Beyond the Games: The Cherry’s Connection to Drake Stadium
09/01/2023
Drake Stadium serves as a link between Jamese Cherry's past and her children's present
By Kelsey Burr
DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 1, 2023) – For Jamese Cherry, being at Drake Stadium for the 2023 AAU Junior Olympic Games was a homecoming of sorts.
“As soon as we arrived for this year’s AAU Junior Olympic Games meet, I was flooded with memories,” Cherry said.
Cherry was at the track with her two kids, Tyson and Taylor, who were competing at the iconic Blue Oval – 21 years after their mom did the same.
In 2002, Cherry won the 400m hurdles at the famed Drake Relays, setting a school record for the University of Tulsa. The Drake Relays has been a go-to track meet for top track and field athletes for the past 113 years.
“Drake’s blue track is iconic. It’s one of a kind – a track one won’t forget,” Cherry said.
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Now, she has an even greater connection with it. Tyson and Taylor both qualified for the AAU Junior Olympic Games for the first time this year, after falling just short in 2022.
“They put in a lot of work during the off-season to make it this year, and it just so happened that their first JOs experience was at Drake where I competed as well,” Cherry said. “I felt a mix of pride, nostalgia, and a deep sense of connection. The track I once competed on in college now serves as a link between my past and my children's present. It's an experience that will forever bond us three and something I will forever cherish.”
12-year-old Tyson competed in the 800m and 4x400m events, while 10-year-old Taylor ran in the 4x400m and 4x100m. Taylor was named an All-American for finishing in the top eight of the 4x100m.
“It feels really good knowing that my mom actually ran here,” Taylor said.
Both kids credit their parents for inspiring them to run AAU track and field.
“I run because when I was a kid, I felt like I was very fast. I was looking for a sport where I could be fast. My mom and my dad did track, so I was like ‘I want to do track’,” Tyson explained.
“Similar to my brother, when I was like very, very little I used to think I could always beat him. I thought I was the fastest kid in my class, and that I was faster than my parents. We always used to go on jogs,” Taylor said.
Cherry said she wanted her kids to join AAU track and field for its mix of individual and team competition and for the lessons it instills.
“Not only is track a sport that teaches both aspects, it is also a sport that tells the truth and holds its athletes accountable,” Cherry said. “If you don’t put in the work, it will eventually catch up with you. The skills Tyson and Taylor gain from track, like hard work, leadership, discipline, determination, and teamwork, are transferable to many aspects of their lives.”
Cherry said that competing in track opened up a lot of doors for her personally as well.
“I was able to travel all across the country (my first plane ride was going to a track meet in college), be the first in my family to graduate from college due to a track scholarship, meet different people from various backgrounds, and just be among a community of athletes who strive for excellence,” she said. “Although my kids are growing up differently than I did, AAU track has already afforded them many life experiences of traveling to various cities, performing on a large stage, and having extended family see them compete online as if they were there.”
The AAU Junior Olympic Games return to Des Moines and Drake Stadium in 2026, and if all goes well, the Cherry family should be back to make more memories at the track that connects them all.
If you’d like to become an AAU Track and Field member, click here.
DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 1, 2023) – For Jamese Cherry, being at Drake Stadium for the 2023 AAU Junior Olympic Games was a homecoming of sorts.
“As soon as we arrived for this year’s AAU Junior Olympic Games meet, I was flooded with memories,” Cherry said.
Cherry was at the track with her two kids, Tyson and Taylor, who were competing at the iconic Blue Oval – 21 years after their mom did the same.
In 2002, Cherry won the 400m hurdles at the famed Drake Relays, setting a school record for the University of Tulsa. The Drake Relays has been a go-to track meet for top track and field athletes for the past 113 years.
“Drake’s blue track is iconic. It’s one of a kind – a track one won’t forget,” Cherry said.
Now, she has an even greater connection with it. Tyson and Taylor both qualified for the AAU Junior Olympic Games for the first time this year, after falling just short in 2022.
“They put in a lot of work during the off-season to make it this year, and it just so happened that their first JOs experience was at Drake where I competed as well,” Cherry said. “I felt a mix of pride, nostalgia, and a deep sense of connection. The track I once competed on in college now serves as a link between my past and my children's present. It's an experience that will forever bond us three and something I will forever cherish.”
12-year-old Tyson competed in the 800m and 4x400m events, while 10-year-old Taylor ran in the 4x400m and 4x100m. Taylor was named an All-American for finishing in the top eight of the 4x100m.
“It feels really good knowing that my mom actually ran here,” Taylor said.
Both kids credit their parents for inspiring them to run AAU track and field.
“I run because when I was a kid, I felt like I was very fast. I was looking for a sport where I could be fast. My mom and my dad did track, so I was like ‘I want to do track’,” Tyson explained.
“Similar to my brother, when I was like very, very little I used to think I could always beat him. I thought I was the fastest kid in my class, and that I was faster than my parents. We always used to go on jogs,” Taylor said.
Cherry said she wanted her kids to join AAU track and field for its mix of individual and team competition and for the lessons it instills.
“Not only is track a sport that teaches both aspects, it is also a sport that tells the truth and holds its athletes accountable,” Cherry said. “If you don’t put in the work, it will eventually catch up with you. The skills Tyson and Taylor gain from track, like hard work, leadership, discipline, determination, and teamwork, are transferable to many aspects of their lives.”
Cherry said that competing in track opened up a lot of doors for her personally as well.
“I was able to travel all across the country (my first plane ride was going to a track meet in college), be the first in my family to graduate from college due to a track scholarship, meet different people from various backgrounds, and just be among a community of athletes who strive for excellence,” she said. “Although my kids are growing up differently than I did, AAU track has already afforded them many life experiences of traveling to various cities, performing on a large stage, and having extended family see them compete online as if they were there.”
The AAU Junior Olympic Games return to Des Moines and Drake Stadium in 2026, and if all goes well, the Cherry family should be back to make more memories at the track that connects them all.
If you’d like to become an AAU Track and Field member, click here.
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