Phenom-enal passion fuels athletes: Club is sending 12 to National Junior Olympics

Posted Jul. 19, 2016 at 8:52 PM
Updated Jul 19, 2016 at 8:53 PM

STOCKTON — They sometimes finish each other’s sentences and seem to be of one mind.

Pam Mason and Jeanetta Jordan share a passion for track and field and a passion for steering kids in the right direction. They founded and coach the Phenom Track and Field Club and have worked with young people from throughout the region from January through August every year for the past decade.

“Most of our kids are from our community and when we say community, our community has spread,” said Jordan, who started the club with Mason, so their children and others had an opportunity to compete. “It started as a Stockton-based track team.”

Now, the kids come from Stockton, Galt, Elk Grove, Fairfield and Antioch. Some were with the club and moved out of the area but still have their parents bring them to practice, which on Tuesday took place at Lincoln High School.

“What I’ve been thinking about of late with all that’s going on in the world, the community has to get bigger,” Jordan said. “We have to open it up for everybody.”

Many participants in the Phenom club have moved onto college and five members are headed to college this fall. But first, 12 athletes will represent Phenom at the United States Track and Field National Junior Olympics beginning Monday at Sacramento State.

“We had quite a few athletes who qualified and to do that you had to be in the top five in our association which consists of well over a thousand kids,” Mason said. “So, we’re very proud of them for that accomplishment.”

The kids range in age from 7 to 18, and a few are ranked among the top in the nation.

“When it’s an Olympic year, everyone gets excited about the Junior Olympics,” Jordan said. “But this is something we go to yearly.”

Recently graduated Franklin multi-sport athlete Jovon Woods, 17, will compete next week in the long jump and on the 400-meter relay team with 18-year-old Donnie Terry III from Elk Grove-Franklin, 18-year-old Naj Wickliff from Stagg and 16-year-old senior Kamil Jones from Galt-Liberty Ranch. Woods is staying sharp before he reports to Modesto Junior College where he will continue his education and play football.

“They’re helping me get to my dreams,” said Woods when asked what the Phenom club means to him. “Coaches stay on me. They never let me give up when I feel bad. They always keep me high-spirited.”

Jones, who has been with Phenom for six years, said it’s been a challenge for four guys from different schools to mesh as a relay team.

“We got to know each other and got to be pretty good friends and we just connected with each other and focused,” Jones said. “We talk a lot.”

Jeanetta Jordan’s son, Donovan Jordan, a 15-year-old sophomore-to-be at Elk Grove-Franklin, is a two-time Junior Olympic champion, having won the 100-meter dash in 2011 and the 200-meter dash in 2012. He’s slated to compete next week in the 400 relay with three athletes from outside the Phenom club who live in the East Bay. Jordan said he has fun running track but he takes it seriously.

“Basically, it’s like business,” Donovan Jordan said. “It’s mostly serious. Every day coming to practice and just working and spending most of our time here or watching videos on line and just getting to know different competitors and what they do.”

Mason’s daughter, Amiyah Dean, who will be a sophomore this fall at Franklin, has qualified for nationals every year she’s competed. Next week, Dean will compete in the long jump, triple jump and high jump.

“I want to go to the Olympics,” said Dean, “so I’m trying to work hard.”

Helping young people work hard, set goals and work to achieve them are why Mason and Jordan started and have continued to lead the Phenom club.

“We have a diverse group, as far as where they’re coming from and how much time they’re putting in and just coming out here and getting their work done,” Jordan said. “So, we’re really proud of that as well.”