Rutgers-Newark Athletics

By Jim Hague

When Saymah Nah was a student at Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair, she aspired to get involved in some extracurricular activity, but didn’t know exactly which one to join.

“I was naturally a cheerleader and did that for a while,” said Nah, currently a sophomore at Rutgers-Newark. “I then tried every sport, volleyball, basketball, softball.”

Nah was strictly a pinch-runner and designated player for the Montclair Immaculate softball team, when the track and field coach at the school, Haneefah Norman, noticed Nah running the bases.

“The track coaches realized I was fast and they all suggested that I run track,” Nah said. “I was willing to try anything, so I said, `Whatever.’ I figured I’d try track.”

Little did Nah know that she had natural ability as a runner.

“I didn’t know if I was good,” Nah said. “I just got on the track and ran.”

Nah ran all the way to Rutgers-Newark, a school she always aspired to attend, but never knew if she could compete in track there.

“I was always interested in the school,” Nah said. “I just didn’t know if I wanted to run.”

Juan Edney saw Nah after she enrolled at R-N and realized right away that he had a work in progress.

“I really didn’t know if she would develop,” Edney said. “I thought it might be hard for her. I knew her track knowledge was limited. But I looked at her body. I saw that she was tall and had long legs. I thought there was some potential.”

Nah struggled somewhat as a freshman.

“She did a couple of good things, but she had other problems,” Edney said. “She was constantly falling down or cramping up. She just wasn’t consistent.”

A big turning point occurred when Edney brought on Janine Davis as his graduate assistant coach. Davis was an All-American sprinter out of Queen of Peace High School in nearby North Arlington who went on to have a fine collegiate career at the University of Texas.

“I let Janine basically take over the girls on the team,” Edney said. “And she made a big difference.”

Davis even made the Scarlet Raider women sign personal commitment contracts.

“She made them sign on to insure that they were going to be there every day, be on time, work hard,” Edney said. “Janine had a mindset of what she wanted the female athletes to be and they all had to adapt to it.”

Davis’ demands almost lit a fire under Nah, because she bought on to the rules and regulations that Davis instilled.

“She made a difference in me,” Nah said. “I figured if she put all this work into it, it should work for me. If someone believes in me like she did, then I guess I could do it. She made things easier for me.”

Nah has been a totally different runner during the indoor track campaign for the Scarlet Raiders. She has qualified in the 200 and 400-meter dashes for the ECAC Indoor Championships and she will lead the Scarlet Raiders at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships at the 168th Street Armory in New York this weekend.

During the course of this season, Nah has established new school records in the 55-meter dash (7.43 seconds), the 60-meter dash (8.10 seconds) and the 400-meter run (59.70).

“I really don’t like the 400,” Nah said. “It’s too long. I never thought I could hold the record in that event. I really hate it.”

But Edney can’t hate the results.

“You can see that she’s become more consistent,” Edney said. “She’s starting to get it. It’s all starting to click for her. Coach Davis has stayed on her and it’s worked, because Saymah runs faster every time she’s on the track. Coach Davis has really made a dramatic change in a lot of our runners, but especially Saymah. If she keeps it up, she’s on the verge of qualifying for the (NCAA Division III) nationals. If she keeps working, keeps getting stronger, who knows what she can do? She still has a lot of work to do, but she’s starting to come around.”

Edney likes what the finished product might look like down the road.

“She has great potential, but it’s all in her hands,” Edney said. “If she wants to get better and picks up her workouts and training, she has a chance. But it’s up to her to move forward.”

Nah realizes that she’s come a long way from being a cheerleader and a pinch-runner.

“I never thought I would be good at it,” Nah said. “I’m actually very surprised. I think it’s more about confidence now than being committed to it. I have the confidence and I’ll just keep on going until the time runs out. But yes, this has really inspired me to do more.”