Larry Brown
Founder
Coach Larry Brown along with his wife Wanda Brown, started the team in January 2000 and have been coaching for over 20 years. Coach Larry is a central figure of the team and can always be seen providing concise instruction to the athletes.
Reggie Smith
President
Conditioning / Sprints / Long Jump
2007 – Present
Coach Reggie is a Paralegal Analyst for a financial services company in the University area. He brings with him 10+ years of coaching experience. Coach Reggie attended Eastern Kentucky University on a music scholarship and later joined the military where he served for 20 years in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. While in the military coach Reggie was in three conflicts, was an Airborne Paratrooper, served as the senior paralegal in several roles from defensive litigation to legal assistance, and was a paralegal instructor.
Coach Reggie started as the parent of an athlete on the track club in 2007, and in 2008 transitioned to assistant coach. Although coach Reggie’s son has graduated and no longer runs with the team, Coach Reggie has continued to volunteer his time and efforts to further the development of the athletes on the team. Coach Reggie believes that the children are the focus and the purpose of our team, and strives to help build the character of our athletes through academics and athletics. Coach Reggie attributes his dedication to the youth of the community, to his up bringing in a single parent home and now having the ability to give back.
Coach Reggie has played many sports and was a member of a number of his company’s intermural teams. While serving in Europe Coach Reggie was captain of his unit’s Army 10 Miler team. Coach Reggie is a USA Track and Field Level 1 certified coach and USA Track and Field Certified Official.
Coach AJ
Head Coach
Conditioning/Distance
2011 – Present
Coach Anthony Williams aka “Coach AJ” began his college career at Saint Augustine’s College. Coach AJ transferred to East Carolina University after one year, where he became a proud graduate with a Business degree. Two years later, Coach AJ returned to obtain his MBA.
Coach AJ has been around track for more than 20 years. Coach AJ has been a coach for various high schools, cross country and track teams. Coach AJ’s running background has allowed him to develop a natural love for distance runners.
Coach AJ is USATF level 1 certified and also a NCHSAA state championship team coach.
Coach AJ is a licensed and ordained minister through the Rowan Baptist Association for the last 20 years.
Coach AJ’s motto is Accountability + Responsibility
Eric Summerour
Sprints
2021 – Present
Coach Eric Summerour aka “Coach Sum” is a Charlotte Native who ran track at Garinger High School.
Competed in two state championships while in high school. Went on to run track at Fayetteville State University; 400H and 200. In 2015; took a teaching and coaching position at Garinger High School; and became the Head Coach, where he remained until 2021. He has coached 40 plus all conference athletes, 30 plus regional athletes and 20 state championship athletes in his program. Level 1 USATF Coach.
Coach Amber
Field Events - Shot Put, Javelin
2021 – Present
Amber Daniel competed for four years at Grimsley Senior High in Greensboro, NC and was a Two-Time State Qualifier, Four-Time Regional Qualifier, 2014 Shotput Conference Champion, 2014 All Conference for Shotput and Discus, Most Valuable Senior, member of National Honor Society and International Baccalaureate graduate.
Amber was accepted in the Honors Program at Appalachian State University and competed on the Varsity Track and Field Team for four years. Amber finished her four years of competing at Appalachian State by posting a 10th place finish in the weight throw at the Sun Belt Indoor Championships and also finished 14th in the shot put.
Amber was also named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar, announced by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The publication’s award program recognizes student-athletes of color who personify Arthur Ashe’s ideals of scholarship, athletic achievement and humanitarianism. Student-athletes must have at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 and be active in community service activities.
Amber graduated with honors from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science and a Minor in Biology. Amber went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northeastern University. Amber is currently employed at Premier Gynecology & Wellness and at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center as a Registered Nurse.
As a coach Amber strives to build athletes’ confidence on and off the track. She works to give every athlete the tools they need to succeed
Coach Cannon
Distance, Multi-Events
2017 – Present
Coach Cannon started running cross country and track at a young age under the leadership of Catherine Lempesis, who was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 2009. While in middle school, Cannon made her debut as part of the Spring Valley High School State Champion team running alone with former olympians such as Monique Hennigan. Coach Cannon continued running under Cathererine Lempesis as state champion in both cross country and track (400m Hurdles, High Jump,800,4×4) for her high school career at Spring Valley High School and at Ridge View High School, her junior and senior year.
