Who Is Shericka Jackson’s Coach? Everything You Need to Know About the Major Support System of the Track and Field Icon

10.84 seconds—the time that Shericka Jackson clocked to win her third consecutive 100m title at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Nationals Championships on June 28, 2024. Her win booked her a slot in the Jamaican team for the Paris Olympics. However, an unfortunate injury would have her join Elaine Thompson-Herah, who was already out of the Olympics due to an injury.

Weirdly enough, both these track and field stars have once trained side by side under the same coach. That is, until Thompson-Herah decided to quit the renowned coach’s tutelage. But who are we talking about? Who’s the man responsible for Shericka Jackson’s stellar speed on the track?

Meet Stephen Francis: Shericka Jackson’s Coach

Shericka Jackson made her debut in the global sprinting arena under Stephen Francis. Even when she made her international debut for Jamaica at the CARIFTA Games in 2008, the legendary coach was around her. Born on May 12, 1972, in Kingston, Jamaica, Francis’ coaching principle is defined by 1 simple line he said to Fan Arch in July 2024 – “I focus on people I think have the most promise to be developed.”

Stephen Francis’ track and field journey started in his youth, thanks to the accommodating support of his parents, George and Marlene Francis. His passion for track and field took him deeper into the sport, as he ended up graduating with a degree in Sports Science in 1995 from the University of the West Indies. Besides this, he also did an MBA in finance from the University of Michigan. But coaching was his calling, for which he has dedicated his life.

How many medals have his athletes won over the long course of his coaching career? From 2008 till the 2021 Olympics, there has been at least one athlete trained by him who won Gold. And in 2024, which, according to him, was the worst Olympics, one of his star athletes, Kishane Thompson, won the silver in the 100m sprint. That’s the standard Francis has set for themself. Silver is not good enough.

And that mindset, coupled with a desire to elevate the track and field coaching ecosystem in Jamaica, led him to a massive decision, for which he will probably become an immortal legend in Jamaica.

Stephen Francis Highlights and Achievements

Before Stephen Francis was coaching professional athletes like Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah, he was involved in training high school athletes. But, in 1999, Francis, famously known as ‘Franno’, quit high school coaching to found the Maximizing Velocity and Power (MVP) Track Club alongside Paul Francis, David Noel, and Bruce James. Based at the University of Technology, Kingston, the MVP Track Club took off like their greatest speedsters and never looked back.

The idea behind creating the MVP Track Club was simple. There should be a training facility in Jamaica that Jamaican athletes can go to realize their track and field dreams. Why would going to America via the athletic scholarship channel be the only way to succeed for a Jamaican native? No, Stephen Francis wanted to revolutionize track and field in Jamaica forever. Out of that resolution came the MVP Track Club.

For the legacy that Francis has built, Jamaica will always be indebted to him. The MVP Track Club has been a powerhouse of training athletes in 100m, 200m, 400m, 100mH, 110mH, and even long jump and high jump. And the medal count? More than 28 Olympic medals and counting. Add to that more than 50 World Championship medals. The numbers are there for you to see how important Francis has been for Jamaica.

For his selfless contribution and his pioneering vision, the island nation has tried to show its gratitude. As such, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association has honored him with the Coach of the Year award multiple times. The greatest honor was bestowed upon him in October 2017 when Stephen Francis was felicitated with the Order Of Jamaica Honor at the National Awards held at King’s House.

Safe to say that Shericka Jackson can blindly trust her legendary Jamaican coach. His resume is filled with multiple superstar sprinters. But should we take a closer look?

Who else has Stephen Francis coached besides Shericka Jackson?

Some of the trailblazing names to have been associated with Stephen Francis are Asafa Powell, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sherone Simpson, Kerron Stewart, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, and Melaine Walker. Trust us, we can keep adding names to that list; that’s how astronomical his influence has been.

Under him, the world saw the most consistent sub-10-second sprinter in Asafa Powell. 97 sub-10-second 100m races is just the definition of precision, accuracy, and work ethic. Powell also clocked a 100m world record time of 9.77 and 9.74 seconds under Francis. Asafa Powell started it all. And Brigitte Foster-Hylton kept it going.

This Jamaican star was Francis’ find, whom he thought could become a world Champion one day. And in 2009, that prediction did come true. After bronze and silvers and near misses, she eventually became the World Champion in the 100m hurdles. One of the greatest to come out of the MVP Track Club and from his house of coaching is Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

The 3-time Olympic gold winner and 10-time World Champion was a win machine on the track. She won the Gold in the 100m event in back-to-back Olympics (2008 and 2012). At one time, she held both the Olympic and World Championship gold medals. And even though she is no longer with the MVP Track Club anymore, no one can ignore the dominance they had together.

Elaine Thompson-Herah is the woman who won the 100m and 200m double in back-to-back Olympics (2016 and 2021). She also has the 2nd-best time (10.54) in the history of women’s 100m sprint. Do you know who is in third place? None other than Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Both of these superstars parted ways with Stephan Francis earlier in 2020.

But he still has some of the top sprinters in the game, starting with Shericka Jackson. There’s Kishane Thompson, who is regarded as the one to carry the torch for Jamaica after Usain Bolt. The 2024 Olympics were a dull outing for team MVP Track Club, but count on them to bounce back.