On Friday, January 16, 2009, at 3:27 PM, the Northside College Prep Track & Field Team will have a Team Meeting in the Northside Cafeteria. The purpose of the meeting will be to introduce the finest coaching staff ever assembled, and more importantly, disclose exciting plans for the 2009 season that will make your Track & Field experience more FUN, including a new travel schedule, overnight trips, Team Pasta Partys, Team Tailgate Partys and more! Team schedules and Team training rules will be provided at the Team meeting. The Mustangs will be seeking their first State Title in 2009.

Please turn in the following at the Track & Field Registration Meeting on Friday, January 16, 2009: (1) Athletic Profile Form, (2) NEW Track & Field Players Record Card, (3) a copy of your Physical, (4) signed code of conduct form, and (5) an IHSA Steroid Testing Consent form. All of the above forms must be turned in on Friday, January 16, 2009. Thanks. 

A Coaching Staff and Team Captains dinner will follow the meeting at 5:00 pm at La Brasa Roja Restaurant (3125 W. Montrose Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60625). 

 Every school has a "window" to win a state title in a particular sport, and the "window" for Track & Field is NOW. We have the most talented group of Senior, Junior, and Sophomore athletes ever assembled, proven athletes, that will score points in multiple events in the State Championships in 2009, but we need MORE. We need as many Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshman as possible to put us over the top and make our goal a reality in 2009. This is the year to bring Northside College Prep its first ever State Title in any sport. We can do it with your help. 

  Do you want to be part of the only winter and spring sport at Northside that had athletes in the State Championships last year? and help us WIN the State Title in 2009?

  YES!, BUT WHAT IF I HAVE NEVER COMPETED IN TRACK & FIELD BEFORE? 

  It doesn't matter if you have never competed in Track & Field in your life, we will make you great. Many Northside Sports (i.e. Cross Country, Soccer, Basketball, Golf) already prepare you for Track & Field. There are 19 events in a Track meet (100m Dash, 110m Hurdles, 4x100m Relay, 200m Dash, 4x200m Relay, 300m Hurdles, 400m, 4x400m Relay, 800m, 4x800m Relay, 1600m, 3200m), and its not just about running. There are 7 Field Events that require speed and strength. We need GREAT athletes for strength and technique events, including Jumping Events (Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Pole Vault) and Throwing Events (Shot Put, Discus, Javelin). Every event is worth the same amount of points, and every athlete is vital to the success of the TEAM. The difference in winning a championship has come down to a single point on frequent occassions. 

 DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

 Mandatory Practice - Monday - Friday (3:45 pm - 5:45) - Beginning January 19, 2009. Any athlete that misses 9 days of practice during the indoor or outdoor season will be dismissed from the squad regardless of ability. If you have an interest in after school clubs and/or Musicals, the Northside Track & Field Team is not for you. We are looking for students who their teammates can depend on, and who are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to become an athlete. 

 Basketball players, Swimmers, and Wrestlers, will NOT be required to attend practice until their respective season ends. They will be given credit for attendance in practice by completing their Winter sport. Students preparing for final exams will also not be required to attend practice until their exams have concluded. 

 Distance runners will be required to train outside if it is 10 degrees or warmer. Dress appropriate for practice (hat and gloves required). Throwers need to be prepared to take 40 or more throws a practice. Weight Training will be mandatory after every practice for ALL events.

The Northside Coaching staff is looking for additional sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, throwers, middle distance runners, and distance runners to join the Team. No experience is necessary to join the Northside Track & Field Team. We will make you great!! Everyone will get the opportunity to train for five months with the finest coaching staff in Chicago before we make our final roster cuts. However, any athlete that misses 9 or more practices during the Indoor or Outdoor season will be dismissed immediately from the squad.

If for any reason, you can't attend the Friday, January 16, 2009 Track & Field Team Meeting, contact Head Mens and Womens Track Coach Jon Gordon at Jongordon9@aol.com or 773-935-1617.

