Pure Talent Elite Staff
Pure Talent Elite North
Vernon Birmingham - Club Director/Head Coach
Coach Vernon has been coaching youth, high school, and college athletes for 15 years. As a former three sport athlete his primary focus had always been in football, basketball, and baseball. When Coach Vernon noticed his daughters had potential in the running events he became a student of the sport and is quickly becoming known for his work ethic in improving the athlete's performance. In the summer of 2012, runners under the tutelage of Coach Vernon all cut times in their running events and qualified to both national qualifiers and the Junior Olympics. During the 2013 outdoor season PTE had 8 top 8 finishes at the Junior Olympic games including its first National Champion. In his short time he has coached 100's of Junior Olympic qualifiers, 6 National runner-ups, 8 National Champions, and 35 All-Americans.
Lee Heinerikson - Throws
Coach Heinerikson or Coach H will coach the throws, which will consist of the shot put, discus, and javelin for PTE. With numerous years of experience coaching on both the youth and high school level his knowledge is second to none. He has coached athletes to top 15 finishes in the nation including a 7th place medalist in the discus during 2012 Junior Olympics and a silver medalist in the triathlon. During the 2013 season Coach H had 5 athletes place in the top 8 and 1 multi-athlete win a national championship after coaching them to a season best in the shot put.
Khalilah Smith - Horizontal Jumps and Sprints
Coach Smith comes to PTE as an accomplished jumper in her own right. An All-American at Central Missouri State University she has guided our jumpers to Junior Olympic berths in each year with the program.
Mike Sweney - Distance
Mike Walls - Hurdles and Sprints
This is the first year for Coach Walls in our club, as he will focus his efforts on the sprinters and hurdlers. He was an All-State hurdler at Oak Park High School and briefly ran track while attending college at William Jewell. Although concentrating most of his athletic efforts on football while at Jewell, he ran track one year and qualified for the NAIA Indoor National Championship in the 60m high hurdles. A former competitive club basketball coach, Coach Walls is excited to take his turn at one of his athletic passions, track and field.
Ashley Kidd and Vedia Johnson - Team Administrator
Ashley and Vedia will handle the administrator duties for the track club. If it's accepting payments, signing up our athletes for meets, or communicating important information; they will be your go to individuals.
All coaches must pass yearly background checks via AAU.
Vernon Birmingham - Club Director/Head Coach
Coach Vernon has been coaching youth, high school, and college athletes for 15 years. As a former three sport athlete his primary focus had always been in football, basketball, and baseball. When Coach Vernon noticed his daughters had potential in the running events he became a student of the sport and is quickly becoming known for his work ethic in improving the athlete's performance. In the summer of 2012, runners under the tutelage of Coach Vernon all cut times in their running events and qualified to both national qualifiers and the Junior Olympics. During the 2013 outdoor season PTE had 8 top 8 finishes at the Junior Olympic games including its first National Champion. In his short time he has coached 100's of Junior Olympic qualifiers, 6 National runner-ups, 8 National Champions, and 35 All-Americans.
Lee Heinerikson - Throws
Coach Heinerikson or Coach H will coach the throws, which will consist of the shot put, discus, and javelin for PTE. With numerous years of experience coaching on both the youth and high school level his knowledge is second to none. He has coached athletes to top 15 finishes in the nation including a 7th place medalist in the discus during 2012 Junior Olympics and a silver medalist in the triathlon. During the 2013 season Coach H had 5 athletes place in the top 8 and 1 multi-athlete win a national championship after coaching them to a season best in the shot put.
Khalilah Smith - Horizontal Jumps and Sprints
Coach Smith comes to PTE as an accomplished jumper in her own right. An All-American at Central Missouri State University she has guided our jumpers to Junior Olympic berths in each year with the program.
Mike Sweney - Distance
Mike Walls - Hurdles and Sprints
This is the first year for Coach Walls in our club, as he will focus his efforts on the sprinters and hurdlers. He was an All-State hurdler at Oak Park High School and briefly ran track while attending college at William Jewell. Although concentrating most of his athletic efforts on football while at Jewell, he ran track one year and qualified for the NAIA Indoor National Championship in the 60m high hurdles. A former competitive club basketball coach, Coach Walls is excited to take his turn at one of his athletic passions, track and field.
Ashley Kidd and Vedia Johnson - Team Administrator
Ashley and Vedia will handle the administrator duties for the track club. If it's accepting payments, signing up our athletes for meets, or communicating important information; they will be your go to individuals.
All coaches must pass yearly background checks via AAU.
