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Biographical Sketch
Coach
Richard Herman
CoachHerman@sonicboomtrackclub.com
Today’s Champions, Tomorrow’s Leaders Top
For more than 45 years Coach Herman, as an athlete and coach, has been involved in youth and adult sports, football, basketball, baseball and track and field.
In 1968, he was a Florida AAU Champion in the 440, Long Jump, High Jump, 440 yard dash, 4 X 100, 4 X 400. In 1969, he participated in the Outstanding Athlete National Jaycee Invitational, Florida State Finalist 440 yard, and Sprint Medley Relay. A 1970 graduate of Dunbar Senior High, he lettered in 4 sports (football, basketball, baseball and track).
From 1970 to 1972, he attended Lake City Community College (Lake City, FL) on a Track Scholarship. There he went to the two time All-Conference/State (sprints) 1500, 200m, Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Putt, and Javelin. In 1971, he was ranked 10 in the 440 yard dash (NJCAA) 48.8, he was a Florida Junior College Pentathlon Champion, and was Voted Outstanding Athlete LCCC.
In 1972, Herman enlisted in the USAF. He was first stationed at Robbins AFB, GA and then deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam. There, he played Varsity Football with the Andersen Bombers as a DB.
He returned to Robbins in 1973 where he began coaching youth sports and founded Robbins Track Club in 1974, which is still in existence today. During his assignment, he played semi-pro football for the Macon Chiefs (GA).
After leaving Robbins in 1977, he was stationed at Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan until 1981 where he coached varsity women’s basketball as their head coach. During his one year assignment at Shemya AFB, AK, he competed and coached base Intramurals Men Champions.
In 1982, he left the cold north for the humid south and coached youth baseball and football at Tyndall AFB, Fl. While there, Herman also played semi-pro football Panama City Pirates.
From 1983-1987, he was stationed at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan. There, he played and coached football for the Kadena Falcons during the 1983 – 1984 seasons. He was their starting Corner Back. In 1986 he became the Defensive Coordinator and in 1987, their Head Coach.
Upon returning to the US, Herman was stationed from 1987 – 1990 at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC where he coached youth baseball, football, and basketball. Leaving the CONUS once again, he was assigned to Kefalvik AFB, Iceland from 1990-1991 where he coached youth baseball.
His last active-duty assignment found him at Dover, AFB, Delaware from 1991 – 1992 where Herman coached youth baseball. While there, he also played semi-pro baseball for the Dover Giants.
In November 1992 he retired from the Air Force and devoted himself to the Fort Belvoir Youth Sports systems. His involvement is widespread and greatly valued.
Since 1992, he has coached football, baseball, basketball on Fort Belvoir. In 1999, Herman founded the Barracudas Select Basketball County Program and the following year (2000), he founded the Sonic Boom Track Club.
His devotion to the community’s youth did not go unnoticed and he has been the recipient of many prestigious awards. The include the President’s Volunteer Service Award given in 2002 and the FCYBL Robert B. Dix, Jr. Community Service Award given in 2005, and the FCYBL Harry Barton Community Service in 2007. He is currently a NYSCA Certified Youth Coach and serves as a commissioner for select basketball and football for Fort Belvoir.
Track and Field has always been his first love, which still remains today.
His motto, “Today’s Champions Tomorrow’s Leaders” is not something he says, it’s something according to which he lives his life.
Alton J. Greene has been a part of
the Fort Belvoir Sonic Boom Track Club coaching staff since 2003,
when he joined as an assistant coach to work with the legendary
Coach Charles Swindell. For
the past six years, Coach Greene worked with
Alton
Greene has been a coach with military youth services programs for
the past 15 years. Prior
to coming to Ft Belvoir, Coach Greene coached youth basketball at
Fortunes &
Experiences Drive
Motivation to Coach
Top
James Shellington Sr. comes to Ft. Belvoir Sonic Boom Track Club with a varied wealth of experience. From his days in high school and college to the present, he has actively played a part in track and field, both as a participant and as a coach. James takes the fundamentals of the sport and applies them as a foundation; not only for a team member’s athleticism, but also as a foundation for that team member’s citizenship in his or her community.
