By Dave Krider
MaxPreps.com
Bryshon Nellum's flying feet have brought him fame and a full track scholarship to the University of Southern California. Some day in the not-to-distant future, they also may bring him an Olympic gold medal and a comfortable living on the professional track circuit.
So, it's no wonder that he loves shoes. After all they protect those highly valuable feet. He became known as somewhat of a fashion trend setter while attending one of California's most famous high schools, Long Beach Poly.
"I like to shop - clothes and shoes," the personable Nellum told MaxPreps. "I've got a lot of shoes. Wow, man, I probably have 30 pair of shoes. Ever since I was little, I've loved shoes. I get compliments. Kids ask, `Where did you get those shoes?'''
"Every other week, it looked like he had a different pair of shoes - all colors and designs," laughed Don Norford, who has been Poly's coach since the 1989-90 season.
The 6-1, 170-pound speedster led the nation this year in the 400-meter dash (45.38) and the 200-meter dash (20.43), earning him Gatorade's Male Track Athlete of the Year honors. He dominated his specialty, the 400, in fact, by also recording the No. 2-3-4 times (45.40, 45.54 and 46.02). He also had the second-best 200 time at 20.58 and was a member of Poly's 800-meter sprint medley relay team, which set a national record of 1:28.43.
Nellum calls the Gatorade honor "a blessing. I had an outstanding high school career. It was part of my dream. I set goals to run faster than 46.0 in the 400 and in the 200 to PR every time I stepped on the track. I broke 21 (20.9) in my junior year."
Still, his biggest thrill was becoming the second ever to win four gold medals in California's Division I state meet (the record was set 91 years ago) and the first to win six in a career. He won his two individual events and ran a leg on two championship relays as a senior. "I was the first to do that, so I made history," he said proudly.
Some day Nellum may legitimately lay claim to the title of "World's Fastest Human." Coach Norford estimates his star could have run the 400 in 44.6 "if he had gotten pushed this year." Poly is a school long known for the brilliant speed of its athletes. Nellum broke long-standing school records held by the likes of Mark Howard and Kareem Kelly. He also could have broken Poly's 100-meter dash record of 10.3 had he worked at the event. With a running start he was clocked at 9.86. That would convert to around 9.91 with a normal start.
Norford says he saw greatness in Nellum even as a sophomore. "You could see it right away because he ran so smoothly and effortlessly," the veteran coach recalled. "The main part for him was his mental outlook for life. He is a pretty wise and intelligent young man. He has a firm handshake and eye-to-eye contact. He comes to the track ready to practice. He is pretty serious. I've had some great kids but he is fantastic.
"No doubt the 400 was his best event, but he runs a great 200, too. We put more emphasis on the 400. He had to correct the 400 because he wasn't running the first 200 hard enough. Toward the end of his junior year he caught on. His senior year we ran a lot of 100s and 200s in dual meets."
Nellum can trace his track roots to watching the sport on television as a seven-year-old and being inspired by the likes of Michael Johnson and Maurice Greene. "I just admired them," he said. "I could go to the Olympics. That was my dream. I just had so much energy and had to put it to work. I already had a lot of speed."
So his mother, LeShon, signed him up with the Los Angeles Jets and he was off and running. In the beginning, however, he got more running than he bargained for, because he was running 800 and 1,500 meters. "I used to get tired," he confessed. "I didn't like it. I wasn't used to running long distances. I was close to quitting, but mom just kept encouraging me."
As a sixth grader he began playing organized football, too. In one Pop Warner game he recalls scoring all five of his team's touchdowns and amassing over 200 yards. He continued to play football through high school, but never produced big numbers because his track season always ran into the start of football and put him behind.
Nellum actually spent his freshman year at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES), but then transferred "because they didn't have a track or football program."
Track has taken him to such places as Morocco and Beijing, China. The first thing he recalled about China was the weather. "It wasn't clear - more like smog," he described. "You couldn't see beyond 50 meters. The air was thick and you couldn't really breathe.
"The food wasn't anything like the U.S. The first few days I just ate bread and drank (bottled) water. Maybe a few fruits. Until we found pizza (Pizaa Hut) and that was all I had the rest of the time. The whole team would be in the lobby - on the phone - ordering pizza day and night."
