Former James Island and UofSC track star holds 2nd annual youth track camp

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Makyla Stanley hosted her 2nd annual youth track camp on Saturday at her alma mater, James Island Charter High School.

Stanley holds multiple records at James Island, was the 2015 South Carolina “Miss Track” recipient in high school, and was named to the 2018 Second-Team Outdoor All-American (4x100m relay) while at the University of South Carolina.

On Saturday, the former Gamecock sprinter and long jumper welcomed around 25 kids ranging from five to 15 years old.

Stanley, who now coaches track and field at James Island, says it was encouraging to see new and old faces at the camp.

“I feel like it was important because you don’t really have track camps,” Stanley said. “You see the football guys come back home and do football camps. The basketball guys come back and do basketball camps. And I’ve never heard of a track camp until now, until last year.”

Alongside some of the athletes she coaches, and other former college athletes and friends, Stanley said kids learned the fundamentals of track while at camp.

“I went to my first track camp when I was a junior in high school, and I had to go to the University of South Carolina to do it,” she said. “So, bringing one here and having one in my own city was very important to me.”

She added that the skills kids learned at Saturday’s camp will benefit them even if they don’t pursue track and field.

“I think it’s important just to be active,” Stanley said. “Especially in this day in age just getting out. Especially in the summer because you get a little idle because you’re not going to school. Competing with people, meeting new people, I’ve met some kids from last year that came back this year and I’m happy to see that.”

Stanley says it’s exciting to see the sport of track continuing to grow in the Lowcountry and hopes one day, one of the kids from camp will break her records at James Island Charter.

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