Inspired by his mentor, Smith transitioned into coaching after his playing days were through, but found rough sailing as a young coach, particularly at his first school, Indian River.

“We lost four starters due to crimes,” said Smith, adding that of the 20 people he played ball with as a youngster, only he and one friend graduated from high school and only he went on to college. The retrospective memories showed the loss he endured. “We just lost them – one by one,” adding that drugs or street violence was usually the cause.

Statistics back up his life story. Smith noted that the number of children living without fathers has skyrocketed, from about eight million in 1960 to over 20 million today. Seventy-one percent of pregnant teenage girls live without a father, as do 85% of incarcerated youths.

But there is an answer, said Smith, looking around the room while pronouncing that “Coaches are father figures.”

Smith went on to tell the story of Frank DiCocco, a young man who seized his coaching job as an opportunity to develop athletes off the field. DiCocco died at the young age of 29, but through his book, he laid out the steps of character development, affectionately called “Frank’s Mission.”

So why teach character? As coaches, Smith said, “it is our job to do more than just win games,” encouraging them to use their positions of power to influence our student athletes and help them succeed in life.

The obstacles are real. “There are three downfalls of man,” said Smith – “Sex Drugs and Alcohol.” His next point grabbed the attention of the listeners. “If weed isn’t addictive, then why do some athletes lose their million dollar contracts, just for a 15-minute high?”

Smith, who has been involved with R.E.A.L. for eight years, also gave an explanation of the program, noting that each year, the H.O.P.E. Foundation offers its scholarship at a public ceremony.

“It’s all about mental toughness,” said Smith in a final message to his fellow coaches. “By mental toughness, I mean, having the ability to face adversity and failure with a positive attitude and enthusiasm.” For coaches, involvement with R.E.A.L. Men could offer a chance to become transformational. “It is the number one attribute for a coach.”

Newport News Elks #315 Hosts Hoop Shoot

HOOP SHOOT

Twenty-five youngsters took to the basketball courts Jan. 13 as part of the annual Elks National Hoop Shoot, with the B.P.O.E. Lodge 315 hosting the Newport News event at the United Methodist Church in Denbigh.

The Hoop Shoot is a free-throw shooting competition for youths from ages 8-13. Its past national winners include former NBA players and current college coaches Chris Mullin and Steve Alford. According to event director Richard Means, the Newport News competition has been taking place since the 1960s.

The age-group winners, who advanced to the regional competition held last weekend: age 8-9 girls: Bella Francisco; 8-9 boys: Leo Barrett; 10-11 girls; Vanissa Barretto; 10-11 boys: Keylen Hopkins; 12-13 girls: Kayana Cloud; and 12-13 boys: Kobe Bryant.

The 2018 Hoop Shoot National Finals will take place April 21 in Chicago.

Penn State Bound Ricky Slade is RecruitNoVA.com's Player of the Year

For Hylton running back Ricky Slade, a winter of accolades for accomplishments past is slowly transitioning into a spring of conditioning for accomplishments future.

Slade, who has been selected as RecruitNoVA.com’s Player of the Year, is ready to start the next chapter of his life, one that promises a lifetime of memories, perhaps more than 100,000, which happens to just about equal the number of fans that will fill Beaver Stadium at his next football home – Penn State.

On December 20, Slade, who rushed for 1,978 yards and 30 TD’s for Tony Lilly’s 9-4 Bulldog team, officially signed with the Nittany Lions, solidifying a commitment that has verbally been in place since February. Having his college choice in place before the start of his senior season, Slade was able to avoid distractions and reach for greater heights than his junior season, which saw over 1,500 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. With over 2,500 total yards and 40 TD’s (rushing, receiving, and returns) this season, the 5-9, 185-pound senior usually played a level above his competition, and his noteworthy games saw numbers that would constitute a good season for many of this peers.

Take the game against Colgan, for example. In a 64-35 win against the Sharks, Slade took the teeth out of the opposing defense on just 13 carries, gaining 353 yards with five touchdowns. That didn’t count the touchdown reception and two kick return scores. In all, the fleet tailback gained over 500 total yards and scored eight times.

Amazingly, he had previously scored eight TD’s in a game, three years before, as a freshman. However, Colgan was a young team, only in its first varsity season, and there were some fans who wanted to see Slade produce video game numbers in a contest of consequence.

The moment of truth came in this season’s second playoff game. Against previously undefeated Freedom, Slade sliced and diced the Eagle defense, gaining 326 yards on the ground and four touchdowns as Hylton upset Freedom 45-28.

According to Slade, the game served as the high point in a season full of them.

It only took eight days to hit the low point. Against a stifling Woodbridge defense, Slade was held to 34 yards on just 12 carries and a pair of short receptions, as the Vikings put an end to the Bulldogs’ Cinderella playoff run, winning the 6A region championship game 28-14.

In the end, Slade’s career numbers speak for themselves – 5,400 rushing yards and 91 combined touchdowns. The fans of Happy Valley are in for a treat.

Since the end of the Hylton season, Slade has maintained a busy schedule. He played in the Under Armour Bowl in Orlando, Fla., and scored a 14-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass against some of the best defenders in the nation.

Asked about his experience at one of the premier national All-Star games, the quietly confident Slade spoke of the game as another step in his upward trajectory.

“Everybody is fast,” said Slade, who has been timed at 4.48 in the 40-yard dash. “It’s not like high school where you can just outrun everybody.”

The other highlight was getting to play with some of his future Penn State teammates, including receivers Justin Shorter and Shaquon Anderson-Butts, along with end P.J. Mustipher. As fellow blue-chip players, the three new Nittany Lions are not strangers.

“We’ve known each other for a while. We’re real close!”

Last week, Slade traveled to Hawaii to take part in the Polynesian Bowl, keeping him away from most of the snow and slush that surrounded many of his friends and family in Prince William County.

The transition continues.

Slade will begin his tenure at State College when he leaves Virginia on June 23^rd. In the meantime, he is heavy into his preparation phase.

“They gave me my (off-season) workout program, and I just switched over” said Slade, who has noted in the past that he plans on bulking up from his current 185 points to 205-210. “I have been working out four times a week.” Asked about the changes in the Penn State regimen compared to what he was doing previously, he noted that “it’s not really much different, with the (amount of) lifting and the running, but there’s just a little more.”

In essence, the Slade era at State College may have already begun. The Nittany Lions Class of 2018 football commits has been ranked as high as fourth nationally, and Slade, ranked as the second best all-purpose back in America as a five-star recruit is at the top of the crop.

Penn State, under coach James Franklin, just completed an 11-2 season which concluded with a 35-28 Fiesta Bowl win over Washington. In spite of their success, Slade has been asked to be ready to play --- soon.

“They have told me to expect a lot of early reps,” said Slade speaking of game reps and not practice.

Asked if he was nervous, exhilarated, or excited about the prospect to play in front of 106,572 fans at Beaver Stadium, Slade concluded with another understated, but frank response.

“All of the above.”