The Northside Weight room is currently open for conditioning Monday - Friday from 4 - 6 pm. In addition to the afternoons, starting December 29, 2008, the Northside Weight room will also be open in the mornings for conditioning with Associate Assistant Coach Kevin Devitt, at 6:30 am, on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Olympian Jamie Nieto traveled from Sacramento, California on Saturday, November 15, 2008 to Chicago, Illinois to train with Northside College Prep Senior Eric Nelson. Eric Nelson is one of five returning high jumpers in the State of Illinois that have cleared 6’6 during their Junior year of high school.

Olympian Jamie Nieto competed for the U.S.A., the best Track Team in the World, in the 2008 and 2004 Olympics. He has a High Jump Personal Record of 7’8, and has finished as high as 4^th place in the Olympic games. He is the number one high jumper in the United States.

Jamie Nieto joined his high school Track Team during his Junior year of high school. His initial motivation for joining his high school Track Team was that he wanted to be able to jump high enough so that he could dunk a basketball. During his Junior year, he improved his vertical leap for basketball, and he also high jumped a personal best of 6’4 to qualify for the California High School State Track & Field Championships. His Senior year of high school, he jumped a personal best of 6’9. Jamie Nieto earned a Track scholarship to Eastern Michigan University, and jumped a personal best of 7’0 his Freshman year of college.

Jamie Nieto has progressed from a PR of 6’4 during his Junior year of high school to the Olympic Games with a PR of 7’8. Jamie Nieto’s current goal is to break the American Record with a jump of 7’10 ¾ (2.41 meters).

Olympian Jamie Nieto spent six hours on Saturday, November 15, 2008 training with Northside Senior Captain Eric Nelson. Nieto shared the six core Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship, Celebration, Respect, Hope, and Harmony with Eric Nelson. Nieto defines the Olympic core value of “Harmony” as the moment that he cleared his PR of 7’8.

Olympian Jamie Nieto and Senior Eric Nelson trained together on the Track for hours. Jamie Nieto shared his meet day preparation for the Olympic Games with Eric Nelson. Jamie Nieto also gave him shoe selection advice, training advice, and also improved his High Jump technique. A friendship was formed, and email addresses were exchanged. It was a priceless experience.

A special thanks to World Sports Chicago, an organization committed to bringing the Olympic Games to Chicago in 2016, for selecting Eric Nelson for this opportunity, and making this experience possible.

The U.S. Olympic Committee has informed Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon that World Sports Chicago will be providing additional programs with Olympic athletes for Northside Track Team this season. As a result, this will be the best season to join the Northside Track & Field Team.

Last summer millions of people across the United States watched Olympian Sheena Tosta win the Silver Medal in 400m Hurdles on their television sets. On Saturday, November 15, 2008, Olympian Sheena Tosta traveled from her California home to Chicago to train with Northside College Prep Senior Captain Jennifer Kane.

Sheena Tosta attended Garfield High School in Virginia. At the 2000 Virginia State Championships, she won the 100m hurdles (13.8), and the 300m hurdles (40.94). Sheena Tosta earned a Track Scholarship to UCLA. In College, Sheena Tosta was a two-time National Champion in 2002 and 2003. Sheena Tosta currently resides in Los Angeles, California.  

Sheena Tosta made the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Teams. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Sheena Tosta won the Silver Medal in the 400m Hurdles!!

Northside Senior Jennifer Kane is the Mustangs top hurdler. Last season, she won the University of Chicago Lab School Indoor Classic with a personal best 55m Hurdle time of 10.30. Kane also holds the school records for the 4x100m and 4x200m Relays. Unfortunately, she was unable to compete in the IHSA State series due to an injury. Jennifer Kane has fully recovered, and after completing an outstanding Tennis season this Fall, she is looking forward to upcoming 2009 Track season.

