You have probably noticed the green icons on the meet calendar.  We have had quite a few meets sign up to use our new online registration system, which had its public debut in the fall and is currently being used at indoor track & field meets around the country.  This week we've had several other interested parties, so those meets should be going online this week as well hopefully. So I wanted to just write a quick little article telling a little bit about it and encouraging any of you on the fence to make your life easier and go with our online registration system!

Blessed with electric talent and a radiant smile, Miami Southridge sprinter Ebony Eutsey has set her sights on the records of two iconic Florida high school stars. Given Eutsey’s accomplishments in two seasons, it seems more a question of when - not if - the junior will wipe away the Florida High School Athletic Association state meet records of Sanya Richards and Erica Whipple in the 400- and 200-meter dashes.

Winning state track & field championships has never grown old for Oak Ridge High girls coach Bill Stamper, who enters his 30th season at the helm of the Pioneers on the cusp of a milestone achievement. Buoyed by returning athletes who contributed 67 individual-event points to last season’s 3A title - and a solid core of relay runners that added 15 more to the cause - the Pioneers open the 2009 season as favorites to win a state record-tying 10th team title.

Melbourne's Brian Atkinson had a stellar Junior Cross Country Season winning back to back 4A State titles and posting a PR 15:11 while winning the Nike Southeast Regional in the post-season. His fellow "Project Bulldogs" had a great season as well, finishing 2nd at State and was Florida's top boys team finishing 8th at the Nike Southeast Regional.

We received word from the family that Boone High senior Brittany Koziara was intited to attend (and will accept the offer) the prestigious Boston Indoor Games mile race. Very few high schoolers are invired each year: only the top returning milers in the country. Last year you will remember Joe Franklin was Florida's lone invitee. Koziara will look to redeem herself with a strong track season, after being hampered much of the second half of cross country with an injury. Congrats, Brittany!

It was choice day in Mr. B’s gym class. You could either run a 5K (3.1 miles), or a 5K + 10 (half marathon).  The vote was pretty much split down the middle, which made for an interesting first mile and a half. Of course, the big question on everyone‘s mind was “Who’s running which one?”  Because all runners look pretty much the same from the rear, it wasn’t until the 5K turnaround that the front runners were able to determine which race they were actually winning. 

Sometimes smaller is better; truly better if you're a "Ford" under the tutelage of one of the greatest Track and Field distance coaches the United States has ever known. Tampa Jesuit harrier Jordan Schilit is one of those fortunate hard-working but not immensely talented distance runners who will shortly train under the watchful eye of a Coach with 62 regional and conference championships during a tenured career that started 34 years ago and shows no sign of abating. His future Coach's resume reflects credit for 113 All-American athletes of whom 24 ultimately became NCAA champions. This Coach knows how to "mold teams of decent but not exceptional high school athletes into elite college runners."