ABOUT US

 OUR MISSION

 Empowering youth and adolescents with the essential tools, skills and information needed to lead productive and healthy active lifestyles through participation in youth athletics, and activities that positively impact communities. 




OUR HISTORY

Trial by Fire Youth Track & Field Club was founded in 2008 by husband and wife, Kevin (Coach) and Lanique Woodson, who drew inspiration to create the club from their own experiences as first time track and field parents. It all started with a commitment to no more! No more of allowing youth sports to become egocentric, adultified, and toxicfied without saying and doing anything while watching kids burnout, dropout, and eventually quit. They realized something was much bigger at stake and looked to fulfill their commitment by creating an enjoyable and thriving environment to inspire more young people to participate in the sport of track and field. To answer the call, they formed Trial by Fire Youth Track & Field Club.

Trial by Fire Youth Track & Field Club, started as a way to bring the most affordable organized amateur track and field programs to the community that foster a healthy competitive, yet safe environment where youth are nurtured and empowered to reach their full potential in every aspect of life. What the Club soon discovered was that blending rules of the sport with life and leadership skills, young people didn't just learn how to run, jump and throw - they were learning important values. Trial by Fire Youth Track & Field Club offer more than athletic training for young people:  we offer life lessons.
WHAT WE DO

For almost a decade, we have addressed the healthy benefits of track and field by promoting physical activity and encouraging young people to maximize their fullest potential in all aspects of life. Realizing that today's youth need a flexible platform to be successful students and responsible citizens, our programs aim to build character and develop core values and life skills inherent in the sport that stay with them beyond the playing fields.

As a organization that uses track and field as the foundation for teaching a range of valuable life lessons, we advance our mission through core values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, leadership, and judgement.

We don't just build better track and field athletes. We build character.

A Moment in Time: 10th Anniversary Tribute video

"If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
African proverb

Going far simply can’t be done without the support of others. We started the club with eight athletes and three coaches. Now we have over fifty members during any given season. But we did not get there alone. This was only possible through the grace of God and through collaboration between dedicated athletes, committed parents, excellent leadership and support from the community overall. This transformation took time but it meant more lives of young people being transformed through the sport of track and field. It was a challenging journey then and it continues to be challenging moving forward together.
WHERE NEED MEETS OPPORTUNITY

Across the US there is a recognition that team sports and exercise should play a bigger part of people's lives, especially in the lives of children and adolescents who are spending more time watching television, in front of the computers, or following social medial platforms. According to reports by Designed to Move (2015) and Merkel (2013), it showed that as children reach adolescence, their preferences for physical action or inactivity begin taking shape and typically hardened by early adulthood. These early years provide a critical window for creating a lifelong commitment to physical activity.  Physical activity and participating in team sports has multiple, far reaching benefits and effects that last into adulthood. For example, healthy lifestyles, leadership and teamwork, high self-esteem, educational benefits beyond high school, and discipline, respect, and trust.

Trial by Fire Youth Track & Field Club focus is to give young people opportunities to learn the fundamental skills of track and field and to encourage them to compete well, do their best, and to strive to win within the rules safely and successfully. By integrating the basic elements of the sport and reinforcing the positive life-long benefits and effects of physical activity will help shape the lives of young people, their families and their communities. Our goal is to change the conversation around sports and exercise and to make it more appealing to young people to get fit in a fun and healthy environment.

"If a leader loves you, he makes sure you build your house on rocks."
Ugandan proverbs

We see big potential in every athlete, and care deeply about their well-being and future. Our unique coaching staff ensures that every athlete receives the very best instruction and training at every skill level and talent.

PROGRAM MILESTONES SINCE 2008

Graduation Rate


Organized sports and mentorship goes along way in our efforts to raise the high school graduation rate even further.

100%

Scholarships


Committed to helping athletes improve their perceptions on academic excellence by using sports to further their education.

9

Jr. Olympic Qualifiers


Athletes compete and qualify at a District, Regional, or Natl. Championship to be eligible to compete at the JO's Games.

137

National Medals


Athletes competed on national stages against the nations best competitors winning Gold, Silver, Bronze, also awarded medals 4th-8th.

91

Record Holders


Best marks set in local, district, and national competitions by youth athletes in running, jumping, and throwing events.

12

All Americans


Top eight outstanding amateur American finishers in different individual events specific to seasons.

19

Different Places Visited


From different coastlines to big cities, the club visited many diverse destinations in the U.S. during various competitions.

19

TN Outstanding
High School Performers


Information coming soon

8

Our Leadership Team

Meet the coaches behind our club


Meet the people who make it all happen.Our leadership team reflects a group of diverse individuals with breadth and depth of over 25 years of combined coaching experience.

Kevin Woodson

Head Coach
USATF Level 1 certified
14 years coaching


Troy Olige

Middle Distance
AAU Positive Coaching, LMT
7 years coaching


Brian Colon

High Jump, Sprints
AAU Positive Coaching
1 years coaching


Ronald Haywood

Sprints
AAU Positive Coaching
3 years coaching


Meet Our Staff


Our staff is very knowledgeable, professional and skilled specific to the business of the organization by keeping the leadership team up-to-date in administrative and management areas, including: finance, marketing and communication.

Christina Flemons

Secretary and Treasurer

Student-Athlete Parent

Photographer and Videographer

Lanique Woodson

Web Designer and Co-Founder
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