Elena Juarez and Kayla Jordan formed an unbreakable bond starting in elementary school that has carried them to many track and field championships throughout their high school career and beyond.
Today, the newly-minted Gaithersburg High School graduates have accepted full scholarships to Morgan State University in Baltimore, where they will be college roommates, continuing their unique connection, an extremely rare occurrence.
Their coach, Adrian McDaniel, who has been the head track coach at Gaithersburg High for 17 years, played high school, college, and Canadian football, and was also a Hall of Famer at Central State University in Ohio in 2013. After he finished playing sports, he felt compelled to give back to local high school athletes. In addition to track, he was previously a football and girls' basketball coach.
He says when he meets a young athlete, he can never tell how much they will accomplish because it goes beyond raw talent.
“It’s about hard work, determination, and commitment. These two young ladies deserve every accolade and pat on the back because of everything they earned for their hard work and dedication,” explains McDaniel. “I would take these girls on my team any day of the week.”
Kayla runs the 100, 200, and 400-meter events, and is the Maryland state champion for the 400, and her coach says that she has exceptional leadership skills.
Elena runs the 100- and 300-meter events and is a member of the 4 x 1 relay team. As a hurdler, she has excellent technique and great speed. She is a county and regional champ in hurdles and placed fourth in the state.
Role Models for Future Generations
In addition to their hard work and commitment, says McDaniel, these young women are “true role models who encourage our 9th and 10th graders by example, showing them every day what true leadership is.”
Their coach says their lifelong friendship that will continue to college is “an awesome testament to their relationship on and off the track.
“I am going to miss these two,” he said. “I try to be a mentor, so it is not about coaching sports, it’s about so much more. At some point, each of them is going to put down the spikes (or other equipment) and do life, so I coach life lessons.”
His prediction for their future is a bright one. “If they continue the hard work, dedication, and continue to stay focused and humble, the sky is the limit. I know they will do an excellent job in every aspect of their college experiences.”
Wisdom from Elena Juarez
Eighteen-year-old Elena Juarez is excited about her bright future. She says the best part of excelling at sports is the feeling of accomplishment after knowing how much time and effort she has put into it.
“I love pushing myself past my limits and seeing that hard work actually pays off,” explains the determined and competitive Elena. “Training helps me stay focused and grounded, and competing gives me this adrenaline rush that’s hard to describe. It’s where everything comes together, and I get to show what I’ve been working for.”
She attributes her friendship with Kayla to the fact that they have “always had each other’s backs. We’ve grown up together through so many different phases of life, so it’s amazing to know we’re going into this next chapter side-by-side. This feels like always having a piece of home with me.”
Kayla Gordon on Friendship and Role Models
Eighteen-year-old Kayla Gordon believes in the importance of being a positive example for future generations. “To be a role model for younger athletes is to exude positive and humble energy,” she says. “It means showing them that anything can happen as long as you try.”
Kayla adds that when she has difficult training days, she reminds herself that “this is just temporary, if my body isn’t doing well, I’ll go easy on myself, but most of the time I try and push myself.”
Overall, has learned many life lessons so far during her athletic career that she is eager to share with others. “I have learned that my time is going to come, regardless of the hardships, and if you don’t have the right mental attitude, you won’t be successful.”
Kayla says she and Elena, “have stayed friends so long because we always have the best interests of one another. I feel extremely excited about going to college together because we’re going to build so many more lasting memories.”
“I love pushing myself past my limits and seeing that hard work actually pays off,” said Elena Juarez.
“If you don’t have the right mental attitude, you won’t be successful,” said Kayla Jordan.