The Black Mambas are a family-owned track group with the goal of letting local youth experience what the sport has to offer. Since their formation in 2020, the team has competed every year at the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics. From July 27 through August 2, the local track team competed at the AAU Junior Olympics held in Humble, Texas, and had two students deemed as “All-Americans.”
The “All-American” title is given to anyone who places in the top eight of their competition, and this year, Zechariah Black and Shawn McCoy both placed fifth in their respective competitions. Zechariah has been a member of the program since 2020 and this year marks his third time as an “All-American.” His competition, the Turbo Javelin, gives athletes three attempts at throwing a javelin, and the athlete who throws the farthest wins. Since he first joined, Zechariah’s spot on the Black Mambas has changed, partly due to health issues. “He had issues with his heel when he was eight and every time he would run, his heel would take a beating,” His coach and dad, Henry Black, explained. “And he asked me if he could try the javelin and he became really good at it.”
Shawn, who placed fourth in last year’s competitions, also competed in a separate javelin toss competition, where he ended in fifth place. Both boys ended up with the same “All-American” title, and they both had the same amount of anxiety on them during the toss. Both boys scratched their first two throws, meaning that they either had an invalid throw or stepped over their limit to throw. However, both ended with the right amount of success and accolades, with both now being labeled as multi-year “All-Americans.” However, they aren’t the only ones to make it to the Junior Olympics.
Among the group who competed at the Junior Olympics were Carter Dawson in the Discus and Turbo Javelin competition, Daylen Watson in the Turbo Javelin competition, Riley McCoy in the 200 and 400 meter dash, and Autumn Johnson in the 800 meter run. None were able to place in the top eight, but they will all continue their work next year with the program.
The program, just like these athletes, has grown over time. Starting at the same time as the pandemic, they faced several health challenges on top of the normal difficulties that come with leading a track team. However, coach Henry Black has had the support of his entire family, as all three of his kids are a part of the Black Mambas and his wife, Shirley Black, works as the Vice President of the club. “I use my kids to help me, especially with the younger kids,” He explained. “The older kids can train themselves, to an extent. But the younger ones, they need a little extra help.” Though having his kids as support is helpful, he still has to mentor them, both as a coach and as a father. Sometimes, he has to find the right line between when to be a dad and when to be a coach.
“The dad and coach in me are both really competitive, and I really try to push them, but I have to separate the two,” He said. “For instance, when we first started, my oldest kid, Zephaniah, was over there gasping for air. The coach in me was saying he’ll be fine, but then the dad in me was thinking, that’s my boy, though.” Despite having his family on the team, he makes sure to have an environment that makes everyone feel welcome.
“We don’t bring up the school they go to because we’re the Mambas,” he explained. “I’m a Razorback at heart, but once you join, it’s established that it doesn’t matter what school you go to. You’re representing the Texarkana Mambas, but at the same time, you are representing your school, too. It doesn’t matter whether you attend Texas High, Pleasant Grove, or Liberty-Eylau. We’re running under Arkansas, and that’s why we hold that big old Arkansas flag and that banner when we go out there.”
The Black Mambas are now preparing for their next season, set to start in January, and are looking for new players to join, with a focus on younger kids so that they can “grow as the program does.”
For more information, you can find the Black Mambas on Facebook or email them at Texarkanablackmambas@gmail.com.
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