The 2022 track season was full of highs and lows for the Jack Yates Lions, and for Jeffery LeGrand the season ended sooner than he hoped. However, this season LeGrand is back with something to prove.
“He’s a hard worker, improving every week. He’s on a mission. He wants a scholarship. I gave him a couple of schools and what they’re looking for. He set goals, and now he’s working towards those standards so he can get a scholarship,” Yates Lions track coach Jamal Myers said.
“Before the gun goes off I’m thinking I need to push, pace, then punish. For the first 200-meters to 250-meters, I need to get out hard on the back straight away so I can have a good pace. For position, I need to make sure I’m ahead of my competition but not forcing myself too much. Then, on the last back straight, I need to punish and get away from everybody, walk everybody down,” LeGrand said.
Last season LeGrand made it to regionals, but an ankle injury kept him from competing.
“I rolled my ankle in that last meet and it blew up like a balloon, so I couldn’t run on it. It hurt, but I was more disappointed than mad that I couldn’t finish my season. I felt like I let my team down,” LeGrand said.
Although LeGrand began his track journey with Track Houston when he was 7-years-old, it would be inspiration found on television that inspired him to run.
“I just wanted to be fast. I saw Usain Boat and cartoons like Sonic Hedge and I wanted to be fast like that,” LeGrand said.
LeGrand’s times this season have shown his continued growth in the 400-meter dash.
“At the TSU Relays, I ran a personal best 52.11 seconds. Last year I ran 55.56 seconds. It felt good. Once I got into my groove I felt like I was flying.
After graduating, LeGrand hopes for an opportunity to continue his track career while majoring in kinesiology.
“I’m looking for a school that can help me grow and where I can feel at home,” LeGrand said.
About Jeffery LeGrand
Class: 2023
Twitter: @JefferyLeGrand
IG: @jefe.05
Races: 400-meter, 200-meter
Height & weight: 5-feet-11, 160 pounds
Runners he studies: Terrance Woods (Houston Washington), Brent Murphy (Houston Furr), Randolph Ross, Jr. (North Carolina A&T), Fred Kerley (pro)
Status: Uncommitted
Favorite artist: NBA YoungBoy
Favorite subject: Science
Shout-outs: Coach Jamal Myers, my teammates, dad and mom
