MileSplit is excited to announce that veteran educator, and former coach, Jerry Byrd has been named as state editor of MileSplit Louisiana.
Byrd, who is the assistant principal at C.E. Byrd High in Shreveport, La., has been involved in track and field for nearly four decades.
In his last meet as a head coach, the 2014 LHSAA State Outdoor Meet, Byrd coached two North Caddo Rebels to state championships. Lagarion Taylor won the triple jump (42-3.5) and Olandis Johnson won the 800 meters (1:55.02).
It was the first time in school history that two North Caddo athletes won state championships in the same year.
After moving into school administration in August of 2014, Byrd, who majored in journalism at Louisiana Tech and was the editor of the Tech Talk in the summer of 1995, continued to stay involved with the sport, covering the 2017 LHSAA State Outdoor Meet in for the Shreveport Times when C.E. Byrd, his alma mater, made history by winning the school's first girls' state championship.
The article appeared on the front page of the newspaper's Sunday edition.
Before becoming a coach and journalist, Byrd also competed in track and field, winning age-group national titles in both the shot put and javelin. His throwing career continued at Tech where he was on Gary Stanley's track and field team for two seasons, while on a football scholarship, making the finals of the javelin in the American South Conference both years.
In the last four years, he has continued to find ways to highlight the success stories of both high school and collegiate track and field athletes and coaches, starting a Facebook page- North Louisiana Track and Field News.
"I'm so thankful to MileSplit for this opportunity to continue to highlight the amazing track and field athletes and coaches in Louisiana," Byrd said. "My father, who was inducted into the Louisiana Track and Field Coaches Hall of Fame's first class, introduced me to this sport with a six-pound shot put in 1982. It has been a love affair ever since. I am eager to share my passion for the sport by bringing quality content to a deserving MileSplit audience."
If you have an interest in joining the MileSplit LA coverage team as a photographer or videographer or have any tips or insight for any potential stories or features for the site you can reach Jerry at MileSplitLAeditor@gmail.com. We're excited to have Jerry on board so we can expand our coverage and content of Track and Cross Country in the great state of Louisiana!
