By Aaron Allen
The Seattle Medium
What do you think of when you here the term, “it takes a village”? Well, in the Rainier Beach community a lot of folks will direct you to the Rainier Beach Track Club. The atmosphere from the coaches, to the parents and the children exemplifies “it takes a village” when it comes to team sports and the community.
“This is the home, family orientation we’ve built,” said James “Vic” Roberson, head coach of the Rainier Beach Track Club. “So, this is what we call home and we use this to support our kids in many ways.”
According to Roberson, Rainier Beach Track Club has been providing leadership and guidance through sports for children and fundamental training in track and field since 1970. Originally stemming from the Seattle Park and Recreation Department for children who wanted to compete in the community or who may not have school eligibility the program has morphed into a sports pillar helping to produce some of nation’s most talented student athletes.
Roberson was given the head coaching job upon the retirement of long time coach Willie Washington in 1991. Roberson, a son of the Midwest, came to Seattle from Oklahoma City in the 1980s, he ventured into California for a while, only to move back the Pacific Northwest in 1990.
A three-sport star in wrestling, track and field and football Roberson is a firm believer in volunteering one’s time to maintain and nurture the idea of community. A managing executive for the city of Seattle, Roberson hadn’t been in the area but a couple of years when the opportunity to head a track and field club landed in his lap due to his own passionate involvement with the community through his children’s involvement in sports.
In 1991, Roberson along with a dedicated coaching staff — which includes Sheree Johnson who has been with the program for 24 years; Roberson’s son, Matthew, a Seattle Police officer as well as a past collegiate All-American; DeDe Gartrell and other assistant coaches — have cultivated not only a nationally recognized team but a track and field village.
“We’ve built a strong coaching staff to coach the team,” says Roberson.
Johnson says that she enjoys watching the relationships that the athletes and coaches build with one another.
“The kids they love it, they bond together it’s like a family and I always say that it takes a village and the Rainier Beach Track club is that village,” say Johnson
Becoming the complete student athlete is not an easy endeavor, first it takes a dream. Then it takes discipline, a sound work ethic, family support, resources and community support. Roberson or Coach Vic as he is affectionately known as makes it his mission through track and field to work to instill and strengthen these attributes in young people.
The Rainier Beach Track Club nurtures track and field. Helping to produce such athletes as Jenny Powell, world class hurdler. In addition, former NBA stars Nate Robinson and Brandon Roy began their careers under the tutelage of Roberson. But the most important aspect to the Rainier Beach Track Club is its compassion on setting a standard of community living. Even under the guise of sports the club exudes a communal support system where all are involved in the mental, spiritual and physical health development of its children.
“The biggest impact would be how much of a community and family, a village it is and just everyone trying their best not necessarily winning, just doing your best,” states Tamara Evans-Thornton, a parent of one the athletes.
“Just having a place, a soft place to land that my daughter looks forward to, she loves Rainier Beach family! But I think the biggest thing is just having that huge village,” continues Evans-Thornton.
Roberson’s commitment to community and it’s children has fostered a culture in the Rainier Beach area that has not been matched. His efforts have built the Rainier Beach Club into a national powerhouse. Although the road was not easy, Rainier Beach has produced a slew of regional and national champions.
According to Roberson, in the Hersey Regionals in Washington the Rainier Beach Track Club owns every relay record, in ever age group in the State, boys and girls.
This year, the club has several athletes competing on the national stage, including the number one sprinter in the nation, Tyrone Taylor. Taylor holds the national top times in the hundred meters at 10.81 and the two hundred meters for the fourteen-year-old category.
“The program has gotten me stronger through fundamentals, my posture, my form and makes me a better person as well as focusing on school,” says Taylor.
“Mentally, Coach Vic has gotten my son strong,” says Taylor’s father, Tyrone Cain-Taylor. “As parents we try keep him sane and humble, the program itself is great for the kids, they take of them and all in all its just great program.”
Dawit Davis, who is one the nation’s top four-hundred meters runners, is part of Rainier Beach’s 4×400 or the mile relay, which is the region’s top relay team.
“Rainier Beach Track Club has done a phenomenal job building me up to be a more athletic athlete,” says Davis. “Mentally it can be tough, so I have to keep building and getting stronger.”
Roberson believes that putting your efforts — both parents and children — into being your best, being the best human- being you can be, by showing respect, achieving in education, setting goals, working hard and that these will not only build you towards success but that success will in turn strengthen the family and the community at large.
“We must invest in our kids, meaning positive and supportive reinforcement. Love your kids and invest and support them,” says Roberson. “That means being outstanding citizens, we have to be role models for our kids, what it means to give back, volunteer, be in their lives and be positive, children must have a strong sense of family.”
