Future Illinois High School Association Hall of Fame Coach Nino Fennoy has presented some great track & field teams throughout his career at East St. Louis Lincoln and now at East St. Louis Senior.
The list of great athletes Fennoy has produced includes mayors (Debra Powell-Childress) school principals, nurses and, of course, the greatest female athlete of all-time, Olympic Gold Medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
No coach in East St. Louis high school sports history has won more state titles than coach Fennoy. I would put his resume among the greatest coaches in high school track & field history.
Having won Illinois State Championships in 1978, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89 and 90 while at Lincoln, Fennoy’s Tigerettes placed second the only two years he didn’t win the Class AA title in 1981 and 1991.
While bringing home a ton of hardware since taking over as head coach at East Side, Fennoy and his Lady Flyerettes seem poised to do it for their coach now wearing the orange and blue of East St. Louis.
Led by UCLA-bound sprinter Ronecia Nash and Mizzou-bound jumper Brittney Brimmage, the Flyerettes are the favorites to win the IHSA Class AA state championship, which will be held at O’Brien Stadium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. The state championships will begin on Friday and will conclude on Saturday with the finals.
NOTHING brings our city together like our sports teams. There have been many, many collegiate and professionals that have hailed from this small black community:
The list includes Joyner-Kersee, Kellen Winslow, Eric Wright, Bryon Cox, Shelby Jordan, LaPhonso Ellis, Counzo Martin, Johnny Poe, Victor Scott, Bobby Johnson, Lou Jethroe Sr., Fred Taylor, Dr. Ted Savage, Homer Bush, Rodney Lofton, Al Joyner, Darius Miles, Dana Howard, Cleveland Crosby, Eugene Byrd, Dr. Harry Edwards, and Dennis Stallings. Those are just a few who have inspired our youth through athletics for generations now.
Nash, the defending state champion in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, posted impressive winning times at the Marion Sectionals last week. She won the 100 in 11.7 seconds, the 100-meter high hurdles in 13.9 seconds. Nash blasted the field in the 200 with a scintillating time of 23.4, which is one of the fastest times in the state.
In addition to Nash, Nino Fennoy’s team will take some more firepower to the state championships. The 4 x 100-meter relay (48.2), 4 x 200-meter relay (1:41.6), and 4 x 400m relay (4:02.40) teams are all among the best in the state.
In addition, Brittney Brimmage qualified in the long jump and triple jump in the field events along with Tyler Anderson (pole vault) Ashley Gaston (shot put) and Courtney Chism (discus).
eammates Chelsey Robinson (200), Ebone Washington, (300 low hurdles) and Timeka Watson (100-meter high hurdles) will be looking to score points for the veteran Flyerettes.
It also helps when the great Joyner-Kersee chaperones the team to the state meet for two days. She is a fan favorite every year she attends the state meet, where she made history for Lincoln and East Boogie.
Good luck, coach Fennoy and the Flyerettes! Bring the state championship back for our community.