The Jamaicans

http://www.babyzone.com/toddler/toddler_development/social_skills/article/teach-kids-to-compete

Above is a blog on teaching children to compete. Daniel is 5 years old but I want him to think like a 35 year old. For the most part, this will not happen because he is only 5 years old. It takes time and experience to grow up. The idea is to give him a head start in Track and Field without relying on the public school system. People who do rely on the public school system generally have children who do not compete on a national or international scale. The public schools generally create children who think and act in a local uniform manor. They are taught not to achieve above the local standard. This is why at age 5; Daniel Tulloch is in a private Track and Field Program.

The idea of Daniel Tulloch competing in his first Indoor Track and Field Meet was to get him some experience in competing with children his own age before he runs in the USATF MidAtlantic Association Junior Olympic Qualifier’s Meet on Saturday, June 25th, 2011.

http://mausatf.readyhosting.com/pdf/2011indoorflyerfeb27.pdf

What we did not know was;
1. How Daniel would react at a track meet that is packed with people?
2. How would Daniel do against competition?
3. Would Daniel compete?

His mother Stephanie Tulloch and I had to know these things so that we can make adjustments to his education and training.

We wanted to get him into the USA Track and Field Mid-Atlantic Association Indoor Developmental Championship Meet on Sunday, February 27, 2011. However it was canceled. This meet would have given us some idea of these three things that we had to know. He would be competing against children his own age from Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. It was suggested that Daniel enter the North East Zone Championship Meet so that Daniel can gain valuable experience.

We did not understand that this meet was a championship meet primarily for children who placed in their associations in the North Eastern Zone of the United States. A coach from Connecticut said to Stephanie, (Daniel’s mother) and me that “That is what I like, skip the association meet and go straight to the championships!” So Daniel with no experience walked into a championship meet competing against the best children in the North East United States.

The best children are also the most experience children at the top of that age group, age 7. Daniel is only 5 years old. That two year difference means a lot. Most children in Daniel’s age group are not expected to run ¼ mile, ½ mile, and nearly one mile without stopping. So Daniel was already at a disadvantage walking in the door.

Daniel is getting ready for his three races.
He is getting his last minute instructions from his coach and mother.

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This is how Daniel did. (Meet Official Times)

1,500 Meter Run 6 minutes 42.4 seconds -- 2nd place
800 Meter Run 3 minutes 45.5 seconds – 4th place
400 Meter Run 1 minute 54.5 seconds -- 11th place

Daniel Running the 800 Meter Run

The Sub-bantam age group cannot compete in the National Indoor USATF Meet. If they could, 5 year old Daniel Tulloch would represent the North East Zone of the United States in the 800 Meter and 1500 Meter Run.

Few people have ever seen a small 5 year old run a mile before. That is not done. The person that beat Daniel is 7 years old. The field official was so impressed that he rang the bell a second time (not done in most races) when Daniel started his last lap. The spectators were already cheering but when Daniel went into his next gear after hearing the bell, the place erupted! The noise was deafening until Daniel finished the race.

By the time Daniel ran his last run, 1,500 Meter, the Track and Field Meet Managers knew who he was. He walked up to the entry table to report for the race. Without a word, they went to his entry, crossed his name off and gave him his number. When he went to pick up his silver medal, again without a word, the official turned to his race, found his name and gave him his medal.

Once people start doing things that is not expect of you, they tend to create their own stories about you. Damine Tulloch, Daniel’s father is from Jamaica. Children and others came up to me and asked if we were from Jamaica. I explained that Daniel’s father is from Jamaica. Some children could not understand this and still believed that Daniel is from Jamaica. After all, Daniel’s uniform said “Jamaica.”
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What Daniel is working towards?

The National Indoor USATF Championships http://www.usatf.org/events/2011/USATFYouthIndoorTFChampionships/zones.asp

takes place on March 12-13, 2011 at Proviso West High School, Hillside, IL.

The USA Track & Field’s Youth Indoor Track & Field program has continued to see significant growth! Developed in 2004 with Zone Championships, indoor competitions provide young athletes a competitive opportunity to remain active and tune-up during the winter months. They are also a great component to our already successful Junior Olympic program which currently includes outdoor Track and Field and Cross Country.

Hillside (Chicago) Illinois will play host to USATF’s first National Youth Indoor Track & Field Championships. Entry into this championship will be based on performance and advancement through Zone Championships . This is the makeup of the Northeast Zone where Daniel competed. It is made up of the following associations;

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Northeast Zone
1. Adirondack
2. Connecticut
3. Long Island
4. Maine
5. Metropolitan
6. Mid Atlantic
7. New England
8. New Jersey
9. Niagara
10. Three Rivers

Daniel showing his 4th place medal from the 800 Meter Run

The top six (6) finishers in each event at the Zone Championships qualify for participation in the National Championships. Competition takes place in six two-year age divisions, (sub-bantam which is not allowable is age 0 thru 7 years of age) with athletes generally falling between the ages of 8 and 18. Daniel has a head start in Track and Field competition against most people his age in the North East United States if not most of the country. Daniel has two to three years to get strong enough and get the drive that he needs to maintain his seed in the 1500 meter and 800 meter run as well as get up to a first through six place in the 400 meter. That way he can represent the North East Zone of USATF at Nationals.



If he can maintain a top ten ranking at USATF in his teenage years, he would be a very good candidate for a fully paid scholarship at a first ranked university where he can run in NCAA Track and Field and compete for a place on the US Olympic Team. He will also qualify to compete for a place on the Jamaican Olympic Team.