Meet Emerging Elite Jaime Marcos who has been bubbling on the CPL scene (Mark Cappapas photo)
"Who is that kid...?" 'Hmm, I don't know but I am going to find out....'
I think one of the most amazing things about high school sports is witnessing a "surprising" performance for the first time. This can either be a team or an athlete that flew completely under the radar. Welcome the emerging elite athlete.
Often times when we (media outlets) produce our pre-season rankings, we do it with the full intention of the athletes who are next in line as returners. It makes sense right? Why would we highlight a girl who ran 18:30 the previous season or a boy whose three-mile best was only 15:35 coming into this year?
The emerging athlete term that has become real popular in recent years. I first became familiar with it covering the New Balance National track and field meet. The meet directors introduced a brilliant idea to the masses: "we want that next level athlete to experience the same value as our premier athlete- the Emerging Elite." This was the theme by meet director Jim Spier and his staff. It was a good one even though some pundits said it was more of a money grab situation. Well whatever the real intent was for New Balance, it has worked well for the sport as a whole.
Jaime Marcos is a young man who fits the mode of a true emerging elite. He is a junior distance runner from Von Steuben High School on the north side of Chicago. By Chicago Public League standards he is the cream of the crop. His personal best for three miles prior to this season was 15:35. That mark is solid and certainly would have won the city championship in most years. The quality of CPL distance running has improved significantly over the past eight years to the point where its top tier athletes and teams must be included with the best in the state. Currently, there are two CPL teams ranked in the Saucony Flo 50 IL rankings: Whitney Young (#9) and Jones College Prep (#23).
Marcos is a candidate to win the CPL title along with a few others. He has clocked a solid 15:20 and who recently came within an eyelash or two of beating a former emerging athlete runner Clayton Mendez (So., Whitney Young). Mendez in his own respect is moving toward the big time of Illinois distance runners. But he has bigger goals this season. "I really want to go to state this year and finish with all state this year," he said as a matter of fact. " He even has a goal to win it all in 2016. These are the thoughts and goals of your typical emerging athlete. Illinois, welcome Jaime Marcos to the fold.
Jaime Marcos interview: