Ft. Belvoir Track Club
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Sonic Boom in the News

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Franks wins 800-meter national championship

By Jennifer Small
Sports editor

"For the fifth year in a row, we have a national champion,” Sonic Boom Track Club commissioner Richard Herman said to the club during its awards banquet Saturday. “This year, it’s Cordarius Franks.”

The 14-year-old won the 800 meters at the Amateur Athletic Union’s Track and Field Junior Olympic Games, held July 27 through Aug. 4 in Knoxville, Tenn.

Franks, who lives in Vernondale Village with his family, beat his personal best time in the first round at Nationals by 8 seconds, running a 2:04, which seeded him first in the final.

“The final was hard; I had the best ranked time, but I was nervous because I didn’t want to go in with the best time and then not win,” Franks said. “I promised everyone here that I’d come back with a gold, and that’s what I did.”

Franks ran a 2:03.69 in the final to take the title.

Franks said that the thing that has helped him win the national title was working out with the boys from the 4x800 meter relay team, who are a year older.

“When I train, I train with people older, so it helps me in meets,” Franks said. “My motto is: if you want to be the best, you have to train with the best.”

Franks qualified for the 2006 Junior Olympics in the 800, but didn’t make it out of the first round; he said that disappointment was a motivating factor for him entering the 2007 season.

He also qualified as part of the 4x800 relay in 2006, which finished 8th in the nation.

“I said to myself, if I can get 8th in the relay, I can do better,” he said. “Last year, how everything ended, was a big motivator for me.”

After the 2006 season, the other members of Franks’ 4x800 meter relay moved up and age group, so, head coach Charles Swindell made sure to point that out to Franks.

“After the meet in Norfolk [the 2006 AAU Junior Olympics], I said to him ‘if you want to get back here next year, you’re going to have to do it on your own,’ “ Swindell said. “So he came into this season with the attitude ‘whatever I have to do, coach.’

“I told him, we can’t do the same things in 2007 that we did in 2006 if you want to improve. He listens, and he’s not afraid to work.”

The national champion also plays football and basketball, and will play all three sports for the Mount Vernon Majors this fall as a freshman.

“Every time track comes around, when I’m in one sport I really focus on that sport, and this year I did that even more with track,” Franks said.

When track season comes along, Swindell wastes no time getting his team ready for Nationals.

“He trains us for Nationals, not for any other specific meet,” Franks said of his coach. “We practice hard the whole year so we’re peaking for Nationals in July.”

Swindell reiterated that training concept.

“Cordarius didn’t win his medal in July, he won it in April,” he said.

But the most important thing to the coaches of the Sonic Boom Track Club is not that their athletes win, but that they give 100 percent.

“I tell them all, all I’m going to ask, when you walk off the track is, ‘did you leave it all on the track?’ If the answer is yes, then we’ll accept whatever the outcome is,” Swindell said.

The 800 meter national champion wasn’t always the standout that he was this season.

“My first year was horrible, I didn’t want to run track ever again,” Franks said of the 2004 season. “But, I stayed in to stay in shape for football; then after last season, I did well so I stuck with it. I came out for track to stay in shape for my other sports, but now track is my best sport.”

And, he recognizes the benefits he has over his football and basketball teammates who don’t run track.

“It keeps me focused and teaches me about limits,” Franks said of the sport. “I’m in shape year-round, so, in football when everyone else is struggling with conditioning, it doesn’t bother me.”

As for the 2008 track season, Franks has set some lofty goals for himself.

“I want to beat the National record,” he said.

Posted on 08/23 at 12:00 AM

 

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Youth track team soars at AAU Junior Olympics

By Jennifer Small
Sports editor

The Fort Belvoir Sonic Boom Track team competed at the Amateur Athletic Union’s Track and Field Junior Olympic Games July 27 through Aug. 4 in Knoxville, Tenn., and came away with six medalists and one national champion.

Cordarius Franks, 14, won the Boys Youth 800 meters in a time of 2:03.67 to claim Belvoir’s seventh national title since the team’s inception eight years ago.

“Cordarius has really come on in the past couple of years. A few years ago, he was just an average runner in our club, and now, he’s one of the top half-milers in the nation,” said Richard Herman, Sonic Boom commissioner. “It’s all about Coach [Charles] Swindell, he got Cordarius to believe in himself, and [Cordarius] bought into his system.”

