Thetford’s Junker is Vt. Gatorade track athlete of year

THETFORD — Ulysses Junker, a standout at Thetford Academy, was named Gatorade’s Vermont Boys Track and Field Player of the Year late last month, recognizing his record-setting feats as well as his work in the classroom and the community.

For Junker, it was exciting to be recognized with an award that was first established in 1985.

“I have put in countless hours of work and commitment on and off the track,” he wrote in an email. “It feels so special to be recognized for my character, and I’m proud to be an example for future track and field athletes in Vermont.”

Gatorade’s website notes that the award recognizes “the nation’s most elite high school student-athletes for their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character,” and is given to a player from each U.S. state in 12 sports.

“He has a wonderful combination of talent, drive, wisdom, desire to learn, accept criticism,” said Thetford Academy track and field co-head coach Emily Silver, of Junker, noting some of his accomplishments this season, including first-place finishes in the 200-meter dash and long jump at last month’s New England Track and Field Championships.

Additionally, Junker achieved some VPA Division II state record-setting performances during the indoor season in the 55 dash (6.57), 300 dash (35.33), and the 4×200 relay (1:34.61). As for the outdoor season, Junker worked his way through an Achilles’ tendon injury to keep his momentum from the indoor season going, setting Vermont all-division records in the 100 dash (10.74), 200 dash (21.52), and long jump (23’ 10.75”), also also being part of the VPA D-III state record-setting 4×100 (43.88) and 4×400 (3:28.04) relay teams.

Joel Breakstone, Thetford Academy’s track and field other co-head coach, described Junker as a “remarkable athlete,” stating that athletes like him do not come around very often.

“Emily and I have been coaching together for a long time, and we’ve never seen an athlete from Thetford do as well as Uly has,” he said.

Cole Chapman, an assistant track and field coach at Thetford Academy, acknowledged that Junker was talented but emphasized that he is a “very, very, very hard worker and incredibly dedicated.”

“Outside of practice, he will look up his own pieces to train on, and he works on drills that really help with high-level athleticism,” Chapman said.

Despite his numerous successes, Junker was quick to highlight his team’s accomplishments, noting his pride in the team capturing the D-III Vermont track and field championship for the sixth straight year, despite his school lacking a track on which to practice.

“I think that says a lot about the character of my teammates — their dedication to the sport as well as that of my coaches,” he wrote.

Junker received rave reviews from his coaches for his sportsmanship and his role as a teammate.

“Often you’d find him at the long jump pit at Thetford Academy, coaching his teammates or helping somebody to try and learn how to do long jump for the first time, and he just loved it,” said Breakstone.

“It was a very common sight to see Uly chatting with athletes from other schools and giving them pointers and tips, and more than one coach came up to me over the course of the year from other schools just remarking at how impressed they were by his willingness to help their athletes,” he added.

Off the track and field, Junker was no slouch; a Gatorade release announcing the award states he posted a 3.71 grade-point average.

Silver, who is in Thetford Academy’s English department, explained that there are parallels between Junker the athlete and Junker the student.

“He’s gregarious, he’s genuinely interested in material, he’s supportive of his classmates, he’s enthused by other people’s success,” she said.

In addition to his academic work, Junker was also significantly involved in the community. Notably, he co-founded 802 Elite, a track club that he explained began as a conversation between him and a friend, Benjamin Dosset from Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, Vt.

“We wanted a place where serious track and field athletes from Vermont can come together and compete in meets outside of our local school schedule,” he wrote.

Furthermore, Junker volunteers through Thetford Hill Church, where his mother, Robin Junker-Boyce, serves as the pastor, indicating that he would try to contribute in ways such as organizing food drives when food shelves were in need.

He also worked with the VT Coalition for Phone and Social Media-Free Schools. The organization’s website states it is a “grassroots movement of educators, students, parents, grandparents, health care providers, legislators, and neighbors advocating for a phone and social media-free school day for all Vermont schools.”

Junker noted that his involvement was initiated through a “challenge course” at school, where he ditched his smartphone for a flip phone and documented his progress, while also trying to convince others to give up social media.

Five months after Thetford Academy went phone-free, Junker, with the help of his friend, Oliver Ransom, made a video interviewing students about their experiences without phones in school.

“I created the video as part of the advocacy work to set state policy and push the cell phone-free schools bill into law,” wrote Junker, later adding that he was happy Gov. Phil Scott recently signed the bill.

Junker was also thankful for the time he spent this past school year working at Notch Climbing Gym, writing that it, “gave me another community to be a part of and committed to.”

As for how Junker was able to manage all of this on top of competing and doing his school work, he noted he was disciplined.

“Getting rid of social media and my iPhone also played a huge factor in my success. I could focus better, I could sleep better, and I could really pay attention to the little details in my body that I needed to improve to expand my athletic capabilities,” he wrote.

With this recognition from Gatorade, winners receive a grant from the organization to give to a “social impact partner.” Junker has yet to make his selection.

As for what is next for Junker, he will be heading to Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., where he will continue with track and field.

“I am so excited to attend Williams College. When I went for my official visit this fall, it felt as though I already had a foot in the door,” he wrote. “Williams has such a bright community, and I am honored to become a part of their track program.”

Michael Coughlin Jr. can be reached at mcoughlin@vnews.com.