The young superstar still found time to forge a 3.2 GPA, with math being his favorite subject. He plans to major in business management at USC, where he also may take a crack at football some day. He has volunteered at a convalescent home and taken part in Poly's "Feed the Children" food giveaway. In addition, he mentors younger athletes.
Nellum is a member of West Angeles Church and says religion "is the most important thing in my life. I wake up every morning and give thanks to God. Without Him, I wouldn't be where I am."
He now is focusing on his upcoming enrollment at USC. Eric Sondheimer, who chronicled his feats for three years in the Los Angeles Times, says, "He is one of the better 400-meter runners in state history and has a tremendous kick. He made the right choice to stick with track in the early years at USC. He has a great future."
That great future now rests in the hands of veteran USC track coach Ron Allice, who calls the newcomer "performance-wise, the best ever to come to the University of Southern California. He's certainly the fastest ever (out of high school). This young man is extremely gifted."
Allice has a great returnee, Lionel Larry, who was just nipped for the 400-meter NCAA title this year, and he will be a great teammate for Nellum as both prepare for the 2008 Olympic Trials, which will be a month earlier than normal.
"I want to see that he reaches his goals," Allice said. "He has to have the ability to go through rounds - to face the highest form of competition in each round. The USA is always strong in the 400. To make the Olympics, he'll have to be consistent in the low 44s or under. He really is special. He is so smooth and makes it look so effortless. He probably is the future for the United States in that event."
Football Notes
* Some day they may compose a special song in New Mexico - let's call it the Ballad of Ronnie Daniels. The 6-1, 178-pound incoming freshman could wind up being the state's all-time greatest athlete by the time he graduates from Albuquerque La Cueva. He's already approaching legendary status, since he began signing autographs at age 10.
In six years of youth football, Daniels was on the losing side just once. He was known to rush for as much as 300 yards on occasion and once scored four touchdowns on runs of more than 70 yards. His basketball team at Desert Ridge Middle School never lost a game. He has won a bundle of 100-meter dash races in track meets involving teams from throughout the Southwest. Throw in a 3.75 GPA and what more can a coach ask? Stay tuned!
* Billy Rolle has returned to Miami Northwestern for the second time as head football coach. Rolle, who had been the current coach at Miami Central, guided Northwestern to a state championship in 1998 during his first tenure. He's a proven winner, having also coached Miami Killian to a Class 6A state title in 2004.
* Pahokee, Florida's Class 2B state champion in three of the last four years, defeated Crespi (Encino, Calif.), 25-24, in overtime to win the adidas 7-on-7 National Championship Tournament in Carson, Calif. Senior quarterback Anthony Sheppard passed to receiver Martavious Odoms (five yards) for the final touchdown and winning extra point. The Blue Devils posted a 5-0 record during the two-day tournament which drew 12 teams from regionals throughout the country. Approximately 200 teams entered the tourney.
* The University of Miami has received commitments from two area standouts: Booker T. Washington wide receiver Davon Johnson and Homestead linebacker Marcus Robinson. Johnson, who is 6-2, 210 pounds and runs a 4.5 40, made 86 tackles and 20 sacks as a junior. The 5-11, 161-pound Johnson runs a superb 4.33 40.
* Ryan Lewis, a two-sport star from Catholic High in Baton Rouge, La., has made a commitment to Rice University. The 6-3, 200-pounder completed 88 of 149 passes for 1,790 yards and 36 touchdowns as a junior. He also batted .476 in baseball and has a 3.8 GPA.
* Syracuse has received a commitment from Grant Mayes, a corner back from Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.). The 6-0, 180-pounder made 40 tackles and five interceptions as a junior.Delano Howell says he will attend Stanford. The 5-10, 190-pounder from Hart (Newhall, Calif.) rushed for 1,491 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior. In addition, he had 625 yards and six touchdowns receiving.
Basketball Notes
* The University of North Carolina has received a commitment from Ed Davis, one of the nation's premier rising seniors. The 6-8, 215-pounder averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds and 4.5 blocks as a junior for Benedictine (Richmond, Va.)
