Allan Appel Photo
Lillian Bridges took care of Brianna Sims before she could walk or even crawl. Now the Hillhouse senior is running away with a Division One college scholarship.
Bridges (at left in photo), Sims’ childhood babysitter, was part of an admiring crowd of 75 friends, family, and coaches as the Hillhouse High School track star signed a letter of intent to run track for Delaware State at a formal signing ceremony at the Floyd Little Athletic Center at Hillhouse Wednesday afternoon.
Sims (at right in photo) was joined by another gifted speedster, Paris Taft, a senior at Hill Regional Career High School, who signed a scholarship contract to run track at UConn.
Sims and Taft sign their letters of intent.
Their success took more than devoted babysitters and supportive families. Both young athletes are the product of the New Haven Age Group Track Club. Led by coaches Major Ruth and William Thompson, Taft’s grandfather, the club has been incubating local running talent for 35 years.
Taft held back tears as she and Sims both credited the club with fostering their talent, as well as values. “I had no idea I had this talent. They see stuff in you and make you believe in yourself,” she said.
Other schools courted her; Taft chose UConn because of its relationship with ESPN. She wants to intern there next summer and then pursue a career in broadcasting.
That’s another lesson from the club, said Taft: “Education always comes first.”
The runner-athletes with coaches Major Ruth, Sasha Benjamin, William Thompson.
Taft joined the club, which trains kids until high school, in 2008. She said she’s looking forward to running track and pursuing a communications degree at UConn.
Sims has been running since she was 9. First she was a sprinter. Then coaches like Ruth, Thompson, and Sasha Benjamin saw other potential. She converted to hurdles, long jump, and then multiple-event competitions like the pentathlon and heptathlon.
Both young women agreed with their coaches that, as Taft put it, “Track is more mental — 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical. They get us in shape, but we have to believe.”
Each runner is different. Coach Benjamin said Brianna is at her best when she doesn’t think about what she has to do. Taft does better after a full explanation.
School system Supervisor of Physical Education and Athletics Joe Canzanella praised the girls for being academic exemplars as well as athletes. “That’s why we call them student-athletes, not athlete-students.”
I love seeing my students win!