Many high school track athletes will participate in the Class 1A and 2A state championships at Showalter Field in Winter Park, but few of them have performed at such a high level for as long as North Florida Christian's Michelle Jenije and Godby High's Joe Franklin.
The two seniors will graduate next month as two of Tallahassee's most decorated track and field athletes. Now they share their own experiences from their introductions to their sports to the lessons they've learned, and what they might leave for those who follow.
Their Achievements
Some consider Jenije and Franklin among the best Tallahassee high school athletes Tallahassee has ever produced. The numbers, and state championship medals, bear them out.
Jenije has won five consecutive state titles in the triple jump. Only one other girls' 1A track athlete has obtained more consecutive girls' state championships in a single event. Currently, Jenije holds the top mark in the state with a distance of 39 feet, 3 1/4 inches. Her goal at state is to win — again — and top 40 feet.
In Class 2A, Franklin has won five titles — three straight in the 800 meters and two straight in the 1,600 meters. If he wins the 800, he will be one of only two boys to win four individual titles in the 800. He holds the state-meet record in the 1,600 (4:08.8), which he will try to break. In his final year, he has not only won a state title in cross country but he also won his first national title in the 800 at the Nike Indoor Nationals in Landover, Md.
"I never had much confidence that it was going to stay that way," Franklin said. "And the fear of, "Are they going to work harder than I am?' motivated me every year."
Similarly, Jenije has been surprised with how she's sustained.
"Every year I know track is coming up, and I just do it," she said. "I would never have thought I would compete for state championships for six years. I was just trying to be better."
The Beginnings
As a 10 year old, Jenije drew the attention of some family friends and running enthusiasts while racing and chasing friends when attending her older brother's baseball games. The friends suggested she try track to direct her energy.
Their hunch was sound. Jenije joined the varsity track team as a sixth grader. However, she didn't become a triple jumper until late into the season when she and several teammates were playing around at the long-jump pit, and, again, she caught someone's attention.
Though her coach had her in running events, he saw her jumping potential and said: "You may have something there. Why don't you try the triple jump?"
"That's how it happened," Jenije said. "Just on a whim, really."
Initially, Franklin had his first taste of running when, at 10, he saw a team of kids in track uniforms at a McDonalds restauarant.
"I want to do what they do," Franklin's father, Joseph, Jr., remembered his son saying.
Thereafter, he ran for one season, but he started back in middle school when things became difficult for him during his parents' divorce.
"I learned a lot of stuff about my family I didn't know before," he said. "I was a stressed little kid."
Looking for an outlet to help his son cope, his father spoke with the cross country coach at Griffin Middle School. He asked the coach to approach his son about running.
"When the coach says you should join the team, you don't think twice," Franklin said.
By the time he entered Godby as a freshman, he had set records in the 1,500 and 800 at a state middle-school track meet. He knew then that running would be his sport.
Their Experiences
In her first state championship meet as seventh grader, Jenije cried because she'd finished second in the long jump. Her coach Adrian Cherry responded to his upset jumper: "Why are you crying? You're a seventh grader. Why don't you use that to push yourself in the next event?"
"Ten minutes later, after three jumps, she'd won the state championship," Cherry said.
Before Franklin ever put his running shoes on, he'd always wanted to be a basketball player. The only problem was his height. His body would only give him six feet rather than the 6-foot-4 basketball body of which he dreamed. Add to that his success at the middle-school state meet, and the direction he would go was becoming clearer.
"One day my dad asked me, 'How many players on the basketball team are better than you?' I named several guys," Franklin said. "Then he asked me, 'How many kids at school can beat you in running?' I told him none. Then he asked me, 'How about in Tallahassee? The county? The state?'"
Franklin continued, "Running gave me confidence because I wasn't just good at something, but I could be great at something."
Aside from the divorce, he remembers feeling like a bookish student who would police others running in the hallways.
"I was not one of the cool guys," he said. "The reasons why I started running are the same reasons why I keep doing it. It's helped me quite a bit."
Their Futures
In the next two days, their high school careers will end. Jenije is still undecided about whether she will pursue track in college, and she's still considering whether to attend Florida State or the University of Florida. Franklin has signed a letter-of-intent to run at the University of Tennessee.
Surely many will remember them for their athletic feats, but how would they want to be remembered?
Said Jenije: "I want them to know that sports do not define me. Sports are not my life. I want them to know me for my beliefs and who I am. I don't want people to like me for my athletic ability. . . . I would tell the younger kids it's always academics ahead of athletics. It gets so overrated with sports. If you have academics, you can go anywhere. Getting recognized gives me a chance to be an example. All glory goes to God. I know I know my abilities don't just come from me and hard work."