James graduated from Western High School in Washington DC where he lettered each of the three years he in which he was involved with track. He ran in events such as the 100 and 220 yd. dash and the 4 x 400 relay; and in such field events as the high jump and long jump. His varied involvement and success enabled him to participate in track and field at the collegiate level, where he joined the track team at Ft. Valley State University, Ft. Valley, GA. There, he ran the 100 and 200 m dash and did the long jump. At Fresno State University in Fresno, CA, he was a Physical Education Instructor and volunteered as a track and field assistant in events such as the javelin, sprints and middle distance. One of the many highlights of his solid track and field career occurred in 1987, when he placed 1 st in the long jump with a length of 19’ 6” and 3rd in the high jump with a height of 5’ 6” at the State of Florida Masters Track & Field Meet.
When asked why he coaches, he replied, “Track and field provides an opportunity to give back to the community and youth some of the fortunes and experiences that [I] gained as a participant of the sport over the years.” His coaching philosophy stresses not only the athletic improvement in the event itself; but also the development of "the core understanding of self discipline, self esteem, good sportsmanship, confidence, team work, mental focus and spirit.” All of these, James says, “can be called upon at some point in time to help you through a situation.”
James is a stalwart supporter of the athletes he coaches and of the team as a whole. The combination of these experiences, both on and off the field, enables him to create a well-rounded athlete who can “become that great person and student athlete.” That, above all is his motivation for coaching the team members of Ft. Belvoir Sonic Boom Track Club.
Coach Charles Swindell
CoachSwindell@sonicboomtrackclub.com
Passing It On Top
For nearly 30 years, Charles Swindell has been involved in the sport of Track and Field. He has been trained by, coached with, and competed with some of the best that this nation has produced. The former New Bern Senior High School (New Bern, North Carolina) standout and University of North Carolina-Pembroke 5-time first-team All-American and 2-time runner-up to the National Champion was inducted in his UNC-Pembroke’s Hall of Fame in 2002.
Charles is recognized as a 17-time member of the All-Army Track and Field team and winner of 15 Armed Forces titles, 3 silver medals and one bronze medal that helped lead the Army to 12 Armed Forces Titles. Charles was an athlete/coach for 7 years and served as Head Coach of the All-Army Track and Field Team from 1998-2001. He also served as the Army’s representative to USA Track and Field and was a member of the Board of Directors serving as representative for Armed Forces Sports. Charles competed in 4 World Military Championships and was selected to coach the Armed Forces Team that competed in the 1999 World Games held in Zagreb, Croatia. Two-thirds of the team was made up of Army track athletes that Charles trained during the Army camp.
The 1987 world Championship Triple Jump Bronze medalist—Charles assisted Army athletes earn a spot at the US Outdoor Nationals from 1997-1999 and in 2000 helped Army shot putter Tonya Sylvester compete in the Olympic Trials. As far as Charles knows, during the long history of the Army Track and Field Program, he is the only noncommissioned officer who has ever served as Head Coach. Additionally, only a few coaches have won every Armed Forces Championship in which they were at the helm, but Charles was 4 for 4.
For the past three years Charles has been working with Fort Belvoir’s Sonic Boom, the Youth Services Track and Field Program for kids ages 5-18. Last season the team had approximately 43 kids compete in the AAU National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Currently the team is preparing for the Regional Championships to earn the right to compete in this years’ nationals to be held in New Orleans, LA later this year.
Not only is Charles sharing his knowledge of the sport with the youth of the community, but he is also sharing his love for the sport with his son Anthony. Anthony is in his 3rd year competing and is one of the kids competing in the regional meet hoping to qualify for the nationals. If Anthony is successful, it will be his second trip.
When asked what is the most important thing he is trying to pass on the kids Charles responded, the main thing I’m trying to impress on Anthony and the other kids is, “ It’s not always the final result that is important but how you feel about what you have done. Some athletes will develop faster than others and each athlete need to set their own standards. Oftentimes, the journey itself can be the most rewarding thing. You have to understand and value what you start with and only then can you appreciate what your final result is”
| Richard Herman, Commissioner: 703-838-4400, x 256 | Gwen Simmons, President: 703-786-6090| ©, Ft. Belvoir Track Club, 2000 | |