After high school Coach Cannon continued her college education at The Citadel, the Military School of South Carolina, in which she continued to succeed as a student athlete running cross country and track under the leadership of Jody Huddleston. Coach Huddleston, who was An All-American decathlete at Florida Community College, has been over the track and cross country for 36 years producing great athletes. Jody Huddleston saw something special in Coach Cannon and he used her strength, hard work and dedication to push her out of her shell. While at the Citadel, Coach Cannon exceeded her expectations setting the bar high for future female cadets to follow in her footsteps athletically, academically and as a LEADer while she was there. She was the first female in the school’s history to gain a SoCon honors in the Heptathlon.This is just one of the many history making accomplishments that Coach Cannon made as a trailblazer while there.
Coach Cannon has been active in coaching for many years. She has coached the girls track team at Heathwood Hall. Under her leadership, they won the SCISA 3A State track meet. She has also coached the Boys and Girls track team at James Martin Middle School for four years, During that time, both teams won the Middle School Conference Meets. Coach Cannon has trained and developed many athletes over the years. Some have continued to run in college and have done quite well.
Some of the younger runners have developed into strong runners who are now competing as high schoolers. “It’s very filling to see how you have developed these once young babies that knew nothing about track into strong competitive athletes. My heart is overjoyed everytime they come to hug me and say no one’s workouts are as tough as yours. For me, sports teach more than just the fundamentals of the sport. It teaches life lessons, leadership and responsibility just to name a few. We set the bar high because we want our athletes to be successful in life in general and sports is where it starts.”
Coach Cannon loves being a part of the Panther’s family. She has three children that run on the Panthers team. You can always find Coach Cannon lending a hand somewhere on the track if she’s not coaching. You can hear Coach Cannon saying one of the following to our Panthers team:
“ Trust the process.”
“Just run your race because anyone could be having a bad day.”
“Did you do your best? If so, I’m proud of you and you should be too.”
Coach K’Lynn
Field Events - Jumps
2022 – Present
K’Lynn Beal completed at Broughton High school in
Raleigh, NC and was a 7x-State Qualifier ( finishing top 4 indoor and outdoor in both long jump and triple jump), 4x-Regional Qualifier, 1x-Regional Champion in the Triple Jump, and 3x-Conference Champion. K’Lynn still is ranked in the top 30 all-time in the NCHSSA (North Carolina High School State Association) records for Triple Jump. K’Lynn currently holds the triple jump record at Broughton High School since 2015. K’Lynn was the New Balance Nationals emerging elite runner up in the long jump in 2015. Also in 2015, K’Lynn was recognized as the Earnest Helms Athletic Female Athlete of the Year. K’Lynn was team captain and 3x-MVP while at Broughton High School.
K’Lynn received an athletic scholarship to Appalachian State University where she competed 3.5 years, before a career ending injury. K’Lynn was a 7x-Conference Qualifier in the Sun Belt Athletic Conference, and a 2x-All Conference finisher. In September 2018, K’Lynn was honored as the Appalachian State Female athlete of the month. K’Lynn also was an honor roll student while competing at App State, and served as the team captain her senior year.
K’Lynn graduated with honors from Appalachian State with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2019. In 2020, K’Lynn graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Masters of Arts in Human Services Counseling with a concentration in Criminal Justice. K’Lynn currently is employed for the Mecklenburg County Government, and serves as the jumps coach at Mountain Island Charter High School.
I strive to build the character and worth of my athletes just as important as developing the skills of my athletes.
Coach Ray
Sprints
2022 – Present
Coach Ray “Raynique Janielle Austin” has been involved in the fitness world from youth. She competed in multiple sports such as tennis, boxing, cheerleading, and of course AAU track and field. The events she participated in were 100mm, 200mm, 400mm, and shot-put. From being involved in sports in her youth she joined the Military as a military police officer after graduating high school, and ran fitness operations in her platoon because of her outstanding physical fitness achievements of maintaining a perfect fitness score.
In present day Coach Ray is a student at UNCC earning her bachelors degrees in Business Marketing Analytics, and runs her own natural skincare brand MELABUTTA. She also works alongside a personal trainer and has her own fitness page where she promotes fitness and overall wellness “Rajah.fit”.
Coach Ray believes that fitness is the cornerstone for success. She feels that it instills discipline, work-ethic, and persistence within the youth, that builds the muscles in the mind that helps further pushes the youth towards their greatness in life! She believes that every participant that comes on the field is capable of achieving anything they set there mind to, and it’s her mission to help them see that within themselves on and off the field!