Texan Mosaic

Story by Noah Moreno, COMM 2311-601 Newswriting

2,956 total miles.  That’s how far away Google says SPC track athlete Isaiah Patrick is from home in Grenada.  That’s an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea.

And, in what seems appropriate for someone involved in track and field, Patrick has come a long way in a short time.

He’s been in the U.S. for nearly two years now, and Levelland was not his first stop. 

“I came from Jamaica to come to South Plains,” he says, “because I went to Jamaica to follow my athletic abilities.”

While in Jamaica, he says, he began to realize he had an opportunity. 

“But when I got to learn more, I was like oh, this is my opportunity to have something and to start to get something out of what I want,” he says, “and then I start taking track a bit serious.”

In his first year in Jamaica, Patrick says he got hurt starting out in hurdles, injuring both his ACL and BCL.  But he bounced back.

“And then I end up making the World Juniors team, my first national team ever,” he says. He came back his second year, he says, with more determination and a better focus.

“So, moving from Jamaica to the U.S. it’s very different,” he says, “like the atmosphere, like the weather.” In Jamaica and Grenada, he says it doesn’t get that cold, hot, or windy.  It’s also not as dry.

And weather, it seems, is not the only adjustment Patrick has had to make being away from home. The food, he says, is “very, very different”.  He says it’s more diverse at home so he tends to cook for himself here.

“But coming over here it was the gateway to opening my opportunity,” he says, “to be like alright, I got into the U.S. system. So, alright.  Now it’s time to perform, put on myself, hoping my name is going to get big.”

After making it to JUCO, an abbreviation for junior college, he says he was injured again his first year, this time with a turf toe injury.  

Nonetheless, Patrick went on to win hurdles in the NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships last May. 

As a freshman, he earned All-American honors and a silver medal in the men’s long jump.

“I came back this year with a bigger focus,” he says “and I was like alright, I got some offers so that means I am on a good path”.

So far this indoor season, he says he’s been working hard to have his name “ringing in JUCO”.  In just his first meet back he set a personal record of 7.6 in the 60 hurdles. He recounts barely being able to break 7.8 in the past.

“I’m still trying to get that 7.5, though,” he says.  “Trying to be the best ever to be in JUCO.  The best in JUCO history.”

SPC Head Track & Field Coach Wesley Miller says having Patrick on the team is “awesome” and he’s proud of him.

“I think his dedication is evident,” Miller says.  “He is highly coachable and trains every day.  He pushes the people around him to do better.”

Miller says the SPC men’s and women’s teams have made a lot of progress from the beginning of January till now as they head into the national indoor championships this week.

“Our athletes have made big improvements in their marks,” Miller says.  “We have multiple number one ranked athletes in the individual events as well as many more that are ranked in the top 5 top 10 in the country.”

This week’s indoor championship is a two-day meet.    

“And so it’s a matter of showing up on Friday and handling the prelims,” Miller says, “and running with intention to make the final.  And putting as many people into the finals on Saturday as possible.”

Patrick has recently signed his first Division 1 offer. He hints that once he is finished competing in the indoor championships this week, he will release his decision to the public.  He says he does not plan to return to Grenada in a hurry. But he does want to put his country on the map for track and field.

“I know that I could be on the big stage, and honestly the goal is to get that world record in hurdles,” Patrick says.

At the moment, Patrick, along with the rest of the Texans and Lady Texans are focusing on final preparations for indoor nationals.

“So, mentally, we’re trying to prepare to our consistency when it comes to the competition,” Patrick says.  “I know adrenaline can do a lot, but we gotta’ stay calm, stick to the plan, and then execute when the day comes.”

The 2025 NJCAA National Indoor Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships take place March 7-8 at the Sports Performance Center on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock.

Go Texans and Lady Texans!