The Academy of Speed

A few of AOS trained Black Lightening youth track team perform a 60m interval. The entire workout: 1x30m, 1x60m, 1x80m, 1x 100m, 1x120m, 1x150m. 1 min-1.5 min recovery time per 10m between each run (full recovery). If it looks right, it flies right, right? Trying to instill proper technique as best I can. Especially with the young ones. Hopefully it carries over as they move on to bigger and better programs! Justine Wilson (5th grade), Jolie Denny (5th grade), Nevaeh Lewis (5th grade), Janelle Wilson (8th grade).

A few of AOS trained Black Lightening youth track team perform a 60m interval. The entire workout: 1x30m, 1x60m, 1x80m, 1x 100m, 1x120m, 1x150m. 1 min-1.5 min recovery time per 10m between each run (full recovery). If it looks right, it flies right, right? Trying to instill proper technique as best I can. Especially with the young ones. Hopefully it carries over as they move on to bigger and better programs! Justine Wilson (5th grade), Jolie Denny (5th grade), Nevaeh Lewis (5th grade), Janelle Wilson (8th grade).

Last weekend AOS sprinters Justine Wilson (10 years old...and my birthday twin!! Lol) and Nevaeh Lewis (I think she's 10 also...) of Black Lightening track club had a FANTASTIC opening 100m at the Flo-Jo Invite held in San Diego. Top video: Justine wins the 100m with a nice personal record of 13.23 (lowered from 13.40 run last season)!!! Bottom video: Nevaeh runs a personal record of 13.26 dropped from 13.57, also run last season. They both went on to go 1st and 2nd in finals...! They also went 1st and 2nd in the 200m with Justine running 27.20 (lowered from 27.70) and Nevaeh running 27.62 (lowered from 27.52). Very early in the season for them. Once again, these young ones are under trained, only hitting the track about 2 days out of the week. We focus on technique and fun! I don't want to make track a job for them. I want it to feel like a game (but we play to win...Lol!!). See more

This is AOS sprinter Jasmine Wilson from Black Lightening track club. She's one of the fastest 6 year olds in the US. Last weekend at the FloJo Invite down in San Diego, she opens her season with a big personal record in the 200m with 31.42!! A drop of more than two seconds from her previous best. Please know that she is NOT being pushed in training. She gets a lot from simply imitating the movements of her sisters and the other athletes. She's 6 and too young for real training in my opinion. So the job is to keep it fun and simple. We focus on coordination, technique and few low intensity runs from short too long. I refuse to train her hard. Period. But she's willing to do EVERYTHING! Lots of holding back with this one.

I apologize to those that follow this Facebook page for NOT posting some of the AOS highlights over the last several weeks. Below, you'll find 19 late posts showing how a few of our athletes have been doing. I be sure to keep the page updated in the future!!

Jaela Williams!!! UNLV hurdler/ sprinter/ long jumper. Yeah, she's a fav! Got to catch up with her yesterday at the Bryan Clay Invite at APU. Always big smiles and positive energy from this one. I think we started hitting acceleration and speed work dating back to 2013 (I'm getting old!! Lol). But she's AWESOME!

At the Mt Sac Relays, ran into one of the best athletes to come out of AOS: Shae Anderson! She's one of the originals starting back in 2013, if memory serves me correctly. To this day, she remains one of the hardest working athletes I've ever worked with. She's ALSO one of the coolest, most laid back athletes I know. She'd train with her dad before coming to me. Train with me (I'd have to hold her back and say 'we're done!)'. THEN she'd go and do another session with her dad (depending on the day). That was the life of an heptathlete, right? She went on to become one of the nation's top high school 400m sprinters and 300m hurdlers. She's now at UCLA, and most importantly, happy!! Hadn't talked with her in little while, so it was great catching up. All the best to you Shae Lynn Anderson!!

Another group of AOS family!! Amari Prude (UNLV 1st year 200m/ 400m sprinter) and Jordyn Tucker (3rd year Washington State University 100m/200m sprinter). Both performed well today the Bryan Clay Invite at APU. Amari is finding her rhythm and adjusting to a new program. She's consistently in the 55.xx area in the 400m. That's good! Jordyn, too, is putting things together. She had an outdoor season's best in the 100m with 11.85. Just getting her to stay on 'top' of the sprint the last 15m will be key in dropping her time . Definitely an improvement, though!

Brother and sister duo Billy (1st year receiver at Boise State University) and Emerald Bowens (1st year 100m/200m at UNLV)!! Yup, two of my favorite people on the planet. As I've said before, they are family to me. I had come to see Emerald run at the Bryan Clay Invite at Azusa Pacific University. But low and behold Billy was there, too!! He came out from Boise State University to watch. Big surprise for me! Emerald performed well, tying her high school pr of 11.71! She's definitely headed in the right direction.

3 of my absolute favorite people!! AOS alumni Amari Prude (UNLV 1st year 200m/400m), Jalyn Harris (San Diego State University 200m/400m sprinter) and Emerald Bowens (UNLV 1st year 100m/200m sprinter). These young women trained together and competed against each other all through high school. They were some of California's fastest. It's FANTASTIC that they have remained friends and get to see each other since they are in the same conference. They are family!! Amari, thanks for sending this pic!!

AOS' Sahara Wray (lane 4?...hard to tell), 8th grade, set a personal record with 12.63 (lowered from 12.85) to win the 100m at the LA Jets Invite. She had a good start (in my opinion, the start doesn't necessarily have to be the fastest. It has to be CORRECT as possible) and a smooth, patient transition into her max v position. From there, she held form, continued to 'strike' with the arms and pulled away from the field. As we discuss in training: once at full speed, you CAN'T go faster!! So, through speed endurance training AND consistently working on coordination to maintain speed is a key element in sprinting. Sahara is a sponge and soaks up info. Always good to open the season with a pr, right? Last I checked her time put her 5th in the US. Season is early. More preparation ahead. Let's go!

Getting some block and relay work in with Leuzinger High sprinters Aniyah Wyche (9th grade- middle) and Adepeju Bamiro (12th grade- right). Aniyah is currently the 4th fastest 9th grader in Cali with 12.09. Peju is an improving sprinter with a personal record of 12.26 run this season. Leuzinger's 4x 100m is also ranked 9th in the state with 47.63. Both will compete at the Arcadia Invite this weekend. Good kids with LOTS of potential!!

At the Trabuco Hills Invite this past weekend I ran into some athletes that had been apart of AOS a LOOOONG time ago when we first started. Probably back in 2012 or so. On the left is Zahran Manley (12th grade from Upland High). Back in elementary school, he was one of the top soccer players in the country. He came to work on speed. As he approached high school, he decided to give up soccer and try football. Seems his choice was a good one: he signed with Stanford as a corner...back!! Woohoo! 2nd left, current AOS sprinter Nolan Crespo (he has been visiting schools and has not committed yet). 2nd right is Travion Brown, 12th grade from Linfield Christian High. He was also one of the first group of youth athletes to train with me. He was serious about his football. Track was his second sport. Easy to work with a great attitude!! He signed with the University of Washington to play linebacker!! I used to tower over Zahran. I have pictures as proof. Now he's looking down at me and laughing! I think Trey was taller than me even when he was in elementary school. Lol. Cool side note, Trey and Nolan have been friends for years. They just figured out the AOS/ Coach Jon connection a couple of weeks ago!! It's FANTASTIC to see them grow up, move on, get to go off to school and get that education. I'm fortunate to have a little bit of a hand in that. See more