* All Ohio Red defeated the Westchester (N.Y.) Hawks, 72-67 in overtime, to win the national 15-and-under AAU championship. Jared Sullinger (6-7, 225) - one of the nation's highest-ranked rising sophomores - set the pace with 16 points. Sullinger, who has grown nine inches in the past two years, averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds last year for Northland (Columbus, Ohio). Sorry, recruiters, he already has made a commitment to Ohio State where older brother J.J. starred.
* Another elite rising sophomore, 6-6 Jereme Richmond, is transferring from North Shore Country Day in Winnetka, Ill., to Waukegan, Ill., to be closer to home. He made a commitment to the University of Illinois last year.
* Two of Chicago's finest rising seniors have announced they will attend the University of Oregon. Matthew Humphrey is a 6-5 guard who stars for Hales Franciscan, while Michael Dunigan, is a 6-10 center who dominates the paint for Farragut.
* In Hawaii, All-Stater Iwalani Rodrigues is transferring from Honolulu Roosevelt to Kalani. The 5-9 guard averaged 16.3 points as a junior and is being recruited by several Division I colleges.
* Kennith Shyne is the new head boys coach at California powerhouse Lakewood Artesia. The 34-year-old Shyne was an assistant last year at Santa Ana. He is the third coach in three years at Artesia, replacing Loren Grover, who guided the Pioneers to a 33-2 record and their second consecutive Division III state title.
Volleyball Notes
* California sisters Devon (age 16) and Laura (age 14) Dykstra of Hermosa Beach, Calif., teamed to win the under-18 girls volleyball title in the AAU Junior Nationals on their home turf.
* Rebekah Torres has announced she will attend the University of the Pacific. The 5-10 rising senior at Honolulu Kamehameha again will team with two-time Hawaii State Player of the Year Kanani Herring, who will attend the University of Hawaii.
Golf Notes
* Wesley Graham of Port Orange, Fla., placed second with 282 (6-under-par) at the HP Boys Junior Golf Championships in Orlando, Fla. The champion at 278 was Mu Hu of Shen Zhen, China, who fired a 67 on his final round. The 76-player field included entries from 24 states, Taiwan, China and South Korea.
* Vicky Hurst of Melbourne, Fla., fired a 7-under-par 206 to win the McDonald's Betsy Rawls Girls Golf Championship in Malvern, Pa. It was her first AJGA invitational victory. Allie White of Lancaster, Ohio was second with 211. The field included 78 players from 21 states, Canada and Peru.
Tennis Notes
* The USA placed a boy and girl in the finals of the Wimbledon Junior Championships for the first time since 1981. Despite five days of bad weather, America's Donald Young defeated top seed Vlad Ignatic of Belarus, 7-5, 6-1. The Atlanta lefty was seeded third.
Delaware resident Madison Brengle, however, lost in the finals, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, to Urszula Radwanska of Poland.
Potpourri
* Keep an eye on 14-year-old Javan Gray of Springfield, Ore., who set a national youth-boys record in the javelin (189-6 «) during the USATF Regional Junior Olympics. The rising Thurston High freshman also won the shot put at 48-2 « and the discus at 146-1 «.
* Iowa's No. 1-ranked Class 4A softball team, Des Moines East, was upset by city foe Lincoln, 2-0, in the state regional semifinals. The defending state champions - who had beaten Lincoln four times this summer - finished the season with a 45-4 record. Losing pitcher Kylie Vry struck out 15 to finish the year with 378 in 186 innings, but she also yielded solo home runs to Jenna Baker and Amber Streyffeler. Lincoln advanced with a 30-21 record.
* Kathleen Hersey, a rising senior from Marist (Atlanta, Ga.), won the 100-meter butterfly (59.21), the 400-meter individual medley (4:44.08) and the 200-meter butterfly (record 2:07.64) at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
* Eric Garcia, a recent graduate of Coolidge, Ariz., will wrestle this year for Carson-Newman College. Garcia, who holds the Arizona record with 252 career victories, won the state title at 119 pounds as a junior and 125 pounds as a senior.