Returning Club Members: We are starting our pre-conditioning practices at Pin Oak Park in Southwest Bakersfield. All returning athletes are invited to come out to participate.

New Club Members: In order to participate in any Club practices, your registration packet and fees must be turned in.

Coach Dennis Hicks will be leading the workouts.

The 2012 Club registration is now open for both returning and new club members. 

To secure a spot on this year's team, please have all registration materials and fees submitted by May 25th.  Priority registration is given to returning athletes. To provide quality training to all registered athlete's, we may need to limit the number of athletes' on this year's team.  We had over 40 athletes on the 2011 team and were at FULL CAPACITY!

New Athletes: If you were a member of any club during the 2011 season, an official club release form must accompany your registration forms and fee payment.

 

2011 Junior Olympic National Champions
National Medalists
All American Recognition  

BAKERSFIELD, California - August 1st, 2011
The AAU National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships were held at Tad Gormley Stadium in beautiful New Orleans, Louisiana. The AAU Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships is the most visible youth athletic development program in the world. Over 12,000 athletes gathered in New Orleans to compete in the week long Games. Many of today's Olympic stars began their track and field careers competing in the AAU National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships. The weather was hot and humid for competition with temperatures in the upper 90 and lower 100 degrees throughout the week long competition.

Entry for this Championship is based on athlete performances at the Regional levels of the 2011 AAU Junior Olympic Program. Competition takes place in single age divisions up to 8th grade and two year divisions for high school athletes, with athletes generally falling between the ages of 8 and 18. Over 12,000 top athletes came from throughout the United States and Puerto Rico to New Orleans to compete in this year's National Junior Olympics.

Team RAW Track Club qualified 20 athletes, over 70% of our team, to participate in the week long competition. The results were extraordinary, with a total of FOUR National Champions crowned (no other track club in Central California can say the same) and a total of 8 medals being earned.

Daniel Richardson
Richardson’s performance was truly outstanding at the Games where he captured three National titles and a sixth place finish. His National titles came from the Pentathlon, Javelin, and Discus events and he earned a sixth place finish in the Shot Put. Richardson competes in the Sub-Youth (13yrs) division.

Daniel Richardson has now fully established himself as the top elite youth discus thrower in the Nation by winning his third consecutive National Junior Olympic title. He continues the tradition set by those before him in keeping with the long history and excellence of Kern County discus throwers. Moreover, as published by The National EliteYouth Ranking System (EliteYouth.com), Richardson is considered the best all-around athlete in the Nation over the past two years with his point total rankings in the Pentathlon, a combined five-event competition involving track and field events.

Richardson earned his first National title of the Games by winning the Sub-Youth boys Pentathlon with a point total of 2,877. According to EliteYouth.com, which monitors track and field performance marks throughout the Nation, Richardson ranked number one in this event in 2010 competing in the Midget boys division and continued as the Nation’s top performer in the Sub-Youth division in 2011 with a point total of 3,008. This point total surpassed the AAU Junior Olympic record; however, it was earned at a Regional event. Over the past two years, Richardson has established himself as the best all-around athlete in the Nation.

Three days later, Richardson captured another National title in the Sub-Youth Javelin (600g). Although he was nursing a sore elbow, he managed to throw 125-11, a whopping 17 feet further than the second place finisher. Richardson’s best competitive throw of the 2011 season was 134-09 where he led the Nation in this category.

Finally, Richardson was entered in the Discus (1.0kg) as the number one ranked competitor and performed as expected earning his third consecutive National Junior Olympic Discus title with a throw of 151-02. His season best competitive throw was an outstanding 161-06 and was just a few inches away from the AAU National record. In 2010, Richardson set the National Junior Olympic record in the Midget Boys division with a throw of 133-11. 

AAU recognized Richardson’s performance at the Games by selecting him to receive the prestigious Joel Ferrell Outstanding Performance Memorial Award recognizing the athletic ability and sportsmanship of an athlete. Richardson was presented this award for his performance in the field events. Only one award is presented in this category from all the boys who participated in the Games. It is one of the highest honors bestowed by AAU.

Johnny Carter
Carter competed in the Young Men's division (aes 17-18) at the AAU Junior Olympics held in New Orleans, LA and he finished off his scholatic carrier on a high note capturing his third consecutive Triple Jump National triple Jump title and claiming a third place in the men's long jump.

Carter's best triple jump of the day was 50-01-.50 to capture the National title. This was the third consecutive Triple Jump National title for Carter. He has literally been unbeatable in his specialty whether it was during his high school career or at the National Junior Olympics. Carter was the AAU Regional Champion in the triple jump at the National qualifier where he leaped a personal best and incredible 50-10.75 setting a new Regional record and positioning him as the number 2 ranked triple jumper in the Nation, according to EliteYouth. And Carter continued his outstanding performance by placing third in the men's long jump with a leap of 24-00.75, just a few inches away from his personal best and placing him 8th in the Nation. Carter was also the AAU Regional Champion in the long jump.

