Meet the South Jersey track coach finding unique ways to inspire her athletes
A South Jersey high school track coach is building up her community while inspiring athletes to make a run for their dreams.
Shawnnika Brown has coached track in the Winslow Township School District for 25 years, including 15 of those years at Winslow High.
Brown took over as the head coach in 2018 and has pushed and encouraged countless students.
"We have three girls who got their doctorates," Brown said. "They used track and field as a way to progress in their real life. I just want the ladies in this program to know that people that look like you are doing great things in the world. And they came from Winslow, so don't let anyone tell you that you can't."
Part of Brown's success stems from finding unique ways to inspire her athletes.
"She's amazing," Brook-Lynn Roberts, a senior at Winslow Township, said. "She's very supportive, whether it's personal issues or just track. She always pushes us to do our best because I'm an over-thinker."
Brown never faces hurdles creating buy-in. That's because she not only coaches at the high school level but also reaches them at the club level as well.
"We know the kids," Brown said. "So once they know you, they're gonna do anything for you. We don't try to push them harder when they're little. We let them develop naturally. By the time they get here, we don't want them burnt out, but we make them love the sport. We make them love us, so when they get here, it's a natural progression into the high school program."
Winslow also won the indoor South Group 3 title, and all of the accolades landed Brown the NJ.com Coach of the Year award for girls indoor track.
"It's a blessing because we put a lot of work into this," Brown said. "I have amazing track coaches with us, so it's not just about me because we are a team, but for people to recognize the hard work that the girls are putting in — it's just amazing."
Next up, Brown is helping her runners get ready for the Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
