Jim Hamilton has seen enough athletes in his time as a track and field coach to recognize one with a lot of potential.
When Hamilton talks about Columbus High School’s Byerson Cockrell, it’s easy to tell Hamilton believes his senior sprinter has the makings of an elite performer.
“He is a throwback (to when high school athletes could compete in six events),” Hamilton said.
In what could have been his final track and field meet, Cockrell won the 400 meters with a time of 49.69 seconds, finished third in the 100 (10.83), and teamed with Damian Baker, Quan Latham, and Roshad Meeks to take second (42.66) in the 4×100 relay.
“It is a great feeling,” Cockrell said. “I intended to run track to get in shape for football for summer workouts. I had to do something my senior year.”
Alex Lipscomb and George Lowery rounded out a seventh-place finish by the Falcons (33 points) by finishing third and seventh (41.62, 47.23) in the 300 hurdles. Baker also took eighth in the 100 (11.13).
“Byke had about as good a day as anybody at the meet,” Hamilton said. “He had a chance to earn three firsts. He worked really hard on his starts in the 100 and at about 80 meters in the 100 he was in the lead.”
These days, high school athletes can compete in only four events. Earlier in the season, Hamilton said Cockrell offered to step into a relay squad to help that team qualify, but Hamilton said no. He said Cockrell, who has competed in track and field for only two seasons, always has been an athlete who is willing to do anything to help the team. Hamilton is an assistant football coach at Columbus, while Cockrell is a member of the team. He missed almost all of his junior season due to injury and returned this season to help the Falcons nearly make the playoffs. His work helped him earn a scholarship to play football at East Mississippi Community College. EMCC doesn’t have a track and field program, but Hamilton knows Cockrell could become a standout in numerous events if he wanted to compete in college.
Cockrell played baseball his first two years at Columbus High before a shoulder injury pushed him to go out for the school’s track and field team. He said he didn’t think he would be good at it when he started, but that he came to realize he could compete thanks to hard work and training.
“Once I started running, I didn’t even know I was as fast, or faster, than people and I could win in track,” Cockrell said. “It turned out to be fun to me. That is when I really started to want to win.”
That winning feeling can keep a lot of dreams alive, which is why Hamilton hopes Cockrell finds a way to keep his track and field skills sharp.
Knowing Cockrell like Hamilton does, he has a feeling he will.
“He always does what you tell him to do. You don’t have to watch him, and he always competes at the level that is as high as it needs to be,” Hamilton said. “He is just a good kid.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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