Track club heading west for national competition
Correspondent
Published July 24, 2010
DICKINSON William Benefield and his wife, Cheryl, watched as athletes ran around the track at Sam Vitanza Stadium.
The couple often attends practice for the Mainland Jaguar Track Club during the summer months. It has been their pastime for the last 33 years.
William founded the Mainland Jaguars, Cheryl said. Weve had many athletes that have gone on to have successful careers in high school, college and even professionally. A lot of our former athletes come back and help coach the kids.
Two years ago, William retired as head coach of the Jaguars. But before he stepped down, Benefield and Marvin Welch, who founded the Galveston Island Tides, merged the teams. Welch was appointed head coach.
I was honored to be the next head coach, said Welch, who is the girls head track coach and assistant football coach at Dickinson High School. Its been a great experience. This season has been one of the most successful since the club began.
Nineteen athletes qualified for the USA Track and Field National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships, which will be Tuesday through Aug. 1 at Sacramento City College in Sacramento, Calif.
Im excited about competing at nationals, said 10-year-old Christian Marullo, who qualified in the long jump, high jump and javelin in the bantam division. My goal is to jump 15 feet in the long jump and metal in one other event.
Marullo, a Clear Lake resident, joined the track club at the age of 6. His grandparents, Brenda and Frank Marullo, saw an ad in the paper and told his father, Chris, about the club.
My dad used to run track, said Marullo, who jumped 14 feet and 2 inches to finish second in the long jump at regionals. Ive heard stories about my dad when he ran track, so when he told me about the club, I wanted to join.
Marullo and his teammates finished among the top five at the Region 12 USATF Junior Olympics on July 17 in Abilene to qualify.
Other national qualifiers are Davion Thompson, Catherine Harris, Christopher Welch, Christian Welch, Dwain Goynes, Kirk Collins, Furqani Al-Amin, Allen Eames, Lauryn Caldwell, Justin Jenkins, Robert Biggers, Brian Boyd, Donovan Hicks, Crisstin Riley, Koi Johnson, Kameron Hypolite, Arnyah Benford and Katie Oliver.
I think the entire team will do well at nationals, said Hicks, who qualified in the 100 meters and the 400-meter relay. My goal is to win the 100 and finish strong in the 400-meter relay.
Hicks, a recent graduate of Dickinson High School, finished fourth in the 100 at regionals. He anchored the sprint relay team of Jenkins, Biggers and Boyd to a third-place finish in 41.29 seconds.
I ran a bad leg at regionals, Hicks said. But it will be a different story this time around. This is my chance to redeem myself. Our goal is to win the relay.
Athletes between the ages of 8 and 18 compete in five two-year age divisions for girls and boys.
There are a lot of the kids competing in their age divisions for the first time, Welch, a Ball High graduate, said. So they have been very successful for their first time around. They all have a shot to at least finish in the top eight. I think all the qualifiers will represent the area well.
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Donations
The Mainland Jaguar Track Club welcomes donations for its trip to the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships in Sacramento, Calif., which will be Tuesday through Aug.1. If interested, submit payments to P.O. Box 2081, Texas City, TX 77592. Make money orders and checks payable to Mainland Jaguar Track Club.
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Mainland Jaguars Qualifiers
Heres a list Mainland Jaguars qualifiers for the USA Track and Field National Junior Olympic Championships, which will be Tuesday through Aug. 1 in Sacramento, Calif.
Midget
Boys
Pentathlon Christopher Welch, Davion Thompson
Long jump Kameron Hypolite
1kg Midget
Girls
Discus Arnyah Benford, Katie Oliver
Sub-Bantam
Boys
Long jump Dwain Goynes, Kirk Collins
300g Bantam
Boys
Javelin Christian Marullo
Girls
Javelin Catherine Harris
Bantam
Boys
Triathlon Christian Welch
Long jump Christian Marullo
High jump Christian Marullo
1,500 meters Christian Welch
Girls
Triathlon Catherine Harris
Long jump Crisstin Riley, Koi Johnson
1kg Youth
Boys
Discus Allen Eames
Girls
Discus Furqani Al-Amin
1kg Intermediate
Discus Lauryn Caldwell
4kg Intermediate
Girls
Shot put Lauryn Caldwell
600g Intermediate
Girls
Javelin Lauryn Caldwell
6 lb. Youth
Girls
Shot put Furqani Al-Amin
Young men
400-meter relay Justin Jenkins, Robert Biggers, Brian Boyd, Donovan Hicks
