Derek Walker - Women's XC/Track & Field Coach - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Derek Walker

At FAU

Joined the Florida Atlantic University women’s track & field staff in October 2019 as the jumps coach
Walker brings over 30 years of track & field coaching experience to the program

At Nova Southeastern

Coached for the Sharks for six years
During his stint, Walker enjoyed much success with his student-athletes qualifying for Nationals and continuously breaking their own school records
His jumpers played a huge role in NSU’s 2017 Women’s Peach Belt Conference Title by scoring 49 of the 214.5 points. During the season, Shakira Bailey, Jazmine Elleston and Nisha Bryant battled for the school’s triple jump record until Bartley cemented her name into the books as a senior, jumping 12.73m to become the program’s first automatic qualifier to Nationals
Walker was instrumental in Bartley’s success, where she was a long and triple jump conference champion, an automatic qualifier for Nationals, the South Region Field Athlete of the Year and the program’s first All-American in a field event. Bartley earned third place in the triple jump at Nationals with 12.93m, which was a school record and All-Time Peach Belt Conference record

At Florida A&M

High School Coaching Career

Walker has coached for various high school track & field programs from 2000-19, including stops at North Florida Christian School, Royal Palm Beach High School, Park Vista Community High School and Palm Beach Central High School
Coached various athletes, such as Ernie Sims (Florida State All-American and former NFL player), Antonio Cromartie (Florida State All-American and former NFL player) and William Gay (former NFL player and Super Bowl Champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers)

Fast Lane Track Club

Founded the Fast Lane Track Club in 2007, which is one of the top youth amateur track & field clubs in the nation that compete in local, regional and national events
Over 100 Fast Lane athletes have been awarded collegiate track & field scholarships, while earning college degrees
Notable athletes that ran for Fast Lane Track Club include, Michele Atherley (Miami), Monique Williams (South Florida), Marqueshia Stallworth (South Florida), Karimah Davis (Florida State), Jeremy Hardy (Auburn), Keisha Derilus (Alabama State), Michelle Howell (Jacksonville) and Jacious Sears (Miami)

Other Club Coaching Experience

Walker started his coaching career in 1987, when he founded the St. Pete Striders
With the Striders, Walker has coached athletes, which include Sabrina Kelly (an All-American who ran track at Texas), Rose Richmond (All-American at Indiana and two-time Olympian in the long jump) and William Floyd (All-American at Florida State and Super Bowl Champion with the San Francisco 49ers)
Continued his club coaching career with the Capital City Cruisers in Tallahassee from 1998 to 2003

Track & Field Competitive Career

Walker was a Junior College All-American at Santa Fe Junior College, as well as a member of the 1983 National Runner-Up team
Ran professionally for Bud Light Track America and Nike
Was inducted into the Santa Fe College Hall of Fame in 2016

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