By Tommy Keeler Jr. -- Daily Staff Writer

WINCHESTER — Tim Jenkins can do a little bit of everything for James Wood's track team.

Jenkins started out as a jumper and a sprinter as a freshman, and this season he has become one of the Colonels' top middle-distance runners and a key part of multiple relay teams.

"Tim will do anything we ask him to," James Wood track coach Matt Stegmaier said. "He will do whatever the team needs him to do. He's very versatile."

James Wood is hoping Jenkins' versatility will come in handy in the Northwestern District track meet today at Skyline.

Jenkins has found his niche this season running the 400- and 800-meter races, but the 400 remains his preference.

"Running the 400 is a blast," Jenkins said. "It has a little bit of everything. It takes speed, endurance. You just have to give it all you've got."

He has one of the top times in the area this season in the 400 (52.2), which he recorded during the Apple Blossom Invitational on April 26. And, Jenkins said, he had a little help from an old friend — James Wood 2007 graduate and track standout J.T. Painter.

"J.T. held the blocks for me during that race," Jenkins said. "I've been picking on him and telling him he had to come to all of my meets from now on."

While his success in the 400 hasn't been much of a surprise, his times in the 800 have been. This season was the first time Jenkins ran in the 800 and he has posted strong times throughout the year. His top time is 2:04.13.

"I think the 800 is a tough race mentally," Jenkins said. "Sometimes I try to pretend like I'm running the 400, and then when I'm through with the first 400, I think 'OK, now you just have to do the 400 over again.'"

The Colonels' 4x800 relay team already has qualified for the Group AA state meet with a time of 8:16.21, and the 4x400 relay team is hoping to do the same.

Jenkins' participation in the indoor track season and football helped prepare him for the spring track season. On the track, he has progressed each season, and culminated the indoor track season with a fifth-place finish in the 500 at the Group AA meet.

He also threw on the football pads for the first time this past fall at the urging of then-head coach Walter Barr, who was impressed by Jenkins' speed.

"It was pretty fun," Jenkins said. "It really helped me stay in shape."

The Colonels have only three seniors on the boys squad, and with a large junior class that features Jenkins, the future looks bright for James Wood.

"Tim is just an example of that junior class," Stegmaier said. "They have a lot of experience, and Tim is a good representation of that group. They've been in the program for a few years, and we're looking forward to next year."

Jenkins is hoping to finish this season on a strong note, much like he did in the indoor track season.

One thing that could help him is something he learned from Barr during football season.

"Coach Barr was always telling us, 'Don't give up on what you want,'" Jenkins said. "I want to qualify for as many events as I can at states, and put up as many points as I can to help the team."

*Contact Tommy Keeler Jr. at tkeeler@nvdaily.com

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