After nationals, Franks will be ranked fourth in the nation in the event.

“Going into the Nationals, he was ranked 24th or so but after the first round he ran the fastest time,” Herman said.. “He was kind of surprised, but then again, knowing him, not really, because he’s one of those kids who never quits.”

At regionals, Franks was tripped up on the final lap of the race and fell back 100 meters. He got up and sprinted all the way back to the front of the pack and won the race, Herman said.

“He’s the reason we do what we do. We don’t think they’re going to improve, and then the light goes on. He’s become a really great runner, we’re really proud of him.”

Nigel Crawley, 14, qualified for the meet in the pentathlon, triple jump, 100-meter hurdles, 200-meter hurdles, and as a member of the 4x100 meter relay team. Crawley medaled in the 100-meter hurdles with a 7th place finish, and in the 200-meter hurdles with an 8th place finish.

Jaquantis Carter, 12, also medaled, with an 8th place finish in the 1500 meter race walk with a time of 9:37.98.

Amanda Lugo, 12, medaled with a 7th place finish in the shot put, throwing 32 feet, 7 inches.

The final Sonic Boom medalist was Olivia Clark, 14, who finished 5th in the high jump, clearing 5 feet.

All finishers in the top 20 earn All American status. Belvoir All-Americans included Dominique Miller, 14, in the pentathlon; and Kaleigh Winner, 10, in the 200 and 400 meters. Also earning All-American honors was the Intermediate Boys 4x800 meter relay team, which finished 10th overall, and missed medaling by two seconds. The team is made up of Brian Allen, Andre Simmons, Anthony Swindell and Antwan LaCounte, and alternates Robert Allen and Kevin Johnson, all of whom now hold All-American status.

“They actually improved their time from regional by 15 seconds,” Herman said. “They ran very, very well.”

Perhaps the most exciting part of the relay team is that the team will stay together next year, with one significant addition.

“Next year, Cordarius moves up to that age group, so they’ll all be back with the addition of Cordarius,” Herman said. “They’re really going to be good.”

The Youth Boys 4x100 meter relay also competed in the meet, made up of Kolin Demps, Crawley, Cameron Lewis, and Miller.

Deyonna Harris, 9, competed in the Sub-bantam Girls 100 and 200 meter races. Also qualifying for the meet were Jason Wellington, 18; and Warren Simmons, 19, in the shot put; and Tiara Swindell, 18, in the 200 and 400 meter races, but they were unable to compete in the meet.

Tiara, a freshman on the George Mason Track and Field Team, is the niece of Sonic Boom head coach Charles. 

“Tiara would have placed in 200 and 400,” Herman said. “She’s in the upper echelon of those events.”

According to Herman, Charles Swindell is the main reason for the success of the Belvoir youth track program.

“Coach Swindell is the one who really prepared these kids; he needs to get a lot of credit for these kids,” he said. “He’s the best thing that has happened to Fort Belvoir track, he’s a godsend. He’s been around for every National Champion; before him, we didn’t have any.”

Overall, Belvoir claimed one national champion, six national medalists, and nine All-Americans.

“We are very happy, considering the amount of kids we brought,” Herman said. “This year, the competition was a little tougher. Normally, a lot of the teams that this year competed in AAU go to the USA Track and Field Nationals; but it was all the way out in California, so a lot of the teams opted not to go. Usually, the USATF times are faster than AAU, but this year that wasn’t the case; it was very tough competition.”

Posted on 08/09 at 08:56 AM

 


Thursday, May 03, 2007

Belvoir hosts annual track invitational

By Jennifer Small
Sports editor

Sonic Boom athletes break nine club records

image

Jamarion Means and Joshua Breece compete in the preliminaries of the 7- to 8-year-old boys 100 meter dash during the third annual Sonic Boom Invitational track and field meet at Pullen Field on Saturday. Means finished in fourth place in the finals. (Photo by Marny Malin)

Not a parking spot could be found on South Post, as hundreds of track and field athletes and their families descended on Fort Belvoir Saturday for the third annual Sonic Boom Invitational at Pullen Field.

Teams from all around the D.C. area took part in the event, including Fort Meade, the Southern Maryland Striders, and the runners from Pikesville.

As music blared from the speakers in center field, runners raced around the track and jumpers and throwers competed in their events on the fields surrounding the oval.

