Speedy star on the horizon
North Bergen’s Thompson wins two HCTCA titles, earns bright future
When Kevin Thompson was a youngster growing up in Manchester, Jamaica, he never realized just how fleet of foot he was.
"I ran perhaps twice a year," said Thompson, currently a freshman at North Bergen High School. "I didn’t know that I could run fast. No one ever told me. I just ran in some races, maybe when I was in first grade."
Thompson moved to North Bergen from Jamaica when he was 12 years old and enrolled at Robert Fulton School. Again, he had no idea just how talented of a runner he was.
But it didn’t take long for North Bergen track and field coach Yael Martinez to realize just how talented Thompson was.
"I was a teacher at Fulton School at the time, and I saw right away that he had incredible speed," Martinez said. "He had an athletic body and he was very, very fast."
As a seventh grader, Thompson was entered in the North Bergen grade school track championships. Martinez watched closely.
"I saw him in action that day and he was faster than anyone there, faster than the eighth graders as well," Martinez said. "I knew that I had to take time to coach him. I could tell he was going to flourish."
Martinez closely monitored the progress of the young and coming speedster, through his eighth grade year into his first year of high school.
"I knew we had something special coming here," Martinez said.
Even though Thompson still had no idea how talented he was.
"I didn’t even know what I was doing," Thompson said. "I just ran. And I didn’t know I was good. The coaches said I was. I knew I could run. I just didn’t know how good I could run."
When Thompson came out for the track team at North Bergen last winter, the reputation was already building.
"We’ve had some talented sprinters in the past, but for some reason, they never stayed," Martinez said. "We just wanted Kevin to get a chance to stay and show what he could do."
Thompson had some impressive moments during the indoor track season, but he has really turned on the juice in the outdoor season.
Martinez had a plan to try to ease the youngster into the local track scene.
"I wanted to give him a few freshman races, just so he could get accustomed to the environment," Martinez said. "But he won everything."
Thompson won his first event ever, the 100-meter dash for freshmen at the St. Dominic’s Invitational in Lincoln Park in Jersey City.
"He did so well that I put him in the varsity 200 meters, just to see how he could do," Martinez said.
Thompson did well. He won the varsity 200-meter dash at St. Dominic.
Two days later, Thompson was entered in the Patriot Invitational, a long-time Secaucus meet strictly for freshmen and sophomores. Thompson merely set the meet record in the 200-meter dash, running a 22.9.
"At that point, I figured that he had to run varsity," Martinez said.
"I got in some good races, so I felt pretty good," Thompson said.
Last week, Thompson had more than a reason to feel good. He won both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the Hudson County Track Coaches’ Association championships, winning both in impressive times.
For his efforts, Thompson has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Thompson said that he is a little startled with the success he’s attained and the attention he’s received.
"I’m a little surprised," Thompson said. "I’m not too happy, because I want to get better and I don’t know what to expect in the future. I’m going to work on my speed and strength to hopefully get better."
Martinez believes that Thompson is just beginning to tap his true potential.
"He’s only 15 years old," Martinez said. "What he’s done so far is unheard of. It’s very impressive. He has a great work ethic and is constantly in the weight room. His body is developing and he’s maturing into a muscular athlete. He’s progressing very nicely right now."
Martinez said that he is optimistic about Thompson’s chances in both events at the North Jersey Section 1, Group IV sectional championships at Clifton High School over the weekend. From there, the plans are even loftier.
"We plan on taking Kevin to the Junior Olympics in New Brunswick on June 9, to compete against kids in his age group," Martinez said. "Then, we’re planning on taking him to the Youth Athletic Games in Miami in July to compete in his age group nationally. I’ve seen some very good freshmen, but nothing like him."
Thompson is just soaking it all in.
"I’m having fun with my friends and my coaches," Thompson said. "I’m just trying to do my best. I’m not thinking too much about what’s happened. I never knew I could do this good. I never pictured it. I guess God gave me that gift."
Actually, Thompson has only one wish.
"I just want the school year to end," Thompson said. "It’s been so long. It seems like forever. I just want school to be over with already."
The school year is reaching the home strides, just as fast as Thompson hits the final strides in his dashes. He’s going to get his wish soon enough. But before then, he’d like to win a few more gold medals. Then, he could go off into summer vacation in a blaze of glory. – Jim Hague