By JERRY BYRD Jr., Journal Sports
Twenty years ago, when Juan Plaza took two local athletes to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Great Southwest Track & Field Classic, there was no need for a 15-passenger van. It was Plaza and a pair of young men who would make names for themselves: future NFL defensive back Jonathan Wade and future Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins in Plaza’s ‘98 Toyota RAV 4.
Gas prices aren’t the only thing trending up. The number of athletes 20-years-plus head coach Plaza, formerly of Calvary and now at C.E. Byrd, takes to the Land of Enchantment has increased over the last two decades. This year there were nine in Plaza’s traveling party. There were two other groups, one from Ruston and another from Southwest Louisiana, who made the trip as well.
Athletes from Caddo/Bossier making the trip included Byrd’s Elliott Cochran, Hudson Roberts, and Trent Wells, Calvary’s Jackson Burney, Loyola’s Tripp Roemer, and Parkway’s Gabe Falting. There was even an athlete from East Texas; Joaquin’s Victoria Byrd joined the Team Louisiana group because East Texas did not send a team this year.
When this all started, Plaza didn’t have to drive all the way, like he does now. Then-Great Southwest Classic meet director John Haaland offered to pay for Wade’s airfare since he was the No. 1-ranked high school sprinter in the nation. All Plaza had to do was come up with airfare for himself and Perkins. Three for the price of two was a bargain.
While speedsters Wade (in the 100 and 200) and Perkins (800) performed well during the 2002 meet, it was the flight to Albuquerque which stands out in Plaza’s mind.
“Those two had never flown before,” Plaza said. “It’s funny because both have flown all over the world now. On their first flight, I made the mistake of sitting between them. They both grabbed my wrist or hand when we hit turbulence.”
As the plane approached ABQ, Perkins, according to Plaza, “flipped out” when the plane turned to get lined up with the runway.
“He was like ‘What’s going on, coach? What’s happening?’” Plaza said. “I had to explain to him that the plane was turning to get lined up with the runway. There wasn’t any laughing about it then, but we laugh about it now.”
Plaza has been to track meets all over the world, but the Great Southwest Classic is one of his favorites. And while the performances are always great, it’s the experiences – like a future NFL defensive back and future mayor making their first trips on a plane – that stand out for Plaza.
“The thing I like to do with this trip is to make it a reward for the athletes and their accomplishments,” Plaza said. “We try to make it as stress-free as possible. Sure, we want to compete at the meet, but this is a reward. We go to Sante Fe Plaza. None of them have been there. They get to briefly experience what the Sante Fe culture and the cuisine are like. They see the Native Americans selling their crafts in the plaza and see the art museums.”
Plaza hasn’t done it alone. He has been helped by coaches across the state of Louisiana.
“The reason it works is because of coaches like Johnny Giordano (St. Louis Catholic), Allen Whitaker (outgoing from Ruston High School), Trent Ellis (Brusly High School), and the late Dr. Edmond Johnson,” Plaza said. “They check their ego at the door and it’s really all about the kids.”
As usual, Team Louisiana performed well at the all-star meet.
The boys’ 400 relay, which was made up of Ruston Bearcats Brandon Green, Brady Beason, Carsen McPherson, and Jalen Paige, came away with gold medals despite being the “undercats” going in. Ruston, which finished as the LHSAA Class 5A runner-up with a time of 41.47, got around the track in a season-best of 41.32.
Trent Wells, coming off a 3200 meters state championship last month, finished second in the 1600 meters with a 4:26.76, which impressed his coach because of Albuquerque’s high altitude.
Two other Ruston athletes finished in the top three. Ruston junior Joshua Anding had a personal record in the 400 meters with a 48.67. Green finished third in the long jump with an effort over 23 feet. Green, the Oklahoma signee who is the No. 1 ranked junior triple jumper in the nation, struggled with a nagging injury in his specialty and was not able to get a mark in three preliminary attempts.
Whatever the finish, all went home after great experiences in New Mexico and on the road, riding through the windmill farms and prairies of West Texas, instead of nervously flying over them.
Contact Jerry at sbjjerrybyrd@gmail.com