Connecticut Sports Management Group

Producer of the Nutmeg Games, the largest amateur sporting events in Connecticut

Hosted by the City of Middletown

CSMG and the Nutmeg State Games thank the City of Middletown for their ongoing commitment to the Games and all of the athletes, coaches, fans and volunteers.

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Athletes of the Year

Parker Kennedy

2025 ShopRite® Nutmeg State Games Athlete of the Year Parker Kennedy - Born and raised in Wallingford, Connecticut, Parker Kennedy represents a model of sustained athletic development, academic discipline, and character-driven leadership.

As a sophomore at H.C. Wilcox Technical High School within the Connecticut Technical High School System, Parker has distinguished himself not only on the runway but also in the classroom. He currently ranks 15th in his class and maintains a 3.8 grade point average, earning consistent honor roll recognition while balancing a demanding year-round training schedule.

Parker has been involved in track and field for five years, beginning in sixth grade when he made the decision to try out for the sport. What began as interest quickly evolved into structured commitment. From the outset, he demonstrated a willingness to learn the technical foundations of long jump and sprint mechanics. Over time, that curiosity developed into disciplined training cycles, offseason conditioning, and competitive goal setting.

His primary events are the long jump and triple jump, with additional participation in the 55-meter and 200-meter sprint events. These sprint events are critical to long jump development, as runway speed directly correlates to takeoff velocity and distance. Parker’s willingness to compete in sprint races reflects an understanding of event interdependence and overall athletic development.

For three years, Parker has competed in the Nutmeg State Games, steadily elevating both his performance and competitive presence. In 2025, he earned first place in the long jump with a mark of 19 feet, 6 ¼ inches and third place in the triple jump with a distance of 38 feet, 5 ½ inches. These marks demonstrate both explosive strength and technical precision. Long jump performance requires a carefully measured approach—balancing stride length, acceleration, and takeoff placement within a narrow board margin. Parker’s board accuracy and controlled sprint mechanics have become defining strengths in his competition profile.

His measurable progression over the past several seasons reflects sustained growth. In 2023, as an eighth grader, he won the State Championship in long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 11 ¼ inches. The following year, as a freshman competing in the Connecticut Technical Conference against juniors and seniors, he earned second place in long jump with a mark of 19 feet, 5 inches. This improvement across seasons reflects structured strength development, improved phase mechanics, and refined runway consistency.

One of Parker’s most significant competitive milestones occurred at the Armory Track Meet, where he recorded a personal best of 20 feet, 3 inches in the long jump. Breaking the 20-foot barrier is widely recognized as a developmental benchmark for high school jumpers. It signals that an athlete has achieved a combination of sprint velocity, core strength, takeoff timing, and body control that positions them competitively at advanced levels. This milestone confirms his trajectory toward continued growth.

In addition to individual achievements, Parker has accumulated more than 35 medals in track and field competitions across local, state, and invitational meets. These medals reflect not a single breakout season, but sustained performance across multiple years and competitive formats.

Parker trains year-round and competes with the Lebron Athletic Club under AAU Track & Field Coach Nick Lebron. His coach describes him as extremely coachable, attentive, and responsive to technical instruction. He actively studies his stride patterns, adjusts foot placement at takeoff, and incorporates strength and plyometric training into his routine. His growth has been incremental and data-driven, with measurable distance gains reflecting disciplined application of coaching feedback.

His high school indoor season presented a structural challenge when he was effectively the only athlete representing his school’s track program. Without a full team structure, daily peer competition, or shared training environment, Parker relied on self-discipline and intrinsic motivation. Training independently required time management, focus, and accountability without external reinforcement. Rather than allowing this to limit performance, he used the opportunity to strengthen mental resilience and independence.

Long jump is an event defined by margins. Fouls at the takeoff board can invalidate otherwise successful jumps. Minor stride inconsistencies can reduce distance significantly. Parker has experienced competitions where fouls erased strong attempts or where performance did not meet his preparation level. His response to these setbacks has been analytical rather than emotional. He reviews film, identifies technical breakdowns, recalibrates stride counts, and recommits to repetition. This methodical correction process reflects maturity and disciplined problem-solving.

