Welcome to Just Always Remember // January 2008 UPDATE

 

Gentlemen, we are into a new year, and there can be no more excuses for keeping this site current. After suffering much verbal abuse, and hearing comments like: “Hey eediot bwoy, it look like se yu waan mash up wi link, a wa a gwaan wid di web site. A from last year nutten no go up de. Yu caan at least change di picture dem?” We have decided that even if it is to change only the pictures, and to do some minor editorial comments, we have to do something.

It stands to reason that many individuals who attended Kingston College in the eighties check this site from time to time to see what is going on with colleagues. Although information is limited at times, we will do our best to update it with as much information related to Kingston College as possible. We have grown beyond just the brothers from the eighties.

I still would request that anyone who is interested in assisting us in writing short essays, commentary pieces, or simply sending us some jpeg files of things going on, we will be eternally grateful.

As you can imagine, since the site has not been updated since last April, the Penn Relays 2007 gathering is now going to finally hit the web. Thanks to Errol Nolan and Philip Rankin. As usual check out all the pages, and send me whatever comments, and help you desire to give at ghector@aol.com.

Please check out the Past Events page to view the pictures from the Penn Relays of 2007. Also review the upcoming events page for information on the main hotel we use for our Penn Relays reunions. Penn Relays 2008 will be a major thing as this is an Olympic year. Therefore, everybody and them “madda” a go de de.

Our Alumni profile for this edition is none other than the great Wayne “Blacka Pearl” Morris. Original “baller” and “tracks man”. Check out his profile and drop him an email on the Alumni Profile page.

 

Lennox Graham Makes A Transition:

There are times when you come across an individual who exemplifies excellence. Have you ever seen and been in contact with such a person? They have an aura about them that simply exudes confidence and competence. Typically, they have staked a claim to a particular activity, and through true grit and determination they make the most of what is presented to them. Complaints from these individuals are construed as blasphemy. They simply go about their daily duties ignoring all the “buzz” (good or bad) that is around them.

Well my friends, for those of you who do not know, we are describing Mr. Lennox Graham, the newly installed Head Track and Field Coach (for both Men and Women) and Manager of the Irwin Belk Athletic Complex at Johnson C. Smith University. Mr. Graham has brought to that university an almost carnival like atmosphere around the track and field program. The President is excited, the alumni of the institution are ecstatic, and the community is ready to embrace all that he is going to do at the institution.

You see, everyone in the Charlotte community who are track and field aficionados are well aware of the all the exploits of the Jamaican high schools at the Penn Relays, and when they heard that the Head Coach of Kingston College, who won six out of the last seven Boys Championships was taking over as Head Coach at Johnson C. Smith University, the warm embrace of Coach Graham was a forgone conclusion.

Alumni now visit the campus to shake his hand and meet him. Alumni showed up at his announcement press conference to question him in front of the media, and members of the Board of Trustees (who are alums themselves) would like to have lunch with him.

Some of you might think this is odd. However, once you go down in the annals of time, you will find that Johnson C. Smith University was a powerhouse in track and field in the sixties and the early seventies. The program produced Olympic gold medalist Vince Matthews and was a fixture on the gold medal platform at the annual Penn Relays in Philadelphia. The program has fallen way behind Division II powerhouse St. Augustine’s. Therefore, it is clear to all that with Coach Graham’s knowledge and coaching acumen, the glory days shall return to this prestigious university.

The excitement is not only driven by Coach Graham himself, but the talent that he can attract to the university. The addition of Leford Green (Kingston College alum) and Shermaine Williams (Alpha alum), the community is now coming back in a strong way to understand that the university means business with its track and field program.

This opportunity could not have been given to more deserving individual than Coach Graham. He is not only a coach, but he is a mentor and an inspiration to all his athletes. His heavy focus on academics is something that impressed Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy, the President of the university, and true to form his athletes are all academically inclined (see below for blurb on Leford Green). Although this university has had successes on the running track, the challenge that is before Coach Graham is to keep his athletes on the academic track as well.

This small Liberal Arts institution boasts some impressive academic credentials:

This “Jewel of the South” is about to be introduced to the passion, commitment and dedication of a Kingston College old boy. The sky is the limit for Coach Graham. It has been said that Coach Graham should have at least taken an Assistant Coaching job at a Division I school if he was going to leave Kingston College’s program. However, talk like that is severely misguided. This KC old boy will be competing in the same division with St. Augustine’s College that is coached by none other than Mr. George Williams (United States Olympic Head Coach). Although in Division II, Mr. Williams has guided that institution to the highest heights of track and field around the world. The current world record for the 4x400 meters had no less than two of his athletes on that quartet (Angelo Taylor and Antonio Pettigrew). He has consistently won the CIAA Championships and have given many of the big Division I schools a run for their money at the Penn Relays and other places. I guess the old adage that “if you perform they will find you” is a truism.