Said Franklin: "I don't think it would bother me if people forget. For me, this is more for me and for my education. Hopefully, I won't be remembered for what I've done in high school. I'd rather be known for doing something in college or as a pro."
However they're remembered, the memory will probably include their smiles.
They stand as two of the giants in Tallahassee high school track and field history.
But in two days, their high-school careers will come to an end, and their names will no longer be eligible for the state championship record books.
North Florida Christian's Michelle Jenije and Godby High's Joe Franklin are each chasing history this weekend at the state track meets.
Before the two seniors graduate next month as two of Tallahassee's most decorated track stars, they share their own experiences from the sport and the lessons they've learned in track.
Their achievements
Jenije has won five consecutive state titles in the triple jump. Only one other girls' 1A track athlete has won more consecutive state titles in a single event — and Jenije can tie that mark this weekend.
Jenije holds the top triple-jump mark in the state this season with a distance of 39 feet, 3 1/4 inches. Her goal this weekend is to win — again — and top 40 feet.
In Class 2A, Franklin has won five individual titles — three straight in the 800 meters and two straight in the 1,600 meters. If he wins the 800, he will be one of only two boys to win four individual titles in the 800. He holds the state-meet record in the 1,600 (4:08.8). He won a state title last fall in cross country and also won his first national title in the 800 at the Nike Indoor Nationals.
"I never had much confidence that it was going to stay that way," Franklin said. "And the fear of, 'Are they going to work harder than I am?' motivated me every year."
Similarly, Jenije has been surprised with how she's sustained.
"Every year I know track is coming up, and I just do it," she said. "I would never have thought I would compete for state championships for six years. I was just trying to be better."
Their beginnings
As a 10-year-old, Jenije drew the attention of some family friends and running enthusiasts while racing and chasing friends during her older brother's baseball games. The friends suggested she try track to direct her energy.
Their hunch was sound. Jenije joined the varsity team as a sixth grader. However, she didn't become a triple jumper until late into the season when she and several teammates were playing around at the long-jump pit, and again, she caught someone's attention.
"You may have something there," her coach told her. "Why don't you try the triple jump?"
"That's how it happened," Jenije said. "Just on a whim, really."
Initially, Franklin had his first taste of running when, at 10, he saw a team of kids in track uniforms at a McDonalds restaurant.
"I want to do what they do," Franklin's father, Joseph Jr., remembered his son saying.
The son ran for one year, then dropped the sport and started back in middle school when things became difficult for him during his parents' divorce. Looking for an outlet to help his son cope, his father spoke with the cross country coach at Griffin Middle School. He asked the coach to approach his son about running.
"When the coach says you should join the team, you don't think twice," Franklin said.
By the time he entered Godby as a freshman, he had set records in the 1,500 and 800 at a state middle-school track meet. He knew then that running would be his sport.
Their experiences
In her first state championship meet as seventh grader, Jenije cried because she'd finished second in the long jump. Her coach Adrian Cherry responded to his upset jumper: "Why are you crying? You're a seventh-grader. Why don't you use that to push yourself in the next event?"
"Ten minutes later, after three jumps, she'd won the state championship," Cherry said.
Before Franklin ever put his running shoes on, he'd always wanted to be a basketball player. The only problem was his height. His body would only give him six feet rather than the 6-foot-4 basketball body of which he dreamed. Add to that his success at the middle-school state meet, and the direction he would go was becoming clearer.
"One day my dad asked me, 'How many players on the basketball team are better than you?' I named several guys," Franklin said. "Then he asked me, 'How many kids at school can beat you in running?' I told him none. Then he asked me, 'How about in Tallahassee? The county? The state?' "
Franklin continued, "Running gave me confidence because I wasn't just good at something, but I could be great at something."
Aside from the divorce, he remembers feeling like a bookish student who would police others running in the hallways.
"I was not one of the cool guys," he said. "The reasons why I started running are the same reasons why I keep doing it. It's helped me."
Their futures
In the next two days, their high school careers will end. Jenije is still undecided about whether she will pursue track in college, and she's still considering whether to attend Florida State or the University of Florida. Franklin has signed a letter-of-intent to run at the University of Tennessee.
Surely many will remember them for their athletic feats, but how would they want to be remembered?
Said Jenije: "I want them to know that sports do not define me. Sports are not my life. I want them to know me for my beliefs and who I am. I don't want people to like me for my athletic ability . . . I would tell the younger kids it's always academics ahead of athletics. It gets so overrated with sports. If you have academics, you can go anywhere. Getting recognized gives me a chance to be an example. All glory goes to God."
Said Franklin: "I don't think it would bother me if people forget. For me, this is more for me and for my education. Hopefully, I won't be remembered for what I've done in high school. I'd rather be known for doing something in college or as a pro."