Staff Reports

 

Bishop Gorman will honor its longtime track and field coach by naming Saturday’s middle school meet the Rev. Jerome Milton Middle School Relays.

The meet will begin at 10 a.m., with running events kicking off around noon.

Milton coached the Gorman track and field teams for 25 years before hanging up his whistle last year. He won 10 state championships, 15 district titles and sent more than 100 athletes to the college ranks while creating a track dynasty with the Crusaders, starting in 1989.

The Gorman track program is now run by former pupils of his, with five Gorman graduates among the coaches, including Monica Davis (high school head girls coach), Felipe Natera (middle school head coach), Ian Murrillo (high school assistant boys coach), Melissa Carney and Tina Ross.

“Any time you can walk away from something and you can pass the baton to something and still see everything going on bigger, better and greater it just becomes a tribute to what you tried to do and I just watch them and it brings tears to my eyes,” Milton said Wednesday.

Of special note at the Milton Relays on Saturday will be three of the former coach’s sons competing in the meet.

Though Milton retired from coaching, he has continued on in his role as athletic scholarship coordinator. In February he helped four more Crusaders move on to the next level, including his son Devonte, who will play football at Arkansas Baptist.