Ever since elementary school, Malcolm Jenkins and LeMari Spears have shared a strong bond playing sports together in Newfield. That carried on throughout their high school careers on the Trojans’ football, basketball, and outdoor track and field teams. For one of those sports, they have the unique opportunity to unite once again in college.
Jenkins and Spears will be joining the Ithaca College track and field team. Jenkins was the first of the two to commit to the Bombers, and as soon as he attended their prospect camp, he was completely bought into everything about the program.
“I immediately fell in love with the facility,” Jenkins said. “They had a couple teammates there, and it was great chatting with them. I just thought they had amazing chemistry. The community and the bond was tight, and the coaching staff was amazing. Both the jumping coach [Mary Wallenbeck] and the main head coach [Stargell Williams] were great. They welcomed me with open arms, and I was just blown away with how everything went.”
As for Spears, he initially was not planning on competing in college. But he changed his mind in May and wanted to join the Bombers as a walk-on as his love for the high jump continued to grow. It also helped that Jenkins will be an incredibly familiar face on the team.
“I know I get really nervous going into new stuff when I know nobody,” Spears said. “I’m just getting to know everybody. I’ve asked him so many questions, even though he knows basically just as much as I do. But sometimes I just need confirmation, and it helps a lot going to something new with someone you know.”
Jenkins and Spears enjoyed quite the swan song with the Trojans this past spring. The duo played a massive part in the boys outdoor track and field team winning its first-ever IAC championship. At the meet, Jenkins won the long jump and the triple jump, the latter of which he broke the school record for with a leap of 42 feet and 2.25 inches. He felt that everything clicked not just at IACs, but throughout his entire senior season.
“I think [it was] mentally locking myself in during practices, making sure I do all my drills, making sure I’m getting the right techniques and doing the right things to enhance my performance overall, and just being consistent with it and staying consistent with it,” Jenkins said. “Sometimes after a meet, you don’t even want to be at the track. You want to be home resting. But you have to just push through it and stay consistent with your work because then it all shows at the end.”
Spears naturally flourished in the high jump, winning the event at IACs and placing fourth at sectionals. Typically high jumpers are some of the taller athletes on the team. But at five feet and six inches tall, Spears is able to excel through his sheer speed and power he generates on his jumps. He believes his form has seen the biggest growth during his time with the Trojans.
“I remember when I first started, I didn’t understand how to flop, so I just scissor-kicked the whole time,” Spears said. “As soon as I started learning how to flop, I got a lot higher, and I’m still getting out the kinks hoping to get a lot higher.”
Leading the Trojans to that historic league triumph was the tandem of Richie Dorval and Ricky Stewart. Both coaches had a tremendous impact on Jenkins and Spears. For Jenkins in particular, Stewart was especially influential since he coached him in all three of his high school sports.
“He’s been a great mentor to me,” Jenkins said. “[I’m] able to look up to him and actually call him a very close family friend, family basically. He’s been there through my freshman to senior year, and he’s always believed in me. That’s the thing. He’s always told me I can achieve greatness and I can be great at the sport. I always looked up to him and stayed consistent with my work because I knew I could go places, and he would just motivate me and tell me those things.”
It’s that family aspect that Spears knows he and Jenkins can bring to a large but close-knit Bombers squad.
“What I’ve learned through all three sports is that if you’re on a team, you’re a family,” Spears said. “No matter what, you guys stick together no matter what. I think that will probably help me the most, help me meet some new people at IC, and help the team in general.”
Two other recent graduates from Newfield track and field will also be continuing their careers in college. Cali Bennett will run at Alfred University, and Pierce Brockner will compete in the hurdles at SUNY Oswego.
