2014 AAU National Des Moines, IA Event

Magical Mystical Drake University, AAU Nationals

As 12 year old Stephanie Williams found her way back to magical mystical Drake University to AAU Nationals, she found that it is a different place than she remembered.

 City of Des Moines, Iowa

 

My daughter Stephanie's first national competition on August 3, 1995 was running the 80 Meter Huddles. She ran them in 14.01 seconds coming in 11th in the Country.

Almost to the day, Stephanie Tulloch took her son Daniel to Drake University for AAU Nationals.  This is her first national meet managing her son Daniel Tulloch in track.  Daniel ran the 1500 Meter run on July 29, 2014.  

 

 

AAU National Championships-Jr Olympic - Organization License

             2014 AAU JO Games - 7/26/2014 to 8/2/2014            

                           Drake Stadium                          

                 Drake University - Des Moines, IA                 

 

Event 76  Boys 1500 Meter Run 9 years old

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    National: N 4:57.47  2001        Ramses Dukes, Detroit, MI    

    Name                    Year Team                    Finals  H#

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Finals                                                            

  1 Stephon Fosha             05 Puyallup, WA           5:12.74   3

  2 James Boutte, Jr.         05 Katy, TX               5:17.59   3

  3 Reese Vannerson           05 Sugar Land, TX         5:19.70   2

  4 Caleb Hymans              05 Annandale, VA          5:21.42   3

  5 Volkan Pashazaden         05 Lansing, MI            5:23.16   3

  6 Treymayne Dixon           05 Philadelphia, PA       5:23.20   3

  7 Ryan Gladney              05 Saint Louis, MO        5:23.96   3

  8 Smith Randy               05 Pembroke Pines, FL     5:24.44   3

  9 Cameren Anderson          05 Somerset, NJ           5:24.56   3

 10 Zaire Davis               05 Ann Arbor, MI          5:24.93   2

 11 Louis Rogers              05 Monroeville, NJ        5:25.53   3

 12 Eli Julian                05 Salisbury, NC          5:26.89   3

 13 Ryan Kilibarda            05 Afton, MN              5:29.38   3

 14 Michael Crisp             05 Fort Washington, MD    5:30.48   3

 15 Kaiden Gheorghian         05 Frontenac, MO          5:32.52   2

 16 Corey Palmer              05 Baltimore, MD          5:33.22   3

 17 Leonardo Delprete         05 Hudson, OH             5:34.22   3

 18 Kristopher Robinson       05 Simpsonville, SC       5:35.08   3

 19 Jude Watt                 05 Unionville, MO         5:38.12   2

 20 Marquis Phifer            05 Newport News, VA       5:39.27   2

 21 Isaiah Maxwell            05 Willingboro, NJ        5:41.97   2

 22 Taevion Allen             05 Pickerington, OH       5:42.14   3

 23 Jael Ortega               05 Elgin, IL              5:42.78   2

 24 D'Andre Stephens          05 Frisco, TX             5:42.85   2

 25 Peyton Laney              05 Hazlehurst, GA         5:42.93   2

 26 Geoffrey Gheorghian       05 Frontenac, MO          5:45.79   2

 27 Quavion Galbreath         05 Indianapolis, IN       5:47.54   2

 28 Avaughn Wilson            05 Pickerington, OH       5:48.44   3

 29 Devin Torres              05 Mt. Laurel, NJ         5:52.86   2

 30 Michael Cozzi             05 Gilberts, IL           5:54.29   2

 31 Carson Guenthner          05 Olathe, KS             5:55.87   2

 32 Jaylen Parker             05 Oxon Hill, MD          5:55.90   2

 33 Charles Murgia            05 Hilltown, PA           5:56.76   1

 34 Quintin Thompson          05 Olathe, KS             5:57.41   2

 35 Timothy Wagoner           05 Louisville, KY         5:57.44   2

 36 Kaleb Conway              05 Collierville, TN       5:58.08   3

 37 Lucas Scheerhorn          05 Spring, TX             5:59.87   2

 38 Brian Humphrey, Jr.       05 Kansas City, MO        6:01.81   2

 39 Jacob Lafleur             05 S Sioux City, NE       6:02.69   1

 40 Ethan Ochana              05 Lenexa, KS             6:02.84   1

 41 William Skinner           05 Collierville, TN       6:04.17   1

 42 Keon Johnson              05 New Llano, LA          6:06.34   1

 43 Javonntae Riley           05 Topeka, KS             6:06.93   1

 44 Gabriel De La O           05 Beaumont, TX           6:07.32   1

 45 Chase Hampton             05 Hanover Park, IL       6:08.73   1

 46 Rex Lyle                  05 Kansas City, MO        6:10.74   1

 47 Bryce Reed                05 Bonaire, GA            6:13.42   1

 48 Zackary Tibbits           05 Salina, KS             6:15.66   1

 49 Ethan O'Kelly             05 Fort Washington, PA    6:16.03   1

 50 John Peterson             05 Louisville, KY         6:16.83   1

 51 Donovan Johnson           05 Fort Washington, MD    6:21.82   1

 52 Daniel Tulloch            05 Harrisburg, PA         6:22.34   2

 53 Connor Graves             05 Lufkin, TX             6:24.67   1

