A linebacker on the football field, H.D. Woodson sophomore Harvey Robinson used to bring the same tenacious attitude to track and field season. Last spring, the thrower found the more pressure he heaped on each attempt, the more difficult the sport became.
These days, Robinson won’t begin an event without bringing teammates Deonte Jackson and Trevon Brown together for a secret handshake of sorts. They come together for a series of slaps and jumps that Robinson believes gets them in the right mind-set to compete.
“I’ve just got to keep a smile on my face, keep jumping around playing,” Robinson said. “Me and my partners are focused, but we like to stay loose, keep a little swag going.”
Following the ritual, Robinson won the discus and shot put at the inaugural D.C. State Athletic Association track and field championship meet, and Jackson and Brown rounded out a sweep of the top three places in both. Thanks to its domination of the throwing events, H.D. Woodson claimed the team title, edging host Spingarn, 119-118, at the two-day event in Northeast that featured 20 schools from across the District.