When I think of elite athletes in the United States, I think of the Olympic Development camps in Florida, elite training groups in the trails of Oregon, and altitude training in mountains of Colorado. I don’t really think of the suburbs of New Jersey as the breeding grounds for some of the greatest athletes that this nation has ever produced. However, time and time again, New Jersey raises athletes that set new standards for greatness.
Derek Jeter tops the list as the best athlete ever to come out of New Jersey, but his name is at the top of a long and competitive list. People underestimate the talent pool that this small state has to offer. This top athlete is one of the most decorated baseball players ever to step on a field. He won Rookie of the Year in his first year in the MLB, he was the Yankees captain for 11 years during which they won five World Series games, and he has received the seasonal MVP award, all star game MVP award, and World Series MVP award. This list of accomplishments is interminable for this incredible athlete from Pequannock, New Jersey. He is truly a legend.
In the world of basketball there is not one person who does not recognize the name Shaquille O’Neal. This superstar athlete and international celebrity from Newark, New Jersey, also has an interminable list of accomplishments that can only be summarized as legendary. He won rookie of the year in 1993, won four championships, is a three times NBA finals MVP, won league MVP in 2000, and played in fifteen NBA all-star games. Not to mention that he won an Olympic gold medal in 1996. Shaquille O’Neal is evidence of the basketball talent that is home grown in New Jersey.
The sport that's held most closely to my heart is New Jersey running. In the world of distance running no contemporary coach or athlete can discuss successful coaches without mentioning Bernardsville, New Jersey, native, Mark Wetmore. Wetmore has just concluded his 24th season as the head coach of the University of Colorado Boulder cross-country and track team. Wetmore has coached seven teams to Cross Country National Championships since the year 2000, including a year when his men and women’s team won in 2004. He has coached four individual national champions in cross-country and 18 individuals on the track. There is no doubt that this New Jersey native is a legend in the eyes of anyone.
In this article I only listed a few of the top athletes and coaches across only a few sports in which New Jersey has produced the cream of the crop. I encourage all of those who argue that, “New Jersey is the armpit of America,” or that, “New Jersey is just a giant suburb of New York,” to check your facts and really look into the talent that New Jersey has produced. In addition, legendary artists like Bruce Springsteen and Fetty Wap alike claim to be raised by the streets of the garden state.
