The Heat Track Club | Coaches Corner

President - Blane Williams

Coach Blane has been coaching track and field with The Heat Track Club since its inception in 2003. Starting as a parent of two young athletes, he watched and learned from the other coaches and began stepping in to assist more and more.

His having coached youth football and little league baseball for over seven years helped him to become an immediate asset to the Club. He became a USATF Level 1 Certified Coach in 2006 and was officially named Head Coach of the Heat following the 2006 Junior Olympics seasons.

Coach Blane is the father of two Heat Athletes, both whom have achieved the honor of National Champions, one once and the other thirteen times. They both have earned several national medals. One has 14 and one has 30 national medals. One of his children currently holds three 2009 National Junior Olympic Championships, three 2009 Club National championships, and also holds five national Junior Olympic records. One of his athletes was honored in 2008 with an invitation for his relay team to participate in the Hersheys North American Championship.

Derrik Allen - Head Coach & Assistant Lead Running Long Jump Coach

Coach Derrik will be beginning his third Track and Field season as the Head Coach for the Heat Track Club. Prior to becoming a Heat coach, he was actively involved as a parent volunteer for the two years. Coach Allen holds a USATF Level 1 Certificate. He continuously is learning how to use his knowledge, skills, and expertise to serve the Club and to help our athletes achieve the potential within each one of them.

Coach Allen is the father of two Heat athletes, both are National Champions and hold several national medals. One has ten and the other has eighteen. Both of his children can claim national championships. One can claim three and the other six with two of those having been achieved by also breaking the record.

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Herb Griffin – Assistant Lead Shot Put and High Jump Coach

Coach Griffin has been an active parent volunteer with The Heat Track Club for three years. He joined the Club as a coach, in 2008 working in many areas, but specifically to share his expertise with the high and long jumps, as well as the other field events. He has been involved in sports for many years. Coach Griffin recently completed his USATF Level 1 Certification Course in 2008.

Coach Griffin is a parent of three Heat athletes. All three of his children are national medalists. Two of his athletes hold National Championship medals. One has two National Championships and the other has five, as well as holds a National record.

Ken Brinson - Assistant Field Events Coach

Coach Ken has coached field events with The Heat Track Club for six years. He is a Level 1 Certified USATF Track coach and is also a Bronze Level Certified Wrestling Coach with USA Wrestling.

Coach Brinson is the father of two Heat National medalists. One of his children is also a former National Champion.

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Sharolyn Donaldson-Burr – Assistant Coach (Lead Starts & Hurdles)

Coach Burr is the mother of a ten time National Junior Olympic medalist. During her eight years with the team, Sharolyn has served as a parent volunteer, Board member, and parent coach and Assistant Coach. She specializes in starts, relays, sprints and assists with hurdles. Not only has she coached track and basketball, but also played basketball and ran track in high school and in college.

Brian Andrews - Assistant Lead Distance Coach

Coach Brian has been a community coach with The Heat for four years. He is USATF Level I Certified and a viable member of The Heat as an Assistant Coach.

Coach Brian has been running since middle school in every track event (except hurdles and throwing events). He primarily competed in the 200 and 400 meters during his college career at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Coach Brian feels that running and coaching at the same time helps the athletes tremendously because of the thought process “If he can do it, so can I”. He believes that track and field is a sport in which all ages can learn things which they will use throughout life. He loves sharing his experience with Heat runners. Working with distance runners and sprinters, he hopes to help guide the athletes through track & field and life, using the main principles of trust, dedication, and goal-setting.

James Edmonds - Assistant Lead Running Long Jump Coach

Coach Edmonds has been involved in training and developing youth track and football athletes for five years. He is beginning his third year at The Heat Track Club, where he spent his first year as a Parent Coach. Coach Edmonds is Certified as an USATF Level 1 Coach. He prides himself in transferring his experience and knowledge as an athlete to the youth, while focusing on teaching athletes core values through athletics. These values include, but are not limited to discipline, hard work, conquering fear, having pride in themselves and their teammates, establishing attainable goals, and more importantly striving to accomplish those goals.

Coach Edmonds is a proud father of two of The Heat athletes, both who are National medalists and contenders in the Long Jump, 100m, and 4x100 meter relay.

Mick Archer – Assistant Distance Coach

Coach Archer comes to The Heat with 9 years of coaching middle distance runners, ages 15 to Senior men.

