About
Mission Statement
Vision Statement
To empower young people to succeed.
History
When F. Scott Fitzgerald said: “There are no second acts in American lives” he obviously had never met anyone like G. Larry James. Larry James has had a second and third act at least as great as his first– Olympic gold medal winner and world record holder.
As a runner in the late 1960’s, Larry James did things other runners didn’t think possible. Larry is best known as a member of the 1968 United States Olympic 4×400 relay team which held the oldest American running record in track and field 2:56.16. In those Games he also won the Olympic silver medal in the 400m. Many long-time track and field fans recall Larry’s winning 400 leg for Villanova in the 1968 Penn Relays as one of the 10 greatest moments in Penn Relays history. One of Larry’s greatest performances that is indelibly etched in track and & field history, was running the fastest relay leg ever recorded at the Penn Relays, an incredible 43.6m split. Rice University came to Penn with the fastest mile relay time not only in the United States but in the world. Larry accepted the challenge as he received the baton “The Mighty Burner” with the help of a thunderous applause from the Penn Relay crowd, he exploded quickly to gain full stride and turned a 12 yard deficit into a 10 yard record setting victory. The victory in the last race of the day secured a record setting 5th Penn Relays Championship of America team win for Villanova in 1968.
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Larry settled in Smithville, New Jersey with his wife Cynthia to raise a family and to start an even greater second act. He served in the US Marine Corps reserves as a Major. He coached the Stockton College (NJ) track and cross-country teams and then became Stockton’s Athletic Director. During that time Larry coached thousands of runners through his camps with Browning Ross and later in his Mighty Burner Speed Camps. In addition to his track camp, always operating with profound vision, Larry launched one of the largest and most diverse summer day camps within the region. The summer camp ensured that annually more than 300 children from various socioeconomic backgrounds learned, worked and played together on a college campus.
While the Athletic Director at Stockton College (NJ), Larry was instrumental in putting Stockton on the international map. He set up training camps at Stockton for the Women’s US Olympic basketball team in 1992, and for Saudi Arabia’s World Cup Soccer (1994) and Olympic Soccer Teams (1996).
As Dean, Larry spearheaded the successful effort to build a $17 million, 70,000 square foot recreation center which was completed in 2000. The center contains both recreational and fitness centers for the use of Stockton students.
Larry was inducted in the Villanova Hall of Fame and Sports Wall of Fame, the White Plains High School Hall of Fame, the Penn Relays Wall of Fame and the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Larry’s philosophy seemed to be “The most valuable gift you can give is your time.” Somehow, he always continued to inspire and find time for those he had met along the way.
Larry’s continued dedication of time set the bar even higher for his third act– his motto: “Once an Olympian always an Olympian, never former, never past.” He was selected to serve as the Chair of the USA track and Field Budget and Finance Committee and continued to mentor world class athletes as manager for the 1997 World Championship Team in Athens, the 2003 World Championships in France, and the 2004 Olympic Training Camp.
Athletic Career Highlights
- Two-time National Record Holder
- NCAA Record Holder
- Six-time All-American
- Olympic Gold & Silver Medalist
- Professional and World Record Holder
- Grand Prix Winner, International Track Association
- National Track & Field Hall of Fame
- Penn Relays Wall of Fame
- USATF President’s Award
- Villanova University Varsity Club Hall of Fame
- Villanova Wall of Fame
- Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame
- White Plains High School (N.Y.) Hall of Fame
- Pool Manager, 2006 World Cup Championship, Athen’s Greece
- Head Men’s Manager, 2005 World Championship, Helsinki, Finland
- Coordinator Men’s 2004 Olympic Training Camp, Crete, Greece
- Head Men’s Manager, 2003 World Championship, Paris France
- Assistant Coach, United States Sports Festival, East Track and Field Team
- Assistant Manager/Coach, USA vs. Great Britain Track and Field competition
- Assistant Manager, World Championships, Athens, Greece
- Chairperson, Budget and Finance Committee
Professional Highlights
- NCAA/USOC Joint Task Force on Olympic Sports
- Member, Olympic Sports Liaison Committee
- Member, Men’s Committee on Committees
- Member, National Athletics Board of Review (NABR)
- Facilitator, NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Regional Conference
- Founder and Director of the Mighty Burner Speed Camp
- Founder and Director of the Stockton State College Summer Day Camp
- Meet Director, New Jersey Athletic Conference Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- Meet Director, Summer Track and Field Meet Series at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
- Consultant to Coaches and Athletes
- Sport Chairperson, New Jersey Athletic Conference, Cross County and Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field
- Dean of Athletics and Recreational Programs and Services, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
The Mighty Burner
Board Members
- Cynthia James
- Tamaiya James-Forbey
- Larry B. James
- Danielle Forbey-Contreras
- Christopher James
- Jay Hurley
- David Patrick
- Chalyse McDavid-Whitland
- Lonnie Folks
- Dr. Robin Moore
- Andrew Edghill
- Jonathan Edghill
- Emanuel Daughtry
- Nestor Smith, Esq.
- Robert Laws
Donations
When you support the G. Larry James Foundation, you become part of his life’s celebration and contributor to the living legacy of G. Larry James. The G. Larry James Foundation is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3), and your gift is tax-deductible as the law allows. You can make a gift to the G. Larry James Foundation by using the donate button below or by contacting us to learn how your gift can make a difference.
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