Parents and other athletes lined the fence two-deep on both sides of the track for the 5- to 6-year-old 100 meter dash runners took to the starting line, and Belvoir didn’t disappoint.

Angelo Martin won the event, setting a new Sonic Boom record for his age group. Martin also finished sixth in the 5 to 6-year-old long jump.

Other Fort Belvoir athletes placing in their respective 100 meter events were: Jamarion Means fourth, 7 to 8-year-old boys; Ricky Martin, fifth, 11- to 12-year-old boys; Cameron Lewis, third, 13- to 14-year-old boys; Dre Dabney, second, 15- to 16-year-old boys. Paige Lloyd defeated teammate Demi Breece for first place in the 15- to 16-year-old girls event.

Belvoir had three first-place finishers in the 200 meter race: Jamarian Means, 7- to 8-year-old boys; Gabrielle Bradley, 5- to 6-year-old girls; and Kaleigh Winners; 9- to 10-year-old girls. Both Bradley and Winners set team records with their winning time. Winners also won the 400 meters in her division, setting another Sonic Boom record.

Other first-place performances from Belvoir athletes included: Anthony Swindell in the 15- to 16-year-old boys 1500 meters in Sonic Boom record time; Dominique Miller in the 13- to 14-year-old boys long jump with a record-breaking leap; Amanda Lugo in the 11- to 12-year-old girls shot put; Olivia Clark in the 13- to 14-year-old girls discus; Shaquille Thomas in the 15- to 16-year-old boys discus; and Jonathan McMillian in the 15- to 16-year-old boys high jump.

Also finishing first were two Sonic Boom 4x100 meter relay teams, in the 7- to 8-year-old girls, and the 13- to 14-year-old boys, who set a new club record.

Fort Belvoir finishers:

100 Meters

5-6 Boys

Angelo Martin, first place

7-8 Boys

Jonathon Means, fourth place

11-12 Boys

Ricky Martin, fifth place

13-14 Boys

Cameron Lewis, third place

15-16 Boys

Dre Dabney, second place

15-16 Girls

Paige Lloyd, first place

Demi Breece, second place

200 Meters

7-8 Boys

Jamarian Means, first place

Stefan Koss, fifth place

Joshua Breece, sixth place

5-6 Girls

Gabrielle Bradley, first place

Ashanti Martin, fourth place

9-10 Boys

Frankie Brown Jr., fourth place

7-8 Girls

Maxie Bradshaw, third place

Dakota Kindred, fifth place

13-14 Boys

Cordarius Franks fifth place

9-10 Girls

Kaleigh Winners first place

15-16 Boys

Dre Dabney third place

Anthony Swindell fifth place

400 Meters

11-12 Boys

Brandon Barnet, sixth place

15-16 Boys

Anthony Swindell, fourth place

Jonathan Mc Millian, fifth place

9-10 Girls

Kaleigh Winners, first place

800 Meters

11-12 Boys

Tyler Koss, second place

Anthony Palmer, third place

Marcus Dunlap, fifth place

13-14 Girls

Riley Mack, sixth place

13-14 Boys

Corey Dabney, second place

1500 Meters

15-16 Boys

Anthony Swindell, first place

13-14 Girls

Riley Mack, fourth place

3000 Meter Race Walk

13-14 Girls

Jasmine Davis, fourth place

Hailey Slay, fifth place

Destinee Barton, sixth place

100 Meter Hurdles

13-14 Boys

Dominic Miller, third place

Long Jump

5-6 Boys

Angelo Martin, sixth place

13-14 Boys

Dominique Miller, first place

Cordarius Franks, third place

Shot Put

11-12 Girls

Amanda Lugo, first place

13-14 Girls

Halley Slay, fourth place

Discus

13-14 Girls

Olivia Clark, first place

15-16 Boys

Shaquille Thomas, first place

Dakota Belcher, second place

High Jump

15-16 Boys

Jonathan Mc Millian, first place

4X100 Meter Relays

7-8 Boys second place

7-8 Girls first place

13-14 Boys first place

Posted on 05/03 at 09:19 AM

 

National Organizations: | AAU | USATF |

Richard Herman, Commissioner: 703-838-4400, x 256 | Gwen Simmons, President: 703-786-6090| ©, Ft. Belvoir Track Club, 2000 |