Olympian Sheena Tosta spent six hours on Saturday, November 15, 2008 training with Northside Senior Captain Jennifer Kane. Tosta shared the six core Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship, Celebration, Respect, Hope, and Harmony with Jennifer Kane.

During lunch Tosta and Kane swaped Track & Field stories, talked about the Olympic Village, and had a good time.

Olympian Sheena Tosta and Jennifer Kane trained together for six hours in the hallways with full-size hurdles and miniture hurdles. Sheena Tosta shared her meet day preparation for the Olympic Games with Jennifer Kane. Sheena Tosta also gave her training advice, and improved her Hurdle Technique. A friendship was formed, and phone numbers were exchanged. It was a priceless experience.

A special thanks to World Sports Chicago, an organization committed to bringing the Olympic Games to Chicago in 2016, for selecting Jennifer Kane for this opportunity, and making this experience possible.

The U.S. Olympic Committee has informed Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon that World Sports Chicago will be providing additional programs with Olympic athletes for Northside Track Team this season. As a result, this will be the best season to join the Northside Track & Field Team.

World Sports Chicago, an organization committed to bringing the Olympic Games to Chicago in 2016, selected Northside Senior Track Captain Adaora Achufusi to train with Olympians Jon Drummond and Hazel Clark on Sunday, November 16, 2008.

Northside Senior Adaora Achufusi holds the school record in the 400m Dash (64.29), Sprint Medley Relay, Weight Womens Relay, 4x100m Relay, 4x200m Relay, and the 4x400m Relay. Adaora Achufusi was also the second fastest runner on the Northside Cross country Team this fall with a personal best three mile time of 19:59. 

World Sports Chicago also selected Northside Senior Track Captain Simon Vecchioni to train with Olympic 800m runner Hazel Clark and Olympic Sprinter Jon Drummond on Sunday November 16, 2008. 

Northside Senior Simon Vecchioni holds the school record in the Distance Medley Relay, the record for consecutive Crunches with a 12 lbs Medicine ball (1100), the School record for Pull-ups (33), and has an 800m personal record of 2:10, and is also a second degree black belt in Karate.

Olympian Jon Drummond, a member of the 2000 Gold Medalist 4x100m Relay Team, traveled from Las Vegas, Neveda on Sunday, November 16, 2008 to train with Northside College Prep Senior Track Captains Adaora Achufusi and Simon Vecchioni. Drummond has a 200m Personal record of 20.03, and 100m Personal record of 9.92.

Jon Drummond attended high school at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drummond trained in school hallways during his high school career, because his high school didn’t have an indoor track. 

Drummond enjoys going to High School Track meets prior to the start of the meet, with a bowl of popcorn, to watch all the unusual Team warm-ups. He said they look neat, but that none of them actually help with running. Drummond told the Northside athletes that there are only three warm-up drills that actually help, “A” Skips, “B” Skips, and High knees, and stressed that he even recommended them for distance runners. 

Olympian Jon Drummond led Northside Senior Captains Adaora Achufusi and Simon Vecchioni in a warm-up, including “A” Skips, “B” Skips, and High-knees, and then focused on the core, and then extensive stretching.  

After a Relay race across the gym floor was anchored to victory by Northside Senior Simon Vecchioni, Olympian Jon Drummond turned Adaora Achufusi and Simon Vecchioni over to Olympian Hazel Clark. 

Hazel Clark had traveled from Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday, November 16, 2008 to Chicago, Illinois to train with Simon Vecchioni and Adaora Achufusi. Hazel Clark has a 1500m Personal record of 4:16, and an 800m Personal record of 1:57. Hazel Clark is a three time Olympian (2000, 2004, and 2008), and made instant friends with Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon by complimenting him on his 1500m PR of 4:07 (1991).

Olympian Hazel Clark grew up in New Jersey, and is the daughter of famous New Jersey Principal Joe Clark. Her father was the subject of the movie, “Lean on me”. In “Lean on Me”, Morgan Freeman played Principal Joe Clark, in his most famous role, about the true story of a high school principal, who carried a baseball bat with him, and chained schools doors closed, as part of his tactics to help clean up a gang-ridden tough New Jersey High School, and make it into one of the best high schools in America.  