In 1991, prior to coming to the United States, Coach Mick became a qualified/certified British Athletic Federation (BAF) Assistant Club Coach. In April 1993, he became qualified/certified as a Middle Distance Club Coach, which was changed to Level 3 Certified Coach when the BAF became the UK Athletics and the coaching structure was reorganized. He recently completed the USATF Level 1 Certification course.

Six of the athletes whom were trained by Coach Archer represented the South of England. Unfortunately his coaching in the UK had to be put on hold when he moved to the USA in 2000 with a job that involved more travel. He is delighted to get the opportunity to get involved in coaching Track & Field again.

Coach Archer pretty much grew up at the track. He himself began competing at the age of 10 in middle distance & cross country/road races for Hillingdon Athletic Club. His Dad was a distance runner. His Mum was a jumper/hurdler and his older sister was a sprinter. He is the proud father of a second year Heat athlete.

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Al Bosma - Assistant Coach

Coach Al ran track at Michigan State University from 1983 to 1987, competing primarily in the high jump and triple jump events, with an occasional long jump appearance. His tenure at MSU included being a Big Ten Conference finalist, as well as varsity team Captain his senior season.

Prior to his involvement with The Heat, he worked with founders Maury Embry and Tony Dwyer at the Lassiter Junior Trojan track program and coached jumping events. Track and Field is a family tradition with the Bosmas, as Al's brother was a hurdler and high jumper for The College of William and Mary, and is a 3 time USATF Masters Age Group National Champion in the high jump and indoor pentathlon.

Coach Al is the proud father of a Heat athlete who has several medals in field events and who was a National Qualifier.

Monty Willis – Assistant Coach

Coach Willis has been an active parent volunteer for 11 years. He is very passionate about coaching youth sports. He states, “It gives me the opportunity to assist individuals to transition into Leaders, Team Players and build their Self-Motivational skills in order to transition in all areas of life.”

Coach Willis’ Coaching Experience:

Total eight years coaching Track & Field with local youth track clubs. It it is Coach Willis’ third year with The Heat track club. His eight years of experience also includes his personal coaching experience for select athletes).

Two years Baseball Manager - Oregon Park in Acworth, GA

Total seven years coaching Baseball - Legion Park in Austell, GA and Oregon Park in Acworth, GA

Total Ten years coaching Basketball - Dalton Youth League in Dalton, GA and Wildhorse Park in Powder Springs, GA

Five years coaching Football - Wildhorse Park in Powder Springs, GA

In addition to Coach Willis’ track and field experience, it is equally as important to note that he himself has his own personal track and field accomplishments which includes, but is not limited to having received two university track scholarships and having the honor of being named All American Athlete in the field of high, long, and triple jumps. Coach Willis looks forward to working with our athletes who contest multi events, pole vault, javelin, and jump. When needed, he will also assist with hurdles.

Coach Willis is the parent of one Heat athlete who has won several National Championships and national medals. She was honored to have been invited to participate in the 2008 Hershey North American Championship, where she came in second with a Personal Record.

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George Wilson - Assistant Coach (Lead Standing Long Jump & Lead Softball Throw)

Coach Wilson, a parent of two Heat athletes, has been an active parent volunteer with The Heat Track Club for four years. Although he joined the Heat Club in 2008 as a first year Track and Field coach, he comes with coaching experience and has been coaching youth sports for over six years. His coaching experience includes being a certified youth football coach. Coach Wilson has recently completed his USATF Level 1 Certification requirements and looks forward to serving The Heat in this new capacity.

Coach Wilson’s is the father of two Heat athletes. One of his athletes is a national medalist.

Eddie Jackson – Assistant Sprints Coach

Coach Jackson is the father of two Heat athletes, one who is a six time National Junior Olympic medalist and the other a four time National medalist. He has been an active parent volunteer for the team for over four years and looks forward to serving the team in the capacity of coach.

Brent Fullwood – Assistant Shot Put Coach

Coach Brent has been a membe of the Heat for over six years. He has served as a volunteer, an Official and a parent/community coach. He is the father of two multi-time National Qualifiers and contenders.

He himself is a former college and professional football player. In 1986, he was selected as All-American. Known as a speedster, he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1st round (4th pick) of the 1987 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 209-lb. running back from Auburn University, Fullwood played in four NFL seasons from 1987 to 1990. During the 1989 NFL football season, he led the Packers in rushing with 821 yards and was selected to the Pro Bowl. In the 1980’s, he has been documented to be one of the fastest running backs in history.

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