By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
The Texas heat was almost too much to ignore.
Brooklyn Fletcher would rather jump in the pool at The Ramada than sit down to answer questions about his upcoming trip to the AAU Junior Olympics, but the eight-year-old track hopeful knows a little suffering now will pay off in the end.
So for now he sits, the sound of waterfall splashing behind him, and he focuses on the task at hand. It’s a reminder that for all the success he’s encountered thus far, he’s still a little boy who’d rather cannonball into the cool, clear embrace of the nearby pool than sit on a boring couch.
His ears perk up though when the conversation switches to sports. The soon-to-be third grader at Dr. Lonnie Green Elementary School keeps busy playing football, basketball, baseball and running in track and field. Three of the sports keep him busy locally, but the desire to be the best on the track sees him and his mother, Stephanie Blackwelder, making a weekly trek to San Antonio to allow Brooklyn to train with his teammates at Speed City Elite Track Program.
Fletcher competes individually in the 50, 100 and 200 meters, but he’s the anchor on the male 8-and-under 400-meter relay team. That team, which also includes Devry Frazier, Joshua Dews and Jamal Passmore, won the AAU South Texas District Qualifier in Converse, and then took third at the regional competition in Converse to earn a spot at the AAU Junior Olympics July 31 to Aug. 1 in Humble, Texas.
The competition will be streamed on flotrack.org, but you must have a subscription to view the events.
Blackwelder explained that Brooklyn had never competed in track before 2019. That first year he qualified for the Texas Summer Games in the 100 meters.
“He has a gift. I would see him run whether it was during practice or just for exercise and I knew we had to do something with his speed,” Blackwelder said.
While 2020 robbed Fletcher and other youth of a chance to compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Blackwelder said Brooklyn didn’t just sit around and do nothing.
“His coach, Lamont Hurt, would send him workouts. We would then send him videos of Brooklyn training to get guidance on how he was performing and what he needed to do to improve,” Blackwelder said. “He was ready to run again after COVID.”
While Brooklyn spends time working on speed and agility drills, he also puts in his roadwork by running about two miles regularly. His mother accompanies him, but Brooklyn teases her.
“I have to wait for her,” he laughs.
Blackwelder agrees, but said it’s the bond between mother and son that’s more important to her. “It’s something we can do together,” she said.
Brooklyn has big dreams. He said he wants to attend LSU and play football for the Tigers, following in the footsteps of NFL stars like Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. When Brooklyn hears Jefferson’s name, he breaks into the “Griddy Dance,” Jefferson’s signature celebration after scoring a touchdown.
Blackwelder said her son’s drive and determination has shown her that he has a passion for sports and it’s something that would be a part of his life for years to come.
“When he gets home he isn’t tired. He wants to practice more,” Blackwelder said. “When it came to football or baseball, he taught himself. He watches videos and learns from those players. He truly has a passion and love for sports and he really enjoys it.”
“He’s not just sports, though. He’s a good student in school and his life is pretty structured at home. He knows he has to stick to a routine, especially if he wants to play for LSU. He knows grades are very important. I tell him if he focuses on school, then the rest will follow. He always focuses on schoolwork. It’s the first thing he does when he gets home from class,” Blackwelder added.
Currently Brooklyn and his mother are looking for sponsors for his trip to Humble. Each member of the team is responsible for raising about $500 to cover the cost of travel, new uniforms, food and fees. Persons or businesses interested in helping can contact Blackwelder at (830) 734-8848.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
