About SJTC

South Jersey Track and Field History

EARLY 1960's
mercerettes

The South Jersey Mercerettes - Former Paulsboro High School & Morgan State College Football Star, William (Bones) Howard ran an all-girls track club. These 35 young ladies were in junior and senior high schools from all over South Jersey. In the winter, they trained in a warehouse in Camden and then competed in indoor and outdoor meets in NJ, PA, DE, MD,D.C., VA, and NY. With much success, some went on to college on track scholarships.

SPRING 1963

The South Jersey Track and Field Club - Olympian Browning Ross and Woodbury High's Head Track & Field Coach Howard Staeger trained several high school athletes at Woodbury High School and then competed in summer
AAU meets with much success.

MID 1960's

The South Jersey Track Club - Founder Roland Williams, coached & coordinated, many junior and senior high school student/athletes from all over South Jersey at Camden College. They competed magnificencely, and set many records at local, regional, and national in (AAU and TAC) summer meets.Some Qualifed & competed on the Junior National Team, Many went to college on full scholarships. Several still hold High School, County, Invitational & N..J.S.I.A.A. Meet records.
One, Dennis Mitchell, move on to, The Willingboro Track Club and later ran, and medaled, in 1992 and, the 1996 Olympic games.

EARLY1970's
Former Camden High School and Vrginia State Track Star Roland (Johnny Cakes) Williams found he was assisted by former Haddon Heights High School and Arizona State football and track Star Al Coleburn
and Beryl Williams as Business Manager

EARLY 1980's

Michael London Sr. Ray Sprell Sr. Allen Rose, Sr. , and Barbra Wellans aided and trained middle, junior, and senior high school student/athletes at Camden County College.

MID 1980's

The South Jersey Track Club - Morris and Carole Corsey, Dr. William Clark and Jackie (April Rain) Clark, Frank Sumpter, and Shirley Cooper now included elementary, middle, and high school students and athletes. During some seasons, the club reached 100 student/athletes.

This group added events, coaches and sites.

Field events (shot, discus and javelin) was incorporated by Howard Furteck at Bridgeton High‘s track.

Norman Tate trained the long and triple jump at Stockton College's track.

Billy Wright trained sprints and hurdles at Camden High’s track.

Kenny Stubbs coached middle and long distance at Camden County College’s track.

Tim Athill coached hurdles, high and long jumps at Pleasantville High’s track.

Clem and Ivy Forster coached sprints and relays at Highland High's track.

The club also sought opportunities for athletes to compete in indoor programs in cases where there were no programs at the athlete’s high school. Additionally, the club aided in scholarship searches for student/athletes during the winter season.

This group of student/athletes competed in fourteen states, won many awards at local and regional meets, and placed -- sometimes taking Gold-- in national meets. Many went on to Division I colleges on full track scholarships. Several went on to Ivy League colleges. Club member, Lamont Smith, won a gold in the 1996 Olympics on the, 1600-meter relay team.

LATE 1980's
Cherry Hill, NJ - The South Jersey Track Club and The Mid-Atlantic (TAC) co-chaired the first meeting to organize the Track Clubs of South Jersey (The South Jersey Track Coaches Federation) now known as The South Jersey Track and Field Alliance. The club was among the first to take the Mid-Atlantic (TAC) level 1 certified coaches, and officiating courses.

LATE 1990's

The South Jersey Track Club - Michael (Scooby) Murray based out of Sicklerville carried on the name and introduced cross country to the younger boys (ages 9-10). Some of them placed in the AAU National Championships in Kentucky.

2008 to PRESENT

The South Jersey Track Club - Morris and Shirley Olivia Corsey along with Norman Tate, Dr. William Clark, Jim Johnson, Tim Athill, and Clem Foster have pulled together one more time to save some more lives in the name of Track and Field.The South Jersey Mercerettes - Former Paulsboro High School & Morgan State College Football Star, William (Bones) Howard ran an all-girls track club. These 35 young ladies were in junior and senior high schools from all over South Jersey. In the winter, they trained in a warehouse in Camden and then competed in indoor and outdoor meets in NJ, PA, DE, MD,D.C., VA, and NY. With much success, some went on to college on track scholarships.