What’s in a name? Find out in Denny Dyroff’s track and field notebook this week.
By DENNY DYROFF
Some names are fairly common. Some are unique and the rest fall somewhere in between the two extremes.
In America, the most common name is James Smith with close to 40,000 people bearing the name. And, Smith is the most common surname.
So, it’s not unlikely for a James Smith or a John Smith to meet someone with whom he shares the name.
Tyler Smith is a little different -- a lot less common. But, the Suburban One League had two top-flight athletes named Tyler Smith in 2009. Both Tyler Smiths ran track and both specialized in the 100-meter dash.
Norristown’s Tyler Smith and North Penn’s Tyler Smith ran in the same preliminary heat in the 100 at the 2009 District 1 Track and Field Championships. They also competed head-to-head (Tyler Smith-to-Tyler Smith) and faced each other in the final.
Norristown’s Tyler Smith captured the gold medal while North Penn’s Tyler Smith placed fourth. Both stellar sprinters qualified for the PIAA Championships that year.
This year, there are two track athletes in the Suburban One League who share a very unusual name -- Uche.
Uche Onuoha is a senior on Pennsbury’s team who specializes in the hurdles events and also runs relay events for the Falcons.
Uche Nwogwugwu is a sophomore at North Penn who specializes in the 400, high jump and triple jump and also runs relay events for the Maidens.
“Uche has actually become top three in the state in both hurdles races (100 and 300),” said Pennsbury coach Tim Cass. “She’s also one of the best in the state in triple jump. And, number one is that she’s part of two very fast relays.
“She has gone to states (PIAA Class AAA Championships) every year. As a freshman, she was on our 4x400 relay that finished second at states. As a sophomore, she was on our state 4x400 and state 4x100 relay. Last year, she went to states in the hurdles, triple jump and 4x400.”
Onuoha said, “I’ve been doing track since I was in seventh grade at Penn Wood Middle School in Yardley. My friends asked me to try out for the team so I did. In middle school, I was doing the 400 and both relays.
“I didn’t start running hurdles until I got in high school. Coach (Micah) Wright got me into them. He had everyone try them out and I liked them. It was very different. It’s still very different. I still hit my trail leg at times and I’m still getting bruised knees.”
Dealing with the challenge provided by running over hurdles provided Onuoha and her teammates with some funny moments.
“One day, I was doing hurdles drills in practice and I fell flat on my face,” said Onuoha. “I didn’t get hurt and everyone was laughing. Even though I was the one who fell, I was laughing too. I was more laughing at people’s reactions.”
Now, it’s time for Onuoha to be serious because the three consecutive weekends of post-season championships begins this weekend with SOL’s conference meets, continues next weekend with the District 1 Championships at Coatesville High and concludes on Memorial Day Weekend with the PIAA Championships at Shippensburg.
“I went to states in ninth grade on a relay team,” said Onuoha, who has accepted a track scholarship from Howard University. “In my sophomore year, I made it to the finals in the 300 hurdles at districts. Last year, I was second at districts and sixth at states in the 300 hurdles. I was also ninth in triple jump at districts and just missed qualifying for states.
“My most memorable meet so far was winning indoor states in triple jump. This year, I’ve been focusing on both relays (4x100 and 4x400) and both hurdles (110 and 300). Last week, I ran a 42.7 in the 300 hurdles and set the met record at the West Chester Henderson Invitational. That made me realize that I was stronger than I thought.”
Onuoha traces her roots directly back to Africa.
“My dad was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and he still speaks Igbo as well as English,” said Onuoha. “My mom is from Nairobi, Kenya. She speaks Swahili and English. I went to Kenya when I was in seventh grade and visited with my grandparents for three weeks. I do want to visit Nigeria to see how differently they live there.”
Nigeria’s two main tribes -- and tribal languages -- are Igbo and Yoruba. Uche is an Igbo name that means ‘God’s will.’
Ironically, both Pennsbury’s Uche and North Penn’s Uche have met -- and competed against each other head-to-head.
“It was so funny to meet someone with the same name as mine,” said Onuoha. “And, we’ve gotten to race against each other a few times because we both are leadoff runners on the 4x400.”
Nwogwugwu said, “It was really surprising to meet another Uche. I was at a meet and I heard some people cheering my name -- but they weren’t from my team and it was a different event.
“Then, when they announced her name for a medal ceremony, I was even more surprised because her last name sounded similar to mine. I saw her again at another meet and we got to know each other. It was pretty exciting.”
North Penn coach Jim Crawford said, “Uche has a lot of talent. In addition to her main events, she can do the 800 or the 4x200. She can triple jump and she does long jump. It’s a case of whatever events we can fit her in. She’s a good worker -- and a good solid person. We just met her last year as a ninth-grader.”
Nwogwugwu said, “My sister Nnenna Nwogwugwu did track when she was in middle school and then competed for North Penn and I followed her. I mainly did high jump, 75 (dash) and 4x100 in middle school.
