Beyond the Track: Memphis Jaguars 4x4 Relay Team
08/15/2019
The team of Romeorro Irby, Keyorray Moore, Devonta Baines and Nicholas Bryant started their AAU Track and Field journey in 2018. A horrific accident left the team broken, but their passion for the gold medal was never stronger.
Athletes across all levels and sports dedicate their play to someone or something. They compete for something bigger than themselves, be it for mom or dad, grandma or grandpa, friend or loved one. The young men of the 4x400 relay team of the Memphis Jaguar Track Club came from many different stages in life. Some joined the track club at the same time, some knew each other from school season and others came from different races, but all it took was one singular event to drive them to run for one purpose, “Do it for Devonta.”
The team of Romeorro Irby, Keyorray Moore, Devonta Baines and Nicholas Bryant started their AAU Track and Field journey in 2018. They came from different schools, but their passion for track helped elevate them to becoming best friends. Now entering their senior season, the boys were poised to make big headlines in 2019.
On June 27, their dreams became a nightmare. The boys were driving home after practice that day. “We approached a light, it was green so in my head I saw no issues, when I reminisce about that day those last couple of minutes are always in slow motion,” said Bryant. “A truck decided to turn to left even though it was upcoming traffic coming ahead, Devonta tried to turn away from the car, but the way it was positioned he couldn’t get away from it. He took the brunt of the blow on the driver side, totaling the car completely.”
The scene, the loud sirens, flashing lights and rescue helicopters, was like a punch to the gut for Bryant. He said it felt like he lost a brother. Irby, who was right behind Bryant and Baines stated the first thing that went through his mind when it happened was “’is he okay? Is [Baines] going to survive?’ All the memories that he and I had throughout the past year just went through my mind.”
Moore went a different route home, but was in complete shock when he heard the news. “I got a text message that said ‘Devonta was in a crash.’ I was like ‘what? Stop playing,’ because we always joke about stuff a lot, so you can never take anything serious.”
This was not a joke though, Baines was rushed to the Emergency Room in Memphis, Tennessee. Bryant and the boys were right there with him. Through all the chaos, Baines’ mind was still on their track season. “He was barely conscious and I can remember him asking ‘will I do track again?’ It was hard for me to see that,” said Bryant.
The AAU Club Championships for Track and Field were just a mere nine days away, and Coach Y. Long added Austin Jackson to the relay team. Jackson knew Baines as that funny guy on the team, and now Jackson understood he would have to think way bigger than himself, “because I am blessed and able to do something that Devonta is not able to do. It makes me want to go harder and work harder because I know that he would love to be out here.”
The whole team had to rethink their mindset. It became more than just running for a personal record or for the title. They were now running for a friend, whom they did not know if he would be able to walk again.
Around practice it became a trend, if someone was struggling and needed motivation, do it for Devonta. “It became a grind from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, do it for Devonta,” said Moore. It even became a hashtag (#doitforDevonta) that was widely used on social media.
The team gave 110% into their practice, rededicating their season to their injured friend. They finished second at the AAU Club Championships, marking a time of 3:15.87 and qualifying for the AAU Junior Olympic Games later that summer.
That same day the team got the news that Baines was released from the hospital.
“Everything happens for a reason, and when I come back everything is going to be okay,” Baines said in an interview over the phone. He later took his first steps in therapy, adding to the elation of the team.
On August 3, the team of Jackson, Moore, Bryant and Irby took the track one last time as a unit at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. They shaved nearly a second off their qualifying time, posting a 3:15.08 run and taking third.
They want to be known as just a couple of guys from Memphis, Tennessee, but their hearts are set on bigger dreams than that. Their friendship, bonded through AAU Track and Field, is only the start for these young men.
The team of Romeorro Irby, Keyorray Moore, Devonta Baines and Nicholas Bryant started their AAU Track and Field journey in 2018. They came from different schools, but their passion for track helped elevate them to becoming best friends. Now entering their senior season, the boys were poised to make big headlines in 2019.
On June 27, their dreams became a nightmare. The boys were driving home after practice that day. “We approached a light, it was green so in my head I saw no issues, when I reminisce about that day those last couple of minutes are always in slow motion,” said Bryant. “A truck decided to turn to left even though it was upcoming traffic coming ahead, Devonta tried to turn away from the car, but the way it was positioned he couldn’t get away from it. He took the brunt of the blow on the driver side, totaling the car completely.”
The scene, the loud sirens, flashing lights and rescue helicopters, was like a punch to the gut for Bryant. He said it felt like he lost a brother. Irby, who was right behind Bryant and Baines stated the first thing that went through his mind when it happened was “’is he okay? Is [Baines] going to survive?’ All the memories that he and I had throughout the past year just went through my mind.”
Moore went a different route home, but was in complete shock when he heard the news. “I got a text message that said ‘Devonta was in a crash.’ I was like ‘what? Stop playing,’ because we always joke about stuff a lot, so you can never take anything serious.”
This was not a joke though, Baines was rushed to the Emergency Room in Memphis, Tennessee. Bryant and the boys were right there with him. Through all the chaos, Baines’ mind was still on their track season. “He was barely conscious and I can remember him asking ‘will I do track again?’ It was hard for me to see that,” said Bryant.
The AAU Club Championships for Track and Field were just a mere nine days away, and Coach Y. Long added Austin Jackson to the relay team. Jackson knew Baines as that funny guy on the team, and now Jackson understood he would have to think way bigger than himself, “because I am blessed and able to do something that Devonta is not able to do. It makes me want to go harder and work harder because I know that he would love to be out here.”
The whole team had to rethink their mindset. It became more than just running for a personal record or for the title. They were now running for a friend, whom they did not know if he would be able to walk again.
Around practice it became a trend, if someone was struggling and needed motivation, do it for Devonta. “It became a grind from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, do it for Devonta,” said Moore. It even became a hashtag (#doitforDevonta) that was widely used on social media.
The team gave 110% into their practice, rededicating their season to their injured friend. They finished second at the AAU Club Championships, marking a time of 3:15.87 and qualifying for the AAU Junior Olympic Games later that summer.
That same day the team got the news that Baines was released from the hospital.
Devonta Baines first steps after the accident
“Everything happens for a reason, and when I come back everything is going to be okay,” Baines said in an interview over the phone. He later took his first steps in therapy, adding to the elation of the team.
On August 3, the team of Jackson, Moore, Bryant and Irby took the track one last time as a unit at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. They shaved nearly a second off their qualifying time, posting a 3:15.08 run and taking third.
They want to be known as just a couple of guys from Memphis, Tennessee, but their hearts are set on bigger dreams than that. Their friendship, bonded through AAU Track and Field, is only the start for these young men.
Jackson (second from the left) hands off the baton to Moore at the 2019 AAU Junior Olympic Games
