National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

The NSAF is thrilled to be hosting for the first time its Project Javelin Gold and Project Triple Jump clinics in the Birmingham, Ala.-area and the Atlanta, Ga.-area, respectively, during the November 14-17, 2019 weekend.

Project Javelin Gold will make its Alabama debut at Hoover High School – in Hoover, Ala., right next to Birmingham – the new home of Project Head Coach Tom Pukstys and a school with an outstanding track and field tradition. Meanwhile, Project Triple Jump will make its first foray into Georgia, specifically at Heritage High School in Conyers, just outside of Atlanta – another hotbed of the sport that’s eager to host an NSAF clinic. Both clinics will take place from Thursday evening through Sunday morning of the Nov. 14-17 weekend, are open to all interested athletes and coaches, and also have Saturday-only registration options.

Project Javelin Gold Clinic Registration | Project Javelin Home (clinic details)

Project Triple Jump Clinic Registration | Project Triple Jump Home (clinic details)

For both Project Triple Jump and Project Javelin Gold, these are the second clinics of the 2019-20 school year – following the tremendous season-launching joint clinic with the Sanford Sports Science Institute in Sioux Falls, S.D. You can read about that clinic HERE.

The Project Javelin Gold debut in Alabama is exciting for several reasons. Head Coach Tom Pukstys and his family relocated to the Birmingham/Hoover area recently and he has been establishing an elite training group there for post-collegians and pros – all aspiring to make the Olympic team and achieve other high-level goals. Leading the clinic with Coach Pukstys will be NSAF staff coaches Barry Krammes and Kim Hamilton.

Also, Alabama is one of about 20 states in the U.S. for which the javelin is a state-association, state meet event – creating an opportunity for many elite preps to attend an NSAF clinic close to home for the first time. Finally, having Hoover High School and its facilities on which to train is another great benefit. Hoover, under the long-time leadership of Devon Hind, is one of the nation’s elite track and field programs and Hind was the NSAF’s Mike Byrnes Coach of the Year back in 2013.

Project Javelin Gold supports eight elite prep athletes who train with the Project year-round. You can read about the 2019-20 elite group HERE. But as mentioned above, the clinics are open to all interested participants.

Holding Project Triple Jump for the first time in Georgia is also exciting for several reasons. For Project Coach Kenny Harrison, it will be a homecoming: 23 years ago he won the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Triple Jump Gold Medal with a 59-4.5 leap that still stands as the Olympic record and still makes him history’s #4 triple jumper overall. Also, current Olympic and World champ Christian Taylor is from Georgia and the talent level from the state – which includes current and past Project jumpers – is bountiful.

The NSAF is grateful to Heritage High School, and its USATF Level 2 jumps coach and Heritage administrator Edward Senter – who is welcoming us and helping host the event with us. The connection with Coach Senter was fostered by Mike Judge, the founder and coach of the Throw 1 Deep Club in Marietta, Ga. – a longtime friend who has helped the NSAF for many years. Project Head Coach Peter Pratt, Project Coordinator Macka Jones and Coach Harrison will lead the clinic, as usual.

Project Triple Jump also supports eight elite prep athletes who train with the Project year-round. You can check out the 2019-20 elite group HERE. The clinics are, however, open to all interested participants.