During the week, Jean Bell served as an administrative law judge for the New York State Workers’ Compensation Commission. But over the weekend, you’ll see her cheering on the sidelines of racetrack meetups across the tri-region.
“I spend my Sundays playing with other people’s children, watching them run, coaching and encouraging them and enjoying myself,” she says.
Miss Bell is the head coach of the team based in Brooklyn Jeuness Track Club, an all-female team she founded in 1985 with 10 members. It now has more than double that number and eight coaching and administrative staff, including Miss Bell’s sister and a niece, who manages the team.
The club gained attention last year with the release of the documentary “Sisters on the road. ” Jeuness is based in Bedford-Stuyvesant, in and around Brevoort Houses, where Mrs. Bell grew up.
“We were very poor,” she said, and sport gave her and her four siblings a place to channel their energy. In sixth grade, Ms. Bell started running for her school’s team, an experience that inspired her to start Jeuness decades later.
“We focus on education,” said Ms. Bell, who works with her students to maintain their grades and pursue college scholarships. “I want girls to see, ‘I’m you, and I’m better than I am.’ Tracking has given me the determination to do what I want to do despite the difficulties. “
Ms. Bell, 65, lives in Freeport, Long Island.
PACKING AND GOING Every week from April to the end of July, I get up early to go to a meeting. From 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. I shower. I choose the T-shirt and Jeuness gear that I want to wear. I usually make my own coffee and put it in a thermos. I’ll put everything I need in my Jeuness bag – extra pins, pointed keys, batons, first aid kit – whatever I think I’ll need. I threw it all in my car along with a foldable seat. I will also put canopies in my car for us to sit under. Usually I go with my sister, and the rest of the coaches and all the girls and their parents meet us. Sometimes I’ll stop at a bagel, at Starbucks, and get myself and my sister something to eat along the way.
CLOSE the Tent I want to get there before any other girls and parents make arrangements. I brought a large camping tent. We have two, one for 10 or less and one for the other girls. The older girls get in there and play music and songs, sing and dance while they wait for their events. They became noisy and frantic. Little kids love to color and talk. We bring them mini games, and especially at the beginning of the season, where it’s cool, they sit in tents and have their own time.
DRILLING TEAM I chose the meeting package, sending my sister to the coach meeting because I don’t have to do that anymore. I have help. I looked at my list of the people who were supposed to be here, and then I started giving the girls their numbers. Once most of them were there, they went out and did drills, draining their energy. I never go out on the field. If I’m out there, it’s because someone is doing something wrong and I’m not happy. I am the disciplinarian of the team. The girls know that I am their biggest supporter; I am their biggest critic. They know that it comes from a place of love and care.
Words of encouragement We’re going to have a small meeting about what everyone should strive to accomplish that day. ‘These are our goals.’ You know, ‘you want to run this time. This is what we are here to do. I want to see you really focus and struggle with that last thing right away to get to the line, and run at your best. ‘ If the girls had problems the last time or during the rehearsal, I would say, ‘Listen, this is your chance to do it again. This is a new day, let’s try again. ‘ Being a head coach – it’s not just about setting up meetups, practicing and finding locations. I became a social worker and a counselor and more. I did it when I was in my 30s and I’m still doing it in my 60s. It’s a full-time job where I don’t get paid.
LINE ENDING I stayed there until the last race one of my girls entered. Forever. It continues until all hours. Then I asked the dads to help me unpack the tent, pack everything up, and drag it back to my car. I said goodbye, driving back to my sister’s house. Along the way, we’re talking about encounters – who ran what. Sometimes we were in a meeting with other coaches calling in. I dropped my sister and drove home. I dragged everything out of the car and into my garage. It was a very late night, depending on whether the meeting was in Jersey and lasted until 6 or 7 o’clock.
MEALS AND COMPETITION I love cooking. I always cook. Right now I have ribs in the oven. Things like pork ribs. Sometimes I will have something in the crockpot. I always have one meat, one starch, one green. I often call my sons and let them know how the meeting went. And I watched TV until I couldn’t open my eyes anymore. The only new show I’ll be watching is “Top Chef.” I’ll watch police shows like “Columbo” and “Murder, She Wrote.” I like the old stuff, without a lot of sex and violence. I go to bed around 11 or 12, and I leave before 6:30 the next morning to go to work. I sleep very little.
Sunday Routine readers can follow Jean Bell’s work with Jeuness Track Club on Instagram @jeunesstrackclub.
