When an individual excels to the highest level of their sport people always want to identify with them, but more than that, they want to know how they did it. As it turns out Shaquille Walker’s recent gold medal at the State men’s 800 meter finals was a valiant individual effort, the effort of a “warrior” as his track and field coach Levi Sybert says, but no one gets to the top of the podium alone.
It takes a team and then some.
After Shaq narrowly missed winning the state title last year, as a sophomore, Sybert ensured he instituted a training program this year that would give him the best chance of achieving that goal of a state championship.
“I had to lay out many intensive workouts, and Shaquille would have to accomplish them. That is what he is good at though, recognizing challenges, even in practice, and stepping up to them.” commented Sybert. “...like a few other athletes I have; they know that if they can live up to what I lay out for them, then they will be one step closer to their ultimate goal....prepared and confident to deliver when it is time to peak.”
Two of those athletes shared the distinction of standing at the podium as well as Walker.
Russell Lawless ran his personal best on opening day of the meet with a sore knee and ended up finishing seventh in the state in the mens 1600 meter with a time of 4:29.863. Walker and Albert Reddick did not have to compete on that day and so were beneficiaries of witnessing what Sybert called a “gut wrenching difficult race.” Lawless ran the second half of the race faster than the first.
“To negative split the last half of his race the way he did lifted Albert and Shaquille’s spirit to what the state meet really means...” Reddick’s turn to inspire would be next.
After a tough qualifying race that just did get him in the finals Reddick would turn in his personal best of 39.968 to finish seventh in the 300 meter hurdles.
“Any time you have an athlete finish in the top 8 in the entire state...that person is either very talented, a very hard worker, very smart at their discipline, or all the above. Albert is all the above” beamed Sybert.
The stage set Walker would have to also turn in a personal best to accomplish the three goals his coach had set for him: Win state, have the fastest time in all classes, and a top 10 time in the nation. He accomplished all three.
As Shaquille always does, he led start to finish. The Dunwoody athlete that cost him his title last year was pushing Walker the entire race then with 200m to go he started to kick but Shaq would have none of it. “In three years of watching Shaquille race I have never seen him dig so hard... he was not going to let anyone take that crown from him.”
“When I saw that he won...looked down at my watch, 1:51.7, and knew instantly he had probably had a top 10 performance in the nation.”
Fifteen minutes later it was confirmed the fastest time in all classes in the state of Georgia.
“I really didn’t realize what a big deal it was at first” said Walker afterward. “Then I got home and everyone was excited and talked more with the coach and then realized it was a big deal.”
His humble demeanor and hard competitive nature he attributes to his Mother, Brenda Mallett Walker and Father, Jemini Walker’s upbringing and the competitive nature of growing up with his twin Brother Jemille.
“Growing up I always wanted to race, I got beat some but would always keep racing until I won” said Shaq.
His freshman year he ran against Zach Denny, one of the fastest on the track team at the time, and by the end of the season was beating him. Walker claims his greatest influence  for his track success has been coach Sybert.
Collegiate recruiters will come calling starting this July but Walker hasn’t made any plans yet other than he probably will go out of state.
Instead Walker is already talking goals again for next year. State title is a given at this point but  Shaq floated the number 1:50 to his coach and Sybert countered with 1:48.
Heady numbers for high school, but when Shaquille started the sophomore season the coach had told him his goal should be to be a state champion.
At the time Walker silently had a “yeah right” moment. And as it turned out, coach was right.