Brewer High School

Teal Jackson, 2013, Track and Field

One could argue that the Brewer High School Athletic Hall of Fame seemingly was created with Teal Jackson (Class of 2013) in mind, a current student at Brewer High School when the Hall of Fame idea came to fruition in 2013.  Achieving 7 Class A State Championship titles and 19 Penobscot Valley Conference Championship titles, Jackson is the most decorated track and field athlete in school history. Jackson was also an exceptional soccer player for four years at Brewer High School; however, it was on the track where she made her biggest impact and impressions on observers. Longtime Eastern Maine Indoor Track League (EMITL) Director, Mary Cady noted the following about Teal Jackson: “We all knew then that she was going to be a special athlete. So it is not surprising that she has excelled in track throughout her academic career. The best thing about Teal is that she is a special young woman who has been a delight to watch and work with at track meets and is an excellent role model for young athletes.”

During Jackson’s track career she set seven school records: Four in Outdoor Track (100m :12.20, 200m :25.21, 400m :57.00, and Long Jump 17’ 5.25”) and three in Indoor Track (55m :7.26, 200m :25.61, and 400m :57.85).  Although not an event run in Maine, Jackson holds the 300m record as well with a time of 41.10 seconds which is the third fastest time posted in Maine track history.  All her records still remain five years later (2018) and due to their sheer speed may, indeed, remain for many years to come.  

In indoor track, Jackson was the PVC/EMITL Champion all three years of her indoor track career in the 55m, 200m and 400m dash as well as the 2013 Class A State Champion in all three events.  She set an EMITL record in the 200m in 2012 and again in 2013.  Her events coach, Dan Juilli, describes why his star athlete was so successful: “Teal has an exceptional inner drive that allows her to achieve at a high level…she doesn’t like to lose…she’s got that mentality; you’re going to hurt if you are going to beat her.”  In 2013, while establishing a new EMITL record, Jackson’s inner drive allowed her to run the fastest indoor 400 meters in Maine schoolgirl history with a time of 57.85 seconds!

Not only did she dominate on the oval, she was equally outstanding as a long jumper. In outdoor track, she was the 2013 PVC and State Champion in the long jump and a three-time PVC champion in the 100m dash, 200m dash, 400m dash.  Over the course of her career she set PVC records in all three running events.  She was also the 2013 Class A State Champion in the 100m, 200m and 400m distances.  Jackson’s speed and power were impressive.  She often had to set her own pace with much of the field finishing sometimes three or more seconds behind her; that takes immense discipline.  As the defending 2012 state champion in the 400m, Jackson not only eclipsed the 2013 gold medal, she highlighted her high school career by setting a new 400m state record in 57.00 seconds.  Jackson also competed with the best of the best and placed twice in the prestigious New England High School Championship Meet: 5^th in the 200m in 2011 and 6^th in the 400m in 2012.

Jackson served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council during her senior year and designed the Brewer High School Coaches vs. Cancer T-shirt logo, which is still being used annually to this day.

In a running article for Mile-Split.com in June of her senior year, Teal Jackson was quoted with some advice to young athletes: “Everything you do, do to the best of your abilities; sometimes you will be surprised with what you can accomplish. Hard work pays off and will be a reward on its own.”  Jackson backed up her own words with action; she led by example in practice and competition.  In 2013, Teal Jackson was named the Brewer High School Ohmart Athlete of the Year and the Maine Sunday Telegram/Portland Press Herald “Outdoor Track Performer of the Year”. For three consecutive years (2011, 2012, 2013), she was named the Eastern Maine Indoor Track League/PVC and Outdoor Track PVC Championship Meet “Outstanding Performer”.

After graduating from Brewer High School, Teal Jackson attended West Virginia Wesleyan College for her freshman year, where she set school records in 200 and 400 meters and was conference champion in those events. She then transferred to the University of Maine at Orono where she continued her track exploits by running personal record times in the 200m (:25.24) and 400m (:56.59), both of which placed her in the Top 5 All-Time for the Black Bears. Jackson was named a track team captain during her senior year and was an America East Honor Roll Athlete graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors in 2017.  As of 2018, Teal Jackson currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INDUCTION AND ACCEPTANCE SPEECH OF TEAL JACKSON

     Teal Jackson (center) with her sister Trea Broussard (L) and presenter Dan Juilli (R)