Port St. Joe track coach, alumnus to host summer camp

Keion McNair is taking his track knowledge and wisdom beyond the borders of Gulf County this summer. 

Cross country and track coach at Port St. Joe Jr/Sr High School and holder of 12 high school championships and one college championship, McNair will hold a “Summer Track and Field Speed and Development Camp” on July 22-23 in Blountstown at Sam Atkins Park. 

Sessions will take place between 10:00 and 11:30, and will be “the 22nd camp that I’ve hosted for all ages,” said McNair. 

Assisting McNair at the camp will be Port St. Joe alumnus Darian Mills and McNair’s cousin Zyrus Hill. 

Mills, holder of three high school state championships in hurdles, most recently received first team NAIA All-American honors as a freshman at Thomas University. 

Both McNair and Hill have earned Level 3 certification in track and field through USA Track and Field, which allows them to coach Olympic athletes. 

Although the camp has a $50 dollar fee, McNair emphasized that “a lot of sponsors will pay for kids” to attend, “including the Jesse Owens Foundation.” 

“I want for kids to come out and enjoy themselves,” McNair said, “and learn the fundamentals of track and field.” 

The first day, July 22, the coaches will concentrate on acceleration training. “The athlete will learn proper dynamic movements and warm-up routines that will promote the ABC’s (agility, balance, and coordination), which are the foundations in elite level performances.” 

On day two, participants “will learn a proper dynamic warm-up routine aimed at increasing the five bio-motor abilities: speed, strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance,” said McNair. 

McNair recently went to Franklin County to run a camp for the football team on July 8 and 9, and jokingly said that “some coaches don’t like for me to coach their kids because some of them will want to come to Port St. Joe.” 

For more information, including how to receive a sponsorship for the camp, call 850-890-6967 or 850-209-1536.