For Twin Track Stars, Running Is In The Family

Adriana and Qiora Rollins, left to right, pose with some of the medals and awards they’ve won wile running for the Eye Catchers All-Girls Track Club.

Nicole Rollins knows a thing or two about running fast.

The township mother of two is a former track star at Linden High School and West Virginia University.

So a seed was planted when Rollins saw her twins, Adriana Monique and Qiora Noelle, zipping around the floor when they were toddlers.

That seed sprouted into an idea several years later, when the girl’s piano teacher mentioned that the twins seemed to have a lot of energy.

“That’s right,” Rollins recalled thinking, “they do.”

“I could just tell when they were younger, they just crawled and got around faster,” she said.

So, when the twins were 6 years old, and looking to continue the family line – both of Rollins’ parents ran track and her husband Adrian played football while at Kean University – Rollins sought out coaches for one of the township’s track clubs, because elementary schools don’t have track teams for children that young.

The girls joined the then-fledgling Eye Catchers All Girls Track Club, and have been winning ever since.

Adriana, the older of the two by two minutes, runs the 4 x 1 relay and the 400-, 800- and 200-meter dash. Her sister, Qiora, runs the 4 x 1 relay and the 200-, 100- and 400-meter dash.

Both girls, students at Conerly Road School, have experienced success that has their parents excited for the future, Nicole Rollins said.

The list of accomplishments for both is impressive:

For Adriana:

• USATF National Indoor All-American – Bronze Medalist (4x 200m)
• AAU National Outdoor Region 1 Championship – Bronze Medalist (400m, 800m)
• AAU National Junior Olympic outdoor – Finalist – (400m, 800m, 4x100m relay)
• UAGTCA Outdoor Championship-Gold Medalist-(4x100m relay) & Finalist – (400m, 800m)
• Colgate Women’s Games Semi- Finalist –(5th Place -400m) (6th place -800m)
• Eye Catchers Track Club 2014, “Most Improved Athlete Award
• Eye Catchers Track Club 2015, “Athlete On The Rise Award”

For Qiora:

• Junior Olympic Athlete of the Year 2014 -Sprints Girls 8 & Under – USATF-NJ
• UAGTCA Outdoor Youth Invitational “Oustanding Athlete 8 & Under” Podium Award 2014 defending champion 2015–(United Age Group Track Coaches Assoc.)
• Colgate Women’s Games “Champion”, (100m- 1st Place trophy) & “$1,000 Scholarship/Endowment Award”, Track & Field Hall of Fame
• USATF National Indoor 2x All-American – Bronze Medalist (100m, 200m, 4x 200m)
• AAU National Outdoor Region 1 Championship-Gold Medalist (100m, 200m-PR 28.7sec)
• AAU National Junior Olympic outdoor-2 Bronze Medals(100m, 200m) Finalist(4x100m relay)
• UAGTCA Outdoor Championship- 1st place -(100m, 4x100m relay), Silver Medalist (200m)
• Colgate Women’s Games Semi- Finalist –(1st Place -100m) (3rd place -200m)
• Eye Catchers Track Club, 2014 “Athlete Of The Year”
• Eye Catchers Track Club, 2015 “Athlete Of The Year”

Qiora said she like running track “because it’s fun to do.”

“I feel like I’m floating in a cloud,” she said.

Adriana said she likes the team spirit.

“I like it because wall your teammates can support you,” she said.

Nicole Rollins said track has been good for her girls because it “keeps them focused and working hard. They’re able to get other kids in the school interested in track.”

And for her, “it’s been a fun experience.”

“It gives me a chance to get back into training,” she said.

The girls said they want to continue running in the future, but they do have other plans.

“I also want to be a professional dancer,” Qiora said.

Adriana said she thinks about several options, including taking over the family’s moving and courier business.

“I want to be a veterinarian, or a dancer, or be an actor or continue my dad’s business,” she said.

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