Life is in the fast lane with Winston Fastest
There is no shortage of basketball or football trainers in the Forsyth County area. For those kids that are interested in track and field, Winston Fastest may be the club for them.
Trisha Bennett, club founder, decided to start the track club after graduation from St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh. She ran her high school track first at Parkland High School under head coach Antwan Hughes and then for Derrick Speas at Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy.
As a youth, Bennett was not a sports fan or even wanted to play sports. She actually became interested in running track following an encounter with a dog where it chased her and she realized how fast she was.
“I loved running the curve which is why I liked running the 200 and 400 meter dash,” said Bennett. “Running was a relief and I didn’t have to worry about being in trouble.”
“It kept me busy so I really didn’t enjoy it until I started competing against other people which made me get enthusiastic about track,” she continued.
Bennett set records for the best time in the 200- and 400-meter dashes at both Parkland and Prep. She made it all the way to the Junior Olympics as well. She says her time at St. Aug. was an adjustment from high school but feels it was a great learning tool.
The idea to start her own track club came about during her senior year in college. She wanted to take the lessons she has acquired over the years and impact a young person’s life.
“I told myself I wanted to get an organization together because this is something that I love to do,” she said. “I know it’s a lot of kids out there with the drive but they just don’t have anyone to push them.”
Her target ages are 4 to 14. She says she will have the children involved with training, conditioning and improving their skills on the track. Her organization will be year-round because along with training the kids on the track, she will have them involved with community service.
Bennett feels what separates her club from others is the fact she wants to impart life lessons on the kids along with the training aspect.
“It’s about having the kids engaged instead of having them run the streets,” she went on to say. “It’s not all about competing either, it’s more about impacting the kids’ lives in a positive way.”
She plans to train at Forest Park Elementary school and Winston-Salem Prep Monday through Friday. Sign ups for her track club are at W.R. Anderson Community Center and the first practice is scheduled for April, 2.
For more information, email Bennett at trishabennett80@icloud.com.
