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Moggotty High track and field coach, Terone Miller, is anticipating a good season for their boys and also making a mark at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs), after encouraging results at the Purewater Jamaica College (JC)/R Danny Williams meet at JC on Saturday.

Miller wants to change the status of the northwest St Elizabeth minnows in track and field, which he is confident will happen soon, but is first seeking to return to the top 10 of Champs after Moggotty dropped to 17th last year with 17 points.

"We are aiming to be back in the top 10 at Champs this year like we did in 2021 when we were 10th with 21 points," Miller said.

His optimism stems from their performance at the opening meet of the season, in which their best performance was in the Class II boys 800 metres, where they finished first and second despite the presence of athletes from top teams. Yoshane Bowen clocked 1:58.14 seconds to win his heat, which Charlon Conolly also did in 2:00.51 seconds.

Connoly was also fifth overall in the 1,500 metres in 4:23.51 minutes, while in Class IV, Jayden Brown was second overall in the 800 metres in 2:00.43 seconds.

Miller had a four-year stint at the institution between 2015-2018 before going to Sydney Pagon High and returning to Maggotty in 2019, where he is also the fitness trainer for the daCosta Cup football team and is encouraged by what has happened since.

Meanwhile, he is happy that Zachary Wallace and Bowen represented Jamaica at the Carifta Games in the 200 metres and 1,500 metres, respectively. Bowen won the bronze in the under-17 boys' 1,500 metres.

"A lot is expected from Bowen once again as he won the Class 11 boys' 1,500 metres at Champs and he will be still Class 11 this season and I am confident he can repeat that success," the G.C. Foster College graduate continued.

According to Miller, the likes of Deandre Watkins who was sixth in Class 11 boys' 400 metres at Champs in 2017, Nicholas Green who was seventh in Class 11 boys' 1,500 metres in 2018 and sprinter Kadrian Goldson who has been creating waves at G.C. Foster College over the past three years, have been the catalysts of the programme.

"What these guys have done, they have laid the foundation for others and we are building on it. I have set my own philosophy and I am confident that they will stay put in the programme as it is my plan to take them to the next level and the boys all believe in it and it will get better," Miller said.

He stated that they do not have a good facility for training.

"We do not have a field to train on as we only have a little space to do workout but I am happy with the support given by the principal and our manager, Mr Leslie," Miller said, while stating that the programme has also benefitted from his funds.