what is armory camp?

Our semi-annual camp connects high school track & field athletes with professional athletes & coaches. A day-long session features some of the finest athletes and best coaching minds in the sport. The day is split into two sessions: morning and afternoon. Participants can sign up for one session, or both. This double-session option allows them to register for more than one speciality (i.e., hurdles and throws) and work with multiple coaches if desired. The event takes place at the historic Armory in New York City, home to the Nike Track & Field Center — a.k.a. “The Fastest Track in the World", just one floor above the National Track & Field Hall of Fame.

Armory Camp is scheduled for Saturday, March 23rd. We hope to see you there!

Session offerings for this year’s Armory Camp include Sprints, Mid-Distance, Hurdles, Long/Triple Jump, High Jump, Throws, and Pole Vault. A Coach’s Pass is available as well.

NYC Public School student-athletes are eligible to receive a 50 percent discount, courtesy of our friends at MondoCares. This discount will be applied to up to 100 registrants. Please contact us for the special promo code: armorycamp@armorytrack.org

spring 2024 coaches

More coaches will be announced as they are confirmed! Check out the Past Coaches tab for more information.

allie wilson: mid distance

Wilson is the reigning US indoor champion over 800m, and she is this year’s Millrose Games champion over that distance as well. She took the silver medal at the 2022 NACAC Championships, and later that season she ran her 800m personal best of 1:58.09 at the Diamond League meet in Lausanne, Switzerland. Wilson was also a two-time All-American while at Monmouth University.

kyle Merber: Mid distance

Merber is the former NCAA record holder in the 1500m, which he set while running for Columbia University. As a professional, he was a member of the relay teams that set the DMR world record outdoors, and the 4x800m world record indoors. Merber also placed third in the Wanamaker Mile at the 2017 Millrose Games. Following his retirement, Merber has remained deeply involved with the sport, working as the Director of Partnerships for Citius Mag.

English gardner: sprints

Gardner is the tenth-fastest woman in the history of the 100m dash. She won an Olympic gold medal in 2016 as part of the Team USA 4x100m relay, then followed it up with an Olympic silver medal in the same event in 2021. A two-time national champion and three-time NCAA champion, Gardner has coached sprints at Princeton University since 2018.

Dylan beard: hURDLES

Beard broke out onto the big stage at the 2024 Millrose Games by winning the 60m hurdles in an Armory record time of 7.44. He previously competed for Wagner College and Hampton University, before finding a home at Howard University. At Howard, Beard was on the 2023 MEAC Outdoor All-Academic Team. He was also a two-time All-MEAC First Team selection, winning the 110m hurdles and 4x100m relay at the MEAC Outdoor Championships.

rayvon grey: long/triple Jump

One of the top horizontal jumpers in the country, Grey is the 2022 outdoor national champion in the long jump. He was a standout performer in college at LSU, winning an indoor NCAA title in 2019, one of four All-American performances in his career. Hailing from New York City, Grey is no stranger to competing at The Armory. He won a national title at the facility in 2016, leaping to third place on the all-time high school indoor list with his winning jump of over 26 feet.

kennedy blackmon: sprints

Blackmon is in the midst of her first season as a professional sprinter following a standout career at the University of Oklahoma. She had a breakout performance in her final NCAA Championships, running 10.87 to place second nationally in the 100m. Blackmon is the school record holder in both the 100m and 200m, and she was named the 2023 USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.

vernon turner: high jump

Turner is the 2022 NCAA indoor champion in the high jump, representing the University of Oklahoma. He is an eight-time All-American in the event, including a pair of runner-up finishes at NCAAs in 2023. A five-time Big 12 champion, Turner was named the 2023 conference performer of the year. Following his extremely decorated collegiate career, Turner is making his professional debut this current season.

eric favors: throws

North Rockland's Eric Favors is the indoor Irish national record holder in the shot put, competing at the World Championships each of the last two years. He has a personal best of 20.66 meters (more than 67 feet). Eric was an NCAA championships qualifier and SEC outdoor bronze medalist as a University of South Carolina Gamecock. He also competed at the 114th Millrose Games at The Armory.

Priscilla frederick-loomis: high jump

Frederick-Loomis is the national record holder for Antigua & Barbuda in the high jump. She is a 2016 Olympian, and she also earned silver at the 2015 Pan American Games. Frederick was a two-time All-American while at St. John's University.

miles lewis: sprints

Lewis is a sprinter who competes internationally for Puerto Rico, and he is a USATF-certified coach as well. Lewis takes pride in developing his own sprint training program, in which, he has set the Puerto Rican 60-meter dash national record, competed at the 2022 world indoor championships, become a double Millrose Games finalist, and recently set a wind-aided 100 meter best of 10.04 during the 2023 spring season. Lewis has worked with eager Armory Campers since 2022.

zach bradford: Pole vault

Bradford is the 2018 World Junior Championships silver medalist in the pole vault, and he earned another silver medal at the 2019 NACAC Championships. He was a seven-time All-American while competing for both Texas Tech and Kansas, and he holds the Indiana high school state record as well. Bradford’s personal best is 5.91 meters, or over 19 feet and 4 inches.