“Since I’ve been in high school, my main events are 400, high jump, triple jump and 4x400 relay. My personal bests are 55.98, 5-4 and 36-0.75. Last year, I qualified for districts in the 400 and 4x400. This year, the 400 is my main event.”
Nwogwugwu prepped for the post-season by winning the gold medal in the 400 at last weekend’s Lower Merion Invitational.
“Uche ran a 55.98 at Lower Merion,” said Crawford. “That set a new North Penn sophomore record. The old record was 57.0 set by Jessica Franks back in 1995.”
Nwogwugwu said, “My goal this year was a 55 in the 400 and I’ve done that already. Now, I want to run a 55 at states and win a medal. In high jump, the school record is 5-5 so I want to tie or break it -- and I want a 37 in triple jump.
“Our 4x400 -- Leiana Dean, Mikaela Vlasic, Allison King and me -- finished seventh in the Championship of America race at Penn Relays and out time of 3:52.06 was the third-best American time in the event. We want to break the record again at states.”
Nwogwugwu is aware of her Igbo heritage; she is a fan of lively Nigerian juju music and mindful of the meaning of her name.
“With my name Uche,” said Nwogwugwu, “Every time I run, I pray to God and let his will come through.”
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Another Nigerian name appears frequently in the results from Suburban One League track and field meets this season. One of the league’s top hurdlers this season is Truman High’s Obinna Ogbonna.
“This year, Obi has become our best hurdler,” said Truman coach Jon Candy. “He gets that rhythm down. He’s got the right steps and had good lead leg/trail leg technique. He’s a team captain and a good leader -- especially with our younger hurdlers.”
Both of the Truman senior’s names have definite meanings in the Igbo language. Obi means “from the heart” and Ogbonna means “looks like his father.” The most famous international athlete with the Ogbonna name is Angelo Ogbonna, who is a center back for Juventus, Italy’s champion soccer team.
“Obi has been improving all season long,” said Candy. “He just ran a 15.71 and took fourth in the 110 hurdles at the Montgomery Memorial Meet at William Tennent last week. And, he was ninth in the 300 hurdles with a 43.06.
“The 110s are his best event. He also does high jump -- he’s O.K. -- and triple jump. He just did 40-0 in triple at our last dual meet and is really close to qualifying for districts. This year is his first time to do triple jump. He also ran the 4x400 for us in some of our dual meets.
“We have two good hurdlers this year -- Mykeer Spuriel and Obi. In the 110s, Obi has the slight advantage. In the 300, both will be in the fast heat at the league meet. They’re both fast and they push each other.”
It’s safe to say that neither Tiger hurdler would like to have the Igbo name “Achike.” It means “slow and steady wins the race” and that definitely is not true when talking about hurdles races in post-season competition.
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Coaches are always on the lookout for a “Diamond in the Rough.” Two years ago, Norristown coach Mile Burrell had a “Dymon in the Rough.”
Dymon Lee joined the Eagles’ team as a freshman in 2012. In her first two seasons, Lee was one of the runners Burrell used to complete a 4x100 foursome that featured a trio of the best sprinters in the state -- Lexi Bell, Rowanna Watson and Zayna Milligan.
With the nucleus of Bell, Watson and Milligan, the Eagles were gold medalists at the District 1 Championships and at the PIAA state meet.
Lee’s “Rough” time came toward the end of her sophomore season.
“In her sophomore year, Dymon was running the relay with three very good seniors,” said Burrell. “She was next in line. We had three fast legs and couldn’t get anyone to fill the fourth. Dymon stepped up and did well. Then, a situation came up that pulled her off.”
Lee said, “I stopped running near the end of my sophomore year. There was a lot going on and I missed the last couple weeks of the season.”
Having a truncated season in her sophomore year did not deter Lee from returning to the Eagles’ track team the following year.
“I came back my junior year,” said Lee. “It was my decision to come back. That was always my plan. I figured I’d come back stronger. I had time to reflect on what I was going to do. Last year was good -- but I could have done better.”
Burrell said, “Last year, she ran O.K. This year has been her best season ever. She already has qualified for districts in the 200 and hopefully she’ll qualify in the 100 this weekend at the American Conference meet.”
This season, Lee has honed her running skills -- and has become a team leader.
“Miles is always on me about doing the right thing,” said Lee. “I’m a senior and I have to be a leader. It’s kind of weird because I used to be the young one looking up to the older runners and now I’m the older one.
“This year has been good. I’m trying to go out with a bang. I already made districts in the 200 with a 26.4 and now I’m looking to make it in the 100. My best 100 time so far is a 12.7.
“In addition to my running, I’m focusing on trying to get to college for track. Some of the schools I’m interested in are IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Virginia State and Penn State-Harrisburg. My grades are actually good. I’m surprised. I guess I’m getting older and more mature.”
Burrell said, “I’m really proud of the way Dymon came back. She has been running very well. She’s on the 4x100 and 4x400 with Jayana Webb, Jonae Cook and Kanitra Hill-Stewart. Their season best in the 4x100 is 47.91 which is fourth-best in the state and they’re ranked fifth in the state in the 4x400 with a 3:57.”
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