Mission Statement

To provide youth athletes with the opportunity to pursue the sport of track and field and provide them with all the tools to compete at a championship level.

 

Vision Statement

To provide opportunities for youth through track and field that transitions them into the consummate student/athlete at the collegiate level. Through our programs, we aim to develop world class athletes not just in talent, but also in character, strength, and intelligence. We strive for our athletes to be scholarship athletes on, and off the track.
Charles Muhammad - Executive Director & Head Coach
 

Charles has been involved with youth track and field for over 15 years. As a parent, he has mentored all of his four children through youth track and field with teams such as the Northside Red Runners, Gazelle Track Club, Titans Track Club, New Birth Track & Field Club, and even Premier Athletics Track Club. His oldest son later went on to Alabama State University as a full scholarship 400m/800m and Cross Country athlete.

 

In 2008, he began his youth coaching career as an Assistant Coach of New Birth Track & Field, directing the distance team. In that same year he started their first Cross Country program. He remained the Asst. Coach for two more years before inheriting the program as its Head Coach in 2011. During his tenure with New Birth, he helped lead the emergence of a very balanced team alongside Coach Sorento Griggs. In the distance area, his teams became consistent contenders on the track, and a staple on the cross country scene. He helped lead many athletes to association and regional championships in his four years coaching at New Birth.

 

Upon the downsizing of its Athletics Ministry at New Birth, Charles formed Premier Athletics in 2011 with the goal in mind of building a “premier” developmental club that also produced elite student/athletes in the same environment. From its first year where it fielded about 28 athletes, nearly 65% of those athletes qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics. And of those, the team fielded ten Junior Olympic medalists, including an AAU National Champion, a Runner-Up, a Bronze Medalist, and seven other Junior Olympics Medalists. Experiencing tremendous growth in their second season (110% to 66 athletes), the team continued to build on the culmination of its mission by producing 12 USATF All-Americans, including a Junior Olympics National Champion and Runner-Up, two AAU Junior Olympics National Championships along with two other medalists, and having 69% of our athletes earn the Premier Athletics All-Academic team designation (Honor Roll students).

 

In 2014, Coach Charles continued to direct a program that excelled both on the track and in the classroom. 68% of the team achieved Honor Roll status (Premier Athletics All-Academic), while still performing at a National Class level. The 11-12 Girls 4 x 800m Relay continued its dominance in the region by once again claiming both USATF and AAU regional titles, and ranking #3 in USATF and #4 in AAU nationally. Tenae’ Grigsby and Faith Hill both claimed USATF 800m Regional titles, while Tenae’ once again claimed the AAU Club National Championship in the 400m Dash, an event she was ranked #1 in 2014. Additional performance by Kayla Hunt in the 100m Dash earned her the Bronze medal at the AAU Club Championship.

 

Also a renowned athlete, Charles is a collegiate Hall of Famer at his Alma Mater, Westminster College, PA. He still holds the 800m record among his accomplishments at his school. He also ran Masters and Open competition in Atlanta for about 5 years. From 2006-2008, he nearly achieved Masters All American status in the 400m and 800m before dedicating his time to coaching.

 

“I think we have experienced great success on the youth circuit, and now we want to clearly define who we are as an organization. We used to be known as a great distance club, but with our recent success in the sprints, we are now becoming known for our balance as a team and organization. Along with our emphasis on having strong academics along with great talent, training, and professionalism, our athletes and program should stand out the way we envisioned”, says Coach Charles Muhammad.