"Family" is how Ailene Smith describes the Jamaican community in Jefferson City.
Centered around the dominant track program that Smith, an assistant coach at Lincoln University, and Head Coach Victor "Poppy" Thomas have built, the Jamaican community of Jefferson City has continued to grow and influence the culture of the Capital City.
"I'd say around 70 percent, the majority of our kids, stay in area after they run for us," Smith said. "Kids" refers to the deep pool of talented track and field athletes that Smith and Thomas have bought into Lincoln University. These athletes have helped the Blue Tigers maintain an absolute stranglehold on Division 2 Track and Field. Thomas and Smith have won 14 women's track and field national championships since 2003, as well as multiple MIAA championships on the men's side.
Thomas, from Kingston, Jamaica; and Smith, from Manchester, Jamaica, have drawn from the deep pool of Jamaican track and field talent to help build their program into a powerhouse. Jamaican athletes make up the largest portion of both the men's and women's rosters. The program, which has been so dominant and celebrated it was enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, has also built a vibrant Jamaican community within Jefferson City.
"When we come here, there's an instant connection with the team," said Meisha Thompson, a former mid-distance runner for Lincoln from 2005-2008. "A lot of us come from the same socioeconomic class in the Caribbean; there's this feeling of family," she said. "When I first came here, I was pretty introverted, and having a bunch of people that share my values and my upbringing really helped me be comfortable."
This type of intimate culture is integral to many Jamaicans living in Jefferson City, as the difference in culture can leave many of them feeling isolated.
"In Jamaica, you know everyone; it is more of a focus on community, here, we have our own community," Smith said.
This tight-knit community has been absolutely integral to the long-term success of Jamaican culture in Jefferson City.
Smith said: "What we do here is different, we (Thomas and Smith) are two of the only Jamaican coaches in Division 2 There is competition to recruit in Jamaica, but when they come here, they feel much more at home."
Many athletes - both Jamaican and not - have felt at home in Mid-Missouri after running for the Blue Tigers.
"We see them, we're going to one of our former athlete's weddings, we care for each other," Smith said. For Thomas and Smith, the family extends beyond the Jamaican community.
"Everyone one has been really friendly," said Kizan David, a jumper for the Blue Tigers from St. Kitts and Nevis. "Because it's small, we've had a chance to connect with the Jefferson City community. We wouldn't be able to do that in a big city."
Coach Smith is also in charge of community out-reach for the Blue Tiger's track team.
"I'd be out and people would always ask me about Coach Poppy, and it's always a source of pride in the community and everyone was and has been really kind and open to us and our culture," Thompson said.
That type of welcoming atmosphere has given the Jamaican community in Jefferson City a chance to grow.
"When I came here, we knew everyone that was Jamaican, it was pretty much only the track team," Thompson said. "I still think the Jamaican community is very connected, but it has gotten so much bigger. You can't know everyone. The Jamaican culture has definitely grown."