KIPP track teams gearing up for strong runs

After a bit of success and a bit of heartbreak in 2014, the KIPP Panthers track team has plenty of talent returning to the squad to pick up where they left off.
The boys? 4×100 meter relay team ran to a stirring come-from-behind win in theMassachusetts Charter School Athletic Organizationchampionship meet last year, but was later disqualified because of an apparent lane violation. On the girls? side, the Panthers finished third in the 4×100 relay in the championship meet.
The Panthers are coached by Geoffrey Boyd, who is in his fourth season, and Josh Dobell, who is in his third. While Dobell is an assistant coach on paper, Boyd insists he is more than that.
?He is absolutely more than an assistant,” Boyd said. “Since Josh and I have different strengths, we strike a nice balance with our team.”
Boyd said he tends to focus on the sprinters and relay teams, while Dobell handles the mid- and long-distance runners.
The Panthers have a host of athletes returning this year. One senior to keep an eye on is Anaidys Uribe, who is undefeated in both the 800 and 1600 meters in her career. She is coming into the 2015 season with an eye on breaking her personal records. Senior Sherrece Doman is the team?s top competitive sprinter. Junior Divine Kamba has been developing very quickly, and has helped the girls? 4×100 meter relay get on the map.
On the boys? side, junior Jacob Roman will lead the way in the 1600 meters. He is also the heart and soul of the team and a true leader, according to Boyd. There are two underclassmen who will look to make a real impact: Sophomores Kelvin Imalenowa and Hector Lopez each had a breakout freshman campaign last year. Each ran sub-12 second 100-meter heats last year, beating out some top-ranking competition. They also helped anchor the boys? 4×100 relay, which they will continue to do this year.
Both Boyd and Dobell are confident that the Panthers will be able to pick up right where they left off last year, and hopefully build on their success.Mike Alongi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @m_alongi.