Gulf Coast Running Club

The Gulf Coast Running Club (a.k.a. the G.O.A.T. Farm "Greatest of All Time") is comprised of high school track and cross country runners who train together in the off-season (winter and summer) at Fricker Resource Center. Coaches Michael Mims and Lendward Griffin provide training sessions twice a week at the center and participants enter local races to train for larger meets.

The goal of the Gulf Coast Running Club is to provide opportunities for young men and women to train and compete in track and cross-country, while mentoring and coaching them to be outstanding young women and men representing the greater Pensacola and Gulf Coast area.

The team earned their first national award, 2nd Place at the AAU National Cross Country Championship on December 1, 2018 in Knoxville, TN. 2018 team members included Francisco Ramirez-Pace High School, Brandon Knieja-Tate High School, Richard Whatley-Pine Forest High School, James Simkins, Jr.-Pensacola High School, Rory Carmody-West Florida High School, David Milburn-Booker T. Washington High School, John Trawick-Booker T. Washington High School, and Daniel Holzknect-Booker T. Washington High School.

In June 2021 the team traveled to Tallahassee for the AAU Regional Championships. Even with hot degree weather and a blazing hot sun beating down on them, the team raked in four gold, three silver, and four bronze medals. Aariyana Williams, Kayden Engel, Jayla Rudolph and Sierra Brooks were successful both as a team and individually as they placed 1st in the Womens 15/16-year-old division 4x400-meter Relay.

The club also took home a silver medal in the Boys 17/18-year-old division 4X1600 meter relay with Quentyn Sellers, Damonte Williams, Chrishaun Terrell, and Jamari Harris.

Twelve out of fourteen team members qualified for the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Humble, Texas scheduled July 31 - August 7, 2021. 16,000 athletes competed in twenty sports at the games. The G.O.A.T. Farm traveled to the Junior Olympics thanks to the generosity of our team sponsors Home Light, Joe Presley Electric, Phil Hall, P.A. and Simply Healthcare.