Greenbelt resident Sam Stribling Jr. is 11 years old and he’s been running since he was 5. This month he will head to the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympics, in Des Moines, Iowa. “The AA Junior Olympics is the national culminating event for the AAU track and field athletes from all across the country will be attending,” explains Warren Burris, coach of the 301 Panthers, a team that draws youth runners from Greenbelt, Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Silver Spring, Fort Washington, Glen Burnie and Odenton.
Sam began running track with the Greenbelt Boys and Girls Club at 5 years old. The following year he joined the
Glenarden Track Club, where he excelled under Coach Rich Branch, his mother, LaWann Stribling, told the News Review. When Covid-19 shut down the indoor season for the runners, Sam’s parents had to search for a team that was still practicing. In 2021 they found the 301 Panthers, led by Burris.
The Panthers train primarily at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and at various locations in Bowie when that’s not available. They have approximately 70 athletes and, of those, 20 qualified for the Junior Olympics this year. Two of those athletes come from Greenbelt – Sam Stribling Jr. and Joshua Onuzulike, who qualified but will not be attending the event.
Last year Stribling competed in the International Youth Championship held July 15 through 17 at the sports complex. There he set the record for the 10-and-under boys 400 m with a time of 1:02:43, shared his mother. He’s qualified for Junior Nationals each year since 2020, but last year was the first time he was able to participate. Just days before the Stribling family was to drive to North Carolina, they discovered the team’s registration didn’t clear and they couldn’t compete. “He was completely devastated,” said his mother. However, he continued to train hard through the winter and spring.
The AAU Districts and Regionals took place on June 17 and 18 and June 23 through 25. There Sam won first place in the 11-and-under boys 200 m and 400 m and came in second with his relay team. It earned him a ticket to Junior Nationals for 2023. “Samuel Stribling is rated in the top five in the country in two events, the 200 meters and the 400 meters,” said Burris.
Sam’s relay team member Caleb Carter (11), of Bowie, also came in second place in the
200 m and 400 m finals and will be joining Sam in each race at the AAU Junior Olympics. The pair have been running together since they were in the Greenbelt Boys and Girls Club at age 5 and then they ran together at Glenarden.
The AAU Junior Olympics will be held July 26 through August 5. The Stribling family has a GoFundMe page to raise money to help offset the cost of entry fees and travel expenses (gofund.me/2f36190b).