You might recall that Carter was the 2008 CIF Track and Field Triple Jump Champion as a Freshman jumping a personal best 49-01 and breaking a section record that had been untouched sine 1968! Carter was the runner up in the event at the 2009 and 2010 CIF Track and Field Championships with jumps of 49-07.50 and 50-05.25 respectively. Carter also placed runner up in the long jump in 2010 with a mark 23-04.50. In 2010, Carter set the area section mark in the triple and long jump with jumps of 50-10 and 24-05 and was co-honored as the Area's Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Carter will be attending the Academy of Art San Francisco in the Fall on a track and field scholarship.

And by the way, Carter's date of birth allows him to compete one final year in the Men's division at the National Junior Olympics..... so stay tuned!

Asia Chesley
Asia Chesley competed in the Intermediate Girls (ages 15-16) high jump at the AAU Junior Olympics held in New Orleans, LA. She was entered as the 5th seed along with 4 other competitors. It was an early morning event, yet the temperatures in New Orleans were already in the upper 80's with humidity clammering to your skin. Chesley quickly made her presence known in the competition as she cleared heights of 5-02, 5-04, and then cleared 5-06. She had three great attempts at 5-08 and went on to medal in the event with a 4th place finish.

"We worked on her approach and confidence and it paid off where Asia had several personal best jumps of 5-05 and then 5-06 during club season" said high jump coach John Richardson. "Asia had some incredidible practice and competitive jumps that shows me she will soon reach an elite height of 5-08 next season. Then 5-09 is just around the corner".

In 2010, Chesley placed 2nd at the Junior Olympics in Sacramento, California with a season personal record of 5-03. She had no misses in the event until she went a three and out attempting 5-05. For a high jumper there is no greater satisfaction than running up the height ladder with no misses and setting a personal record to boot.

Chesley's high school accomplishements (as a Freshman) in 2011 included an all area championship, second in the Master's meet, and the icing on the cake was a third-place medal at the CIF State Track and Field Championships held at Buchannan High School in Clovis. Chesley was Kern County's only State medalist. She was also honored and selected to the 2011 All-Area Track and Field first team.

Jacob Barger
Barger competed in the Intermediate Boys (ages 15-16) 800m and 1500m runs at the National Junior Olympics. In the preliminary qualifying event of the 800m run, Barger placed 14th with a time of 2:02.57 and missed qualifing for the finals in the event by only two positions. However, Barger came back in the 1500m finals and ran an incredible race lpacing 4th. However, the difference between 4th and second was a mere arm's length away and from 3rd to fourth was the length of your index finger, it was a photo finish for the positions. Barger's time was 4:09.00 for fourth while third place was 4:08.99 and second was 4:08.90. Barger's time was a personal best of the season and could not have come at a more opportune time.

In 2011, Barger was an honorable mention selection in the 2011 All Area Track and Field team. Coming into his Junior year, Barger is a force to be considered with.

Congratulations to our Junior Olympic National Champions and National Medalists. It takes extrememe dedication of all our athletes to compete at peak performance. We are truly blessed to have a team of dedicated coaches and athletes that complete our "RAW" family.

Stay tuned for 2012: Houston we have a problem..... Team RAW is coming to town for the 2012 AAU National Junior Olympics.... and guess where? Houston Texas.

Updated: 8/14/2011

Check out the "RAW" performance videos of our athletes competing at the AAU National Junior Olympics Track and Field Championships in New Orleans and other venues. Videos are still being produced, so check back often.

Daniel Richardson, Sub-Youth Boys
AAU JO Pentathlon - 2877 Points - AAU National Champion
AAU JO Pentathlon - 2877 Points - AAU Award Ceremony
USATF National Qualifier - 3008 Points - USATF Regional Champion
AAU JO Discus - 151-02 - AAU National Champion
AAU JO Discus - 151-02 - AAU National Champion
AAU JO Discus - 151-02 - AAU Award Ceremony
AAU National Qualfier - 155-02 - AAU Regional Champion
USATF National Qualifier - 161-06 - USATF Regional Champion
AAU JO Javelin - 125-11 - AAU National Champion
AAU JO Javelin - 125-11 - AAU National Champion
AAU JO Javelin - 125-11 - AAU National Champion
AAU JO Javelin - 125-11 - AAU Award Ceremony
AAU National Qualifier Javelin - 134-09 - AAU Regional Champion
State Games of America Triple Jump - 37-05 - SGA 1st Place 

Johnny Carter, Young Men
AAU JO Triple Jump - 50-01.5 - AAU National Champion
AAU JO Triple Jump - 50-01.5 - AAU Award Ceremony
AAU National Qualfier - 50-11 - AAU Regional Champion
AAU JO Long Jump - 24.00.75 - AAU 3rd Place Medalist
AAU JO Long Jump - 24.00.75 - AAU Award Ceremony

Asia Chesley, Intermediate Girls
AAU JO High Jump - 5-06 - AAU 4th Place Medalist
AAU JO High Jump - 5-06 - AAU Award Ceremony
State Games of America High Jump - 5-06 - SGA 1st Place