Dominic Zanot: sprints/hurdles

As a Track & Field coach in Westchester County since 2005, Zanot has led teams to multiple league, county, and sectional championships. In addition, he has helped to send athletes in the sprints, jumps and hurdles to the ACC, Ivy League and America East Conference, among others.    

Through his professional training organization, Athletics Westchester, Dominic has also coached athletes who qualified to wear the Team USA and Team Italy uniforms at international competitions including the World and Junior World championships.

john padula: mid distance

Padula is the head coach of Susan Wagner HS in Staten Island. He is certified as a USATF Level 3 endurance coach, and he also serves as the Vice President and Youth Chair of USATF New York. Padula’s teams have won ten PSAL city championships, six at Susan Wagner, and four in his previous role at Sheepshead Bay. In 2009, Padula was named the NSAF National HS Coach of the Year.

Richard o’riley: Hurdles

O'Riley has coached for over 16 years in track and field, at the NCAA Division I and high school levels.  As founder of the GANAS Athletics Club in 2021, he currently serves as a private coach of sprinters/hurdlers/jumpers throughout the NYC Metropolitan area.  He is also a board member of 12th Rock Sports, based in Middletown, New York.  O'Riley has helped to produce dozens of all-state/all-federation performers over the years including the 2023 NYS Division 2 girls state champion in the 200 meters.  His work has captured the attention of several internationally renowned coaches and federations including the Global Athletics Coaching Academy. Coach O'Riley's unique and versatile skill set facilitates an environment for athletes to flourish, not just in sport, but also as young people in an ever-changing society.  

jerome robinson: long/triple jump

Robinson is the Coach of Next Level Athletic Club. As a USA Track & Field LEVEL 3 and IAAF LEVEL 5 certified jumps coach, and USA Track & Field LEVEL 2 Sprints/Hurdles certified coach, Robinson has devoted his career to coaching numerous Olympians, collegiate National Champions and All-Americans, and notable high school athletes. A former elite long jumper, Robinson competed in the 1991 and 1992 US Indoor and Outdoor National Championships.

lexia robinson: throws

Robinson is the Throws coach at St. John’s University, after previously coaching at Farleigh Dickinson, Sacred Heart, and Manhattan College. While at Sacred Heart, Robinson coached seven conference champions and guided three different throwers to Northeast Conference Athlete of the Year Honors. As an athlete, Robinson qualified for the Jamaican National Championships while competing for Western Kentucky University.

nancy petryna: sprints

Nancy Petryna is the head coach of the Boys Team for Livingston High School in NJ, and she is the sprint specialist for both the Boys and Girls teams.  Her teams have swept the Boys’ 55m at the state sectional championships for two consecutive years, placing 1-2-3 in the event. Petryna also coached her team to the 2024 Indoor Super Essex Conference, Essex County Relay, and Essex County Championships. Last year’s outdoor team placed 1-2 in the 100 and 200 meter events and won both sprint relays on their way to winning their first state sectional title. Petryna was named the 2023 Spring NJ.Com Essex County Coach of the year. With a PhD in school psychology, Petryna is also the program’s mindfulness coach with the mindset that failure is an opportunity to learn, and it’s what one does next that counts.

tim st. lawrence: pole vault

St. Lawrence is the director of the acclaimed Hudson Valley Flying Circus Academy. He has coached 10 athletes to jump over 16 feet, including a former New York state record holder.

He himself was also a New York state record holder who went on to jump for the University of Alabama.

stephanie duffy: pole vault

Duffy is one of the greatest high school pole vaulters in New York State history, winning three state championships and achieving All-American status while at Washingtonville HS. She went on to compete for the University of South Florida, where she was the Big East Champion and an NCAA Provisional qualifier.

bob sorensen: pole vault

Coach Bob Sorensen comes from a long family line of pole vaulters and begins his eighth year at Flying Circus Pole Vault Academy. Coach Sorensen teaches pole vault technique and pole vault safety. He uses small progressive drills aimed at the athlete's ability level and emphasizes the approach, run, pole drop mechanics. and plant positions/angles. His positive coaching style promotes confidence and trust in his athletes' skills. Coach Sorensen is also an EMS medical certified leader and coaches his All-American son, Dane Sorensen (Cortland University) when he is home from university. He is co-director of Flying Circus home meets, including the Circus Summer Festival. Bob has been the local pole vault pole dealer for ESSX pole vault poles for the past 5 years.