Hazel Clark won three NCAA indoor titles and one outdoor title at the University of Florida before graduating in 2000.  Hazael Clark won the U.S. Olympic Trials this year, and competed for the best Track Team in the World, the USA, in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.  

Olympians Hazel Clark and Jon Drummond spent six hours on Sunday, November 16, 2008 training with Northside Senior Captains Simon Vecchioni and Adaora Achufusi. Drummond and Clark shared the six core Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship, Celebration, Respect, Hope, and Harmony with Vecchioni and Achufusi.  

Jon Drummond values the core Olympic value of Celebration the most and told Vecchioni and Achufusi about his victory lap with his teammates after winning the 4x100 Gold Medal in 2000.

Hazel Clark values the core Olympic value of Friendship the most and told Vecchioni and Achufusi about her friendships with other members of the U.S. Olympic Team, including Chicago Olympian Connie Moore. 

Hazel Clark spent a lot of time with Simon Vecchioni and Adaora Achufusi on the track doing “boxed-in” drills to see how they would react to that situation in a race, and then showed them the best way to break free when they are “boxed-in”. The drill almost took a bad turn, when an 800m runner from Craven high school, did an illegal and unsportsmanlike move on Olympian Hazel Clark. Hazel Clark responded by letting him know it with a hard elbow, just like in an Olympic race. It was great. The Craven runner even asked Clark to autograph his jersey at the conclusion of the drill. 

Olympian Hazel Clark also shared her favorite workouts, and formed a friendship with Simon Vecchioni and Adaora Achufusi. Hazel Clark gave them a personalized autograph photo, including a message to Simon Vecchioni to focus on the third 200m of his 800m race, and she exchanged email addresses, and phone numbers with both Simon Vecchioni and Adaora Achufusi. It was a priceless experience. 

A special thanks to World Sports Chicago, an organization committed to bringing the Olympic Games to Chicago in 2016, for selecting Simon Vecchioni and Adaora Achufusi for this opportunity, and making this experience possible.

The entire Northside College Prep Track and Field Team will have Shot Put Trials on Friday, January 23, 2009 from 7 pm - 9 pm at North Park University Indoor Track & Field Stadium. The Trials will help us discover new throwers and determine our initial Varsity, J.V., Sophomore, and Freshman Throwers for the first meet. 

 Gatorade and water will be provided for all Athletes. Awards will be given to the Senior, Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman Athlete that throws the Shot Put the furtherest distance. 

The entire Northside College Prep Track and Field Team will have a 400m Time Trial on Friday, January 23, 2009 from 7 pm - 9 pm at North Park University Indoor Track & Field Stadium. The Time Trial will help determine our initial Varsity, J.V., and Sophomore 4x400m Relay Teams. The Time Trial will also help the coaching staff plan racing strategy for the distance events, and help determine future training in all other events. Gatorade and water will be provided for all Athletes. Awards will be given to the fastest Senior, Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman Athlete in the 400m Dash.

Gatorade and water will be provided for all Athletes. Awards will be given to the fastest Senior, Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman Athlete in the 400m Dash.  

 On Monday, May 12, 2008, Northside Junior Eric Nelson became the newest member of the 205 lbs Bench Press Club. A 205 lbs Bench Press T-shirt is awarded to any member of the Track & Field Team who can Bench Press 205 lbs for a minimum of six reps at any point in the season.

 Members of the 205 lbs Bench Press Club:

 1. Eric Nelson                  (2008 - Junior)

 2. Chris Zysko                 (2006 - Senior)
 3. Robert Garcia             (2007 - Senior)
 4. Darrel Johnson           (2007 - Senior)

 All Weight Room records must be set in the presence of a Team Captain or a member of the coaching staff.