Rookie coach the man behind Penwood’s drive

Several non-traditional high schools are making an impact this season in track and field, rubbing shoulders with their more experienced counterparts.

Under rookie coach Derol Gardener, Penwood High School’s athletes, especially the girls, have been making a name for themselves.

Gardener, in his first season at the helm, will be hoping that his team can secure their first points at next month’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.

At last weekend’s Corporate Area Championships, some of his girls made their presence felt. Class 1 athlete Shakeya Reid, who has been performing well all season in the 400-metre hurdles, was the silver medallist in the girls’ 100 metres, posting a personal best 11.83 seconds behind the outstanding Tiana Marshall of Wolmer’s Girls’, who won in 11.68. Reid relegated the outstanding Shevie-Ann Shim of Immaculate Conception to third.

Reid was unfortunate not to have won another individual medal.

After posting a personal best 1:02.61 in the preliminary round of the Open 400m hurdles to be the fastest qualifier going into the final, she failed to finish the event.

Other athletes who showed good form for Penwood at the meet include Natalia Moore, who was sixth in the Class 3 80m hurdles in 12.13 seconds, and Shaera Thorpe, who produced a personal best 26.10 seconds for a seventh-place finish in the Class 3 200m.

The 34-year-old Gardener, who also had stints at St Catherine High, where he spent four years, along with one season at Gaynstead High, was very pleased with his athletes’ performances and is looking forward to Champs.

“I am very proud of these kids and others who are doing well seeing that they are coming from a non-traditional school with little or no success in the sport. My job is not only to help them on the track but also in the classroom so that in the end, they can qualify for athletic scholarships to colleges or universities,” said Gardener.

A graduate of the Mico University College, he had high praises for the support he is receiving.

“I must commend the principal, head of physical education, Andre Burke, and the parents for the support they have given and their belief in the programme,” he stated.

Gardener, who idolises legendary Jamaican sprint hurdler, Delloreen Ennis-London, shared how he got into coaching.

“In my younger days, I was impressed with Delloreen while competing in the hurdles and that motivated me. Also, while attending Mico, I used to watch the Kingston College hurdlers, including Omar McLeod, who used to train at Mico,” said Gardener, who specialises in the sprints and hurdles events.