 54 Jalen Thomas              05 Pflugerville, TX       6:25.40   1

 55 Logan West                05 Sugar Land, TX         6:28.71   1

 56 Ahcuxtal Vilchis-Blaney   05 Los Angeles, CA        6:30.73   1

 57 Anson Fauchier            05 Ely, IA                6:34.71   3

 58 Austin Anderson           05 Jonesboro, GA          6:42.43   1

 59 Max Perdu                 05 Ann Arbor, MI          7:31.66   1

 -- Jaleel Gelin              05 Miami Gardens, FL          DNF   3

 -- Johnnie Peace III         05 Silver Spring, MD          DNS   1

 -- Zion Conteh               05 Pickerington, OH           DNS   3

 -- Joshua Sleight            05 Douglasville, GA           DNS   3

 -- Za'Ron Collins            05 Hialeah, FL                DNS   2

 -- Kaden Rhoden              05 Gainesville, FL            DNS   3

 --    Landen Lawrence           05 Durham, NC                 DNS   2

Daniel's Heat Number 2

 

Daniel's Results

Daniel ran the 1500 Meter Run in 6 Minutes, 22.34 Seconds placing 52nd in the country. His best time in this race was 5 Minutes, 49 Seconds.  Needless to say, he did not do nearly as good as he should have.  If he could have equaled his best time, he could have placed 29th. If he would have run a 6 Minute 1500 Meter,  he could have come in 37th. 

 

Either way, Daniel could have had better bragging rights. But if an athlete does not come in first thru six place, they do not get to stand on the winners platform.     

 

A Learning Opportunity

This race is in the books. No one can go back in history and rerun this race in the hopes of getting better results. So the best we can do is learn from the event.  I was not in Iowa to see what happened off the track so I cannot comment on the minute by minute activities leading up to the race.

 

Daniel running the curve

 

The manager and their athlete must have some communication especially when going to the national events.

First, you must be aware of your athletes capabilities. It does not matter if the athlete is 4 or 34,  when that athlete is on the track or in the field, the fate of the event is up to that athlete.  If you want to build a world class athlete or just someone to play high school sports, it is best to start training early.  The sooner the training starts from the time the child drops out of the whom, the better.  I never treat children like children. I treat them as young adults.

Why? Because as soon as they drop from the whom, they are in competition with the child from China, Italy, India, Japan, as well as the rest of the world.  You baby them and take the position that they have to be children first, you will see your mistake later in life. When you decide that it is time to be treat them like adults, they are already behind.  When the competition comes, they will quit on you. That is true at 4 years old or 34 years old in any activity not just track and field.

Second, before the race, you have to look at the seed times of all the athletes in your athletes event. Know where your athlete is seeded.  If it takes coming in 8th or lower in the event to move on, show your athlete who they have to beat and their seed time.

 

-- Jaleel Gelin              05 Miami Gardens, FL           DNF   3

 -- Johnnie Peace III         05 Silver Spring, MD          DNS   1

 -- Zion Conteh               05 Pickerington, OH           DNS   3

 -- Joshua Sleight            05 Douglasville, GA           DNS   3

 -- Za'Ron Collins            05 Hialeah, FL                DNS   2

 -- Kaden Rhoden              05 Gainesville, FL            DNS   3

 --    Landen Lawrence           05 Durham, NC                 DNS   2

 

 

 

 You see in Daniel's race the "DNS" people.  They are the people who did not show up. That is probably due to them not being able to compete in national competition. They did not even want to try. "DNF" means did not finish the race. This person quit!

You talk to your athlete about doing their personal best and what time they have to beat to do that. Never tell them that they better come in first because if you do and the athletes in their heat takes off on them, they will see that coming in first is hopeless and they will quit on you.

Third, use the results in the meet to prepare for the next meet. Know how much it cost for your athlete to compete in AAU, USATF, Hershey or any other organized Track and Field schedule in your area. Many people as good as they maybe don't compete because of the cost and distance involved.

 9 year old Daniel Tulloch has been running for 5 years in competition

 

What is next on Daniel's agenda?

Daniel's Outdoor Track and Field events is over.  We start training now for his Cross Country 5K (3.25 Mile) races in the Harrisburg/York Area from August to November. 

Next, Daniel will be in either USATF or AAU Cross Country 2K Meets defending his 2 time Mid-Atlantic  Championship, moving on to Regional and National competition.