As the 2014 Indiana High School Girls’ Track and Field seasons begins, Kokomo High School Head Coach K.O. Jackson knows exactly where he expects the Lady Kats should end their season.
“We plan to be competiting on the first Friday in June in Bloomington” said the second-year coach. “We plan to be in the state meet making a lot of noise and scoring points. That’s our plan. That’s our goal. That’s our mission. It’s why we work so hard.”
The hard work for most of the team started last June – a week after the state meet – and continued through the winter. During the winter, many of the girls ran in open collegiate meets and the team recently finished the indoor season at the Hoosier State Relays at Indiana Wesleyan University where they scored 5 points finishing 28th of 43 teams.
Scoring for KHS was senior Summer Blackamore and freshman Lana Pham. Blackamore, an Indiana State University recruit, placed 5th in the shot put with a season-best effort of 42'9.75" Jumping 5'2", Pham placed seventh in the high jump.
Other KHS participants efforts were: Sophomore Deju Miller, 13th in the high jump, 5'2"; and senior Brianna Lancaster, 21st in the 60-meter hurdles, 10.16.
"We are at the point where we expect to be in big meets," said Jackson adding this team has 28 members. "Now, we have to get to the point where we expect to win big meets. That's the mental part of track and field. That's why we love it."
Jackson added this year’s team will have depth in the middle-distance events with the addition of Pham and freshman Cinnamon Andrews, who has competed in USA Track-Field’s Junior Olympics for the past two summers.
“I’ve been coaching those two ladies since they have been in the seventh grade, so in a way, they are already veterans on how we work and get things done,” said Jackson. “Plus, we’ve added junior Meghan Pier, sophomore Grace Burton and freshman Brooke Smith to that mix so we should do well.”
Besides Blackamore, who placed 21st in the shot in the New Balance National Indoor Championship this winter, the Lady Kats will be strong again in the field events with two-time state qualifier pole vaulter, senior Anh Pham and sophomore Taylor Coram and freshman Ja’Lyn Thompson in the long jump.
In addition, three new recruits, sophomores Nabria Richardson and Quaynika Merriweather and freshman Jayda Andrews will assist in the sprints program, which has qualified a 400-meter relay to state the past two seasons.
However, two seniors from that relay team decided not to participate this spring which leaves Jackson filling two spots with Lancaster and senior hurdler Raven Pugh.
“You can say we got spoiled because those four ladies have run that relay for the past three years, so now we have to replace them and continue our tradition of running a fast, relax pretty smooth 400 relay,” said Jackson adding last year junior Jania Eddington had limited eligibility due transferring from Taylor High School so this will be her first-year of varsity track and she will be among the relay candidates.
“Sometimes you can have addition by subtraction, but our main goal now is finding candidates who are fast, can handle the stick and can create harmony within that relay. That’s the secret.
“We want to be the best and compete against the very best. That’s the only way in this sport you get better. That’s why you have to take your hat off to the ladies who started training in the summer for an opportunity to compete the first weekend in June. That type of dedication is rare. That’s why I am endeared to this team and program: We are working toward being the very best track-and-field program in the state and get national attention. Plain and simple. That’s what we are doing.”
Article courtesy of Kirvin Jackson.