Player Profile: Oakland Mills High School’s Judson Lincoln IV

This Maryland high school player profiles series is presented by the U.S. Army.

Judson Lincoln IV, a junior track and field star at Oakland Mills High School (Columbia, Md.) was nominated for the Maryland high school profiles series by his father and Scorpions track and field coach, also named Judson Lincoln.

“Ever since I’ve coached him, he’s just been so self-determined and driven to do well. The things that I do with him are one thing, but he does a lot on his own,” the elder Lincoln said. “My wife and I are personal fitness trainers — we have a gym in the house, and he’s down there all the time. He’s doing stuff all the time on his own. There’s never anything that I ever have to make him do or really ask him to do. He wants to know, ‘What are we doing today, Dad? What are we putting on the schedule?'”

The COVID-19 pandemic eliminated what would have been a productive spring for the younger Lincoln, but he made up for it during the summer. He competed in the 2020 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Satellite Beach, Fla. He won the 400-meter event for 15- and 16-year-olds with a time of 49.95 seconds — also the fastest time posted by any Maryland high school runner for the season — and finished in seventh in the 100- and 200-meter events.

Lincoln also plays basketball at Oakland Mills and is part of the Junior ROTC program. He answered some questions about being nominated.

CountySportsZone: Why do you think you were able to be so successful at the AAU Junior Olympics?

Judson Lincoln IV: I put in the time and the work to be prepared to run a [winning] time down there. I think I could’ve run faster, but it was really hot. I just put in the time and the effort. I also rested well when I was down there so I wasn’t burnt out going into the race.

CSZ: What’s your favorite thing about running track? How did you get started?

JL: I would say the competing. I’m really competitive, and just going out there and racing is just really fun to me. I started when I was like 3.5 [years old]. I just wanted to race people, just run. … I saw [my father] run when I was younger. I saw him do it. I wanted to do it. He’s helped me throughout the years.

CSZ: What’s it like being coached by your father and how does he help you get better?

JL: He knows me, so it kind of helps when I’m not doing my best. He can push me a little more. Or when I’m doing too much, he can tell me to [relax] a little bit, so it helps.

CSZ: How does playing basketball help you on the track?

JL: It helps me stay explosive, just doing the short runs because that’s a part I need to work on with my track — just get out quick. Running back and forth, just quick movements up and down the court, really helps me.

CSZ: What are your plans for after high school?

JL: Hopefully going to college for track or basketball and try to get a degree in communications. … I like them both equally, but I’d say I’m doing better at track right now. So I’d probably say track at the moment.

To nominate an athlete or team for a future U.S. Army Player/Team Profile, visit PressBoxOnline.com/Impact.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Judson Lincoln IV

Luke Jackson

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