Johnson C. Smith University is confident that Coach Graham will replicate Mr. Williams’ feat at St. Augustine.

Then there are some that are saying that a small Division II program just simply does not have the facilities that a Division I school has. Once again ignorance rears its ugly head to get it knocked off. The Irwin Belk Complex that this KC old boy manages is an impressive sight to behold. It is said to have one of the fastest tracks on the East Coast of the United States, and in May of 2007 the university was the first HBCU to host the Division II National Championships on its campus.

The facility is equipped with the following:

The complex is fairly new, being built less than ten years ago at a cost over $8 million (US). However, without a viable track team, the facility looks and feels brand new. The facility has the city of Charlotte’s skyline in its background, and is one of the most beautiful sights at night considering that the certain parts of the campus itself sits on the highest point in the city. This is the domain that Coach Graham will ply his magic. Below are pictures of the facility.
 
Click on image


The Jamaican community in Charlotte, North Carolina is also excited about the prospects of Coach Graham being there, as he brings an element of Jamaican pride and enthusiasm to this Southeastern City. The enrollment of Leford Green and Shermaine Williams has only generated more interest. They are all optimistic of what the future holds, and they now dream of the days that will come when they will sit in the stands of the Irwin Belk Complex and simply be proud of what a Jamaican coach has accomplished in the Queen City.

Please send your notes of congratulations and well wishes to Coach Graham at legraham@jcsu.edu.

 

Leford Green Getting It Done Off The Track:


Almost every Kingston College old boy must have beamed with pride when we watched one of our alumni burn up the track at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan this past summer. Running a brisk 44.2 seconds, third leg in the 4x400 meters final, Mr. Leford Green did all of us proud.

We later learned that Mr. Green left the island to honor a scholarship at Johnson C. Smith University. Due to his national duties he arrived at the university approximately three weeks after school had started. However, in true Kingston College old boy fashion, he buckled down to do the work that was necessary. He had a constant presence in the Library and in the study halls of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) labs. Anyone who saw him, noticed a man on a mission. He was a man who was blazing a trail for others to follow.

All the tenacity that he threw behind running that 44.2 seconds in Osaka, he threw that behind his school work. The work paid off, and Mr. Green now boasts a perfect score (4.0 on a 4.0 scale) for his first semester of study at Johnson C. Smith University.

Not only did he “shock out” in his Freshman Block, he was also selected to be in an elite group of freshmen to represent the university in Greensboro, North Carolina and Washington, D.C. at the STEM national and regional meetings.

From the very first day that the university’s President, Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy laid eyes on him, she predicted; “this young man is going to be alright.” He did not disappoint himself, his coach, his President, or his Kingston College family. This is not a light accomplishment, because Mr. Green has declared the major (Computer System Engineering) that the university is known worldwide for its accomplishments. Head strong, friendly, and the consummate jokester; great things are destined for this young man both on and off the track.

If you would like to send Leford some words of encouragement, you can email him at leegreen@jcsu.edu.

 

Green and Williams Gets Things Going:

 

It's official!!! Leford Green and Shermaine Williams went to Johnson C. Smith University to reunite with their coach Lennox Graham, and true to form they have not disappointed. They have spearheaded a team that saw the university returning to NCAA Division II Indoor competition. Green came second in the 200 metres for men and also had a decent showing in the 400 meters. Williams ran a 400 meters and also made it back to the final in the 60 meters dash.

 

The funny thing to observe was that this was both athletes' firm time running the indoor event. It was evident by Green's bursts of speed only to be tempered by the sharp turns that await you indoor. The lanky quarter miler got a baptism by fire in running his pet events indoors. Time and experience will change all of that. They competed at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and performed well.

 

Click on the links below to see a feature article on Green's performance. You can also sense the pride that the university is feeling about its track and field program.

JCSU Wins Two Events at Texas Roadhouse Carolina Classic

Green Wins Two Events at Christopher Newport Invitational

JCSU's Green Finishes Second in 200m dash at Tar Heel Invitational

http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20080207/sports/sports5.html

 

Cameron joins WICB as Vice President:

Whycliffe Dave Cameron was appointed as Vice President for the West Indies jscu Board of Control (WICB). Cameron who has been a long time administrator in both local jscu in Jamaica and regionally throughout the Caribbean was seen as a perfect fit for the position. The former President of Kensington jscu Club also played jscu at Kingston College and was a member of the 1989 Sunlight team that played that memorable match at Kensington Oval when we defeated Campion College in a nail biting affair.

 

 

 


 

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