Left to right: Maclin Parrish, Embry Wazac and Ethan Larson pose with their medals for the Pirate Track Club at USA Track and Field Junior Olympics in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 17-19.
The final competition for the Pirate Track Club ended up being an impressive outing in the trek to the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 17-19.
The Pirate Track Club is a youth track and field team that has been together since 2015, created by Jamar Parrish and has grown in Platte County. The group was made for children to compete in track and field – in both indoor and outdoor settings – to gain exposure to the sport ahead of high school, but the group has officially moved locations and changed its name.
“We are transitioning to the Northland Track Club and our practices will be held at Staley High School,” Jamar Parrish said. “Staley opened up the track there and they welcomed us in there with open arms; they want to support what we’re doing in every way, and we appreciate that and embrace it.”
Parrish is also on the Staley track and field coaching staff, while still teaching and being on the football coaching staff at Platte County R-3. After multiple years of building the youth program, the final competition – and most recent one – was the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics.
“I try to be as transparent as I can with them from the beginning, so as soon as I knew that this (change) was a possibility, I let them know that there’s something to be said about a name and location but what’s most important is the people that are involved. We headed into our national championships knowing it was going to be the last time that we were going to be named the Pirates,” Parrish said.
The Pirate Track Club ended its final outing on a high note. The kids that made the trip all the way to Kentucky made the most of it, with impressive performances as all seven participants set a personal record.
“Every kid had a personal best in at least one of their events, which is special to watch. Your personal best starts to become few and far between once you become good at what you do, so to watch those kids come into a meet where there are several elite kids in their age group and then rise to the occasion speaks to their versatility,” Parrish said.
Alexandria Burris was a national champion at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics.
The top-6 in each event becomes All-American as Ethan Larson and Samantha Jones both reached that feat, along with becoming national champions. Larson competes in the 13-14-year-old age group and Jones competes in the 11-12-year-old age group.
Larson was busy at the meet, competing in four events where he finished in the top-2 of each. He took second place in the long jump, shot put and 55-meter hurdles, while winning the high jump.
“Ethan has been with us for a couple of years now; he’s made All-American in five different events. Before his high school career is over, I honestly believe that he’ll be a decathlete because he can do a lot of everything,” Parrish said.
Jones competed in three events, placing top-3 in each. She won the shot put, was the runner-up in the high jump and finished in third place in the long jump.
“Samantha is pretty versatile herself; she’s involved in soccer, basketball and softball. She does so many different things that she’s been able to have success in many different areas,” Parrish said.
While Larson and Jones were the top performers, Gabby Bass, Embry Wazac and Maclin Parrish – who is the son of Jamar Parrish – all finished in the top-5 in long jump, becoming All-Americans. Bass was in the 11-12-year-old age group and took fourth place and Wazac was in fifth place of the 13-14-year-old age group.
Parrish was in the 8-and-under age group and took fifth place in the long jump, along with third places in the 200 and 300-meter sprints. Nick Flowers competed in the 400 and 800-meter runs in the 15-16-year-old age group and Samuel Arellano competed in the long jump, shot put and 1,500-meter run in the 9-10-year-old age group.
Samantha Jones and Jamar Parrish pose for a picture after the final competition for the Pirate Track Club in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 19.
“It’s amazing because we have seen kids anywhere from 8 to 14 years old that are going and competing in these meets and they thrive off each other. They challenge each other in practice and it’s helpful because when they get to meets, they’re not fazed by other kids having success,” Parrish said.
The club also sent five kids to the AAU Junior Olympics in Virginia Beach, VA, on March 3-5. Larson and Jones were All-Americans there too – where the top-8 finishers earn that honor – along with 9-year-old Alexandria Burris who took fifth place in the high jump, along with a seventh-place finish in the shot put.
“It was a mix of kids that went to our last two big meets. We took five to Virginia Beach and seven to Kentucky; there were some of the same kids who went to both, but it was just a great experience overall once again,” Parrish said.
Parrish competed in the long jump, 200-meter dash and 400-meter run. Wazac ran in the 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash and the 400-meter run, along with doing the long jump.
“Sometimes you get to a situation where these kids aren’t used to seeing such stiff competition and sometimes it’s difficult for them to compete, but these kids have the confidence to go and compete against anyone. It’s going to benefit them as they get closer to their high school age and then those bigger meets won’t be as intimidating for them,” Parrish said.
While Parrish created the track club and has been the main coach, he doesn’t do it alone. Tiffany Burris is another coach who takes on a big role, as well, to help them have success.
“Tiffany is our middle distance to long distance coach and her daughter has also had success. Tiffany does such a great job with our middle distance and distance runners, and we’ve seen so much improvement in that area because of her,” Parrish said.
With the era of the Pirate Track Club officially wrapping up, the group enters a new chapter as the Northland Track Club. There are expectations to retain the current athletes and the group has the potential to grow now that they’re in a new area.
“We appreciate all the support that we get from parents; it’s been great as we plan on having continued success. The name and the location are changing but nothing’s going to change with what we provide to the kids, and then the atmosphere that we give,” Parrish said.