Boykin Embraces a New Style : San Fernando Hurdler Tones Down as a Front-Runner

By JOHN ORTEGA

June 5, 1987 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO — In 1986, Shelton Boykin of San Fernando High was one of the City Section’s best but least admired hurdlers. His flamboyant antics on the track, which included taunting opponents at the end of races, didn’t make him a favorite among opposing athletes and coaches.

This year, without the antics, Boykin has become the fastest hurdler in the City and one of the finest in the nation.

“He’s worked much harder and a lot of that is due to maturity,” San Fernando track Coach Richard Kiwan said. “He’s a year older and he’s a little more relaxed about everything.”

This afternoon, Boykin brings his new approach into the state track championships where he will begin his quest to win both hurdles events, competing in qualifying heats here at Hughes Stadium. The finals will be held Saturday night.

Boykin, who won the 110-meter high hurdles (13.84 seconds) and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles (37.47) in the City Section track championships at Birmingham High last Saturday, said the cockiness hasn’t been necessary this season.

“I thought I needed to intimidate people last year,” Boykin said. “It was my first year hurdling and I wasn’t established yet. I wasn’t that confident. After I finished second in City, people knew who I was.”

San Fernando basketball Coach Dick Crowell, a track assistant, said that Boykin’s antics weren’t reflective of his personality.

“The cockiness that you saw was a result of the neighborhood he lives in,” Crowell said. “A lot of the kids in his area go to the same junior high but different high schools. And a lot of them were talking ‘smack’ about Shelton prior to the meets. They were saying a lot of derogatory things about him. What you saw was his reaction to that.”

Kiwan concurred, then added: “He’s a quiet, introverted kid by nature.”

Said Crowell, who coached Boykin on the basketball team: “He’s a terrific kid. He’s got some quirks that are unique, but they’re usually positive in nature.

“A lot of times he’ll say things that he doesn’t really mean. He says them to test the social waters, to see how people will react.”

An example of Boykin’s brand of unique humor occurred while he was being recruited during last basketball season. A recruiter attended one practice and Boykin (6-5, 207) facetiously complained about the workout, saying it was too hard and he was tired.

“Just acting real lazy,” Crowell said. “The recruiter looked at me like, ‘What the hell is going on here?’ ”

Crowell explained away Boykin’s behavior, saying, “That’s Shelton.” Once practice started, Boykin was the most dominating player there, hustling all over the court.

Boykin, an All-Valley selection at forward who averaged 16.3 points and 9.8 rebounds, will take his quirkiness to Texas El Paso in the fall on a basketball scholarship. But his recent performances in the hurdles have outshone his efforts on the hardwood.

“The times have surprised me,” Boykin said. “I used to think 14.1 would be great but then I ran 13.84.”

Boykin’s time in the highs equals the second fastest in the nation and his time in the intermediates is a Valley-area season best.

Kiwan isn’t surprised. “We thought Shelton could do it all year long,” he said. “He was running 14.6 and 14.7 in the dual meets so we figured his times would drop in the big meets once he got some competition.”

At the City championships, Boykin lowered his personal bests by .38 seconds in the highs and .39 seconds in the intermediates, an event of which he speaks with disdain.

“The high hurdles always fascinated me,” Boykin said. “But the 300s never appealed to me because they’re so long.

“They still don’t. Until I’m in the race, until the gun goes off, I hate them. I hate running them. I hate practicing for them. Until I’m in the race I hate them.”

Boykin attributes a faster start and better technique for his improvement from last year, when he ran hand-timed bests of 14.3 and 39.6.

His competitive fires were raging Saturday. In the high hurdles, he got his “best start ever” then withstood a mid-race surge by Ronald Copeland of Dorsey to win by .04 seconds.

In the intermediates Boykin destroyed the field in the final 100 meters, winning by a 1.05-second margin. He overpowered his opposition in both races.

“He’s so big and powerful that he can hit hurdles and it doesn’t hurt him,” Kiwan said. “If a smaller guy bangs a hurdle it can screw up his whole race, completely throw off his timing. Shelton just runs through them.

“He’s got tremendous speed and strength. He’s run a 10.8 100. He’s fearless and he’s got the high splits. He’s got all the tools. He’d make a great intermediate hurdler in college.”

Boykin isn’t sure he’ll run track in college. Basketball is his No. 1 sport.

“My big goal athletically is to play in the NCAA Tournament,” he said. “But I do wonder how I’d do in the hurdles if I really concentrated on them.

“My improvement has been a trip,” he says with a broad smile. “A few weeks ago I ran the fastest times in the Valley. Then the City. And now I’m one of the fastest in the nation.”

Whether he’s the best in the state could be decided Saturday night at 6:45 and 7:40. That’s when the finals of the high hurdles and the intermediates will be run.

Boykin is tied for the state lead in the highs with Dana Hall of Ganesha, who defeated Boykin at the Arcadia Invitational in April. Boykin concedes nothing.

“It’s gonna be a great race,” Boykin said with a gleam in his eyes. “The people there are going to get what they paid to see.”