Jacob Barger, Intermediate Boys
AAU JO 1500 - 4:09.00 - AAU 4th Place Medalist
AAU JO 800m - 2:02.57 - AAU 14th Place
State Games of America 800m - 2:01.95 - SGA 2nd Place

Kaulyn Lee-McNeill
AAU JO 400m Hurdles - 1:06.84 - AAU 35th Place

AAU Junior Olympics Medal Count: Team RAW Leads all Kern County and the greater Central California area track and field clubs
4 National Titles
8 Total Medals

AAU Junior Olympics Day 1
Daniel Richardson set a personal record in the 100m hurdles on his way to capturing the AAU  Junior Olympic National Championship in the Pentathlon. Daniel was behind the leader by 18 points coming into the last event of the day, the 1500m run. However, a strong performance earned him 529 points and catipulted him into first place to win the overall event by 235 points over the second place finisher. Daniel led the Nation in this event with a personal record of 3,008, according to EliteYouth.com

AAU Junior Olympics Day 2
No Events Scheduled

AAU Junior Olympics Day 3
Another National Champion crowned. Johnny Carter came into the AAU Olympics as the number one seed in his specialty event and kept his focus on a hot and humid day. Carter held off the competition and had an early mark of 50-01.5 that held up throughtout the competition to win the Gold medal in the Young Mens Triple Jump. Johnny's personal best in this event is an outstanding leap of 50-11 set at the AAU National qualifier in June.

Asia Chesley continued her comeback from an early high school season injury and leaped to a personal best in the Intermediate Girls High Jump. Chesley jumped well throughout the competition and cleared 5-06 earning a 4th place finish in the event. Asia placed third at the CIF Track and Field State Championships, A job well done.

Other notable athletes competing today were: Kaulyn Lee-McNeil, 80th in the 100m with a time of 13.63 and 35th in the 400m Hurdles, setting a personal record of 1:06.84. Jacob Barger barley missed the qualifiying cut-off in the Intermediate Boys 800m with a time of 2:02.57 and finishing 14th overall. Issiac Espinoza also competed in the Intermediate Boys 800m run and finshed 64th overall with a time of 2:12.43. Cheyanne Cuevas finished 44th in the Youth Girls Triple Jump with a mark of 28-08.5.

AAU Junior Olympics Day 4
Another National Champion crowned. Daniel Richardson, nursing a sore elbow, tossed a 125-11 and still managed to out-throw the competion by 17 feet to claim the top spot in the Sub-Youth Boys Javelin. Daniel led the Nation with a personal record of 134-09, according to EliteYouth.com. Daniel also placed 10th in the High Jump with a leap of 5-00. Johnny Carter, Mens Long Jump, had a fantasic jump of 24-00.75 to capture 3rd place, just short of his personal best of 24-05. Other notable Team RAW athlete performance marks include: Syrea Hicks, Intermediate Girls,  competed in the Triple Jump and earned a 33rd place in the event with a jump of 33-11.5. She also placed 64th in the 100m Hurdles with a time of 15.84. Kaulyn Lee-McNeill competing in the Young Womens division, captured 64th place in the 100m Hurdles with a time of 16.94. Cheyanne Cuevas placed 71st in the Youth Girls Long Jump with a leap of 13-04.

AAU Junior Olympics Day 5
Daniel Richardson continued with his strong performance with a 6th place finish in the Sub-Youth Shot Put with a strong throw of 39-01. Syrea Hicks competed in the Intermediate Girls Long Jump with a mark of 15-09.75 to finish 56th overall. Kaulyn Lee-McNeill placed 68th in the Young Womens Triple Jump with a mark of 30-00.75.

 AAU Junior Olympics Day 6
Jacob Barger ran a fantastic race to a photo finish in the Intermediate Boys 1500m run. Jacob set a new personal record in the event with a time of 4:09.00 and placing 4th. The difference between second place and forth place was less than one second and the the difference between 3rd and 4th place had to be detemined by reviewing the finsh line video... it was a dead heat. Issaic Espinoza also ran in the Intermediate Boys division. He set a personal record in the 1500m run with a time of 4:31.99 and placed 35th overall.

AAU Junior Olympics Day 7
Another National Champion crowned. Daniel Richardson entered the Sub-Youth Discus throw as the number one seed in the competition and out threw the competion earning his third National title. Daniel's throw measured 151-02. This is the third consecutive National Discus title for Daniel. He led the Nation with a mark of 161-06 mark set at the USATF National qualifier in July.

 

Since our Club inception, we have had the privilege of sending athletes to the National Junior Olympic games. This is an outstanding accomplishment and shows the dedication to the sport by our athletes and coaches. Team RAW athletes have earned a total of 29 National medals, 9 National Champions were recognized, and a National Junior Olympic record established.

Come and be a part of an exciting track and field movement in the Central Valley by joining Team RAW today!

2012 AAU National Junior Olympics Games
Houston, Texas, July 28 - August 4, 2012