Balancing this athletic commitment with academics requires structured prioritization. Maintaining a 3.8 GPA while traveling to meets and participating in year-round training cycles reflects advanced time management skills. Teachers, including Social Studies instructor Marisa O’Brien, describe Parker as motivated, respectful, and engaged in the classroom. He participates actively in academic discussions and assists classmates who require additional support. His classroom conduct mirrors his athletic discipline—consistent, prepared, and focused.

Beyond school and competition, Parker contributes to his community. He has participated in town holiday initiatives delivering food to homebound families and elderly residents. Within his athletic community, he mentors younger teammates by sharing technical insights and encouraging disciplined preparation. His leadership is steady and example-driven rather than performative.

Parker credits much of his technical development to his AAU coach, Nick Lebron of the Lebron Athletic Club, whose year-round training guidance has helped refine his mechanics and competitive strategy. He is also grateful for the encouragement and academic support of his teachers at H.C. Wilcox Technical High School. Most importantly, Parker acknowledges the unwavering support of his family, whose commitment to his training schedule, travel, and continued growth has been foundational to his success.

Parker’s development has required sacrifice. Year-round training cycles demand attention to conditioning, sleep, nutrition, and recovery. Social activities are often balanced against competition schedules and strength sessions. Competing at a high level requires sustained physical preparation and emotional regulation. Parker has embraced that structure without complaint, understanding that progress is cumulative.

With five years in the sport, three years competing in the Nutmeg State Games, a state championship title, conference-level podium finishes, over 35 medals earned, and a personal best exceeding 20 feet in the long jump, Parker Kennedy’s record reflects measurable, sustained excellence. His progression is not defined by a single performance, but by consistent improvement and disciplined execution.

Parker Kennedy embodies the qualities of the Olympic Spirit and has earned the Athlete of the Year Award through athletic achievement, academic commitment, technical growth, resilience in adversity, and service to others. His foundation of discipline, “coachability”, gratitude, and measurable progression ensures that his trajectory remains upward, both in sport and in life.

Jan Brown

2024 Connecticut Masters’ Games Athlete of the Year
Jan Brown - Typically this is a once in a lifetime achievement award - however, our CT Masters' Games athletes have proven time and time again, that they have much more to achieve. This is especially true in the case of Janice "Jan" Goulart-Brown.

Jan Brown was awarded the 2012 CT Masters Games Athlete of the Year award at the age of 63.  We learned then that Janice started her athletic career at a young age competing as cheerleader, gymnast and swimmer.  She began running at the age of 38 and competed in over 5 marathons and 10 half-marathons between the ages of 50 to 60. She recognized the growing need for full court basketball for the 40+ players, so she began a drop-in program on Sunday mornings in her hometown of Newtown, CT.  Jan started playing in local women’s softball leagues in 1999 and in 2003, she participated in her first CT Masters’ Games softball tournament. She joined a 50+ women’s softball league in town when she became eligible and promptly became the women’s basketball and softball sport coordinator for the CT Masters’ Games. She was a decade into fulfilling this role when she received her first Athlete of the Year award.
   Meanwhile, in 2010 Jan saw an article in a local publication about Janice Pauly who had introduced the sport of pickleball to Ridgefield CT. Janice Pauly, who runs the Nutmeg, Masters’ and Fall Classic event for CSMG, taught Jan how to play the game. “I became addicted as do most people” Jan said, in an interview with Andy Hutchinson of the Newtown Bee. She added pickleball to her permanent repertoire of sports and became a local ambassador – a prestigious title earned from the United States Pickleball Association.
   Jan has continued to achieve bronze, silver and gold medal status around the country in sprint triathlons, 3 vs. 3 basketball, Women’s softball, racquetball and pickleball in National events and has competed more than once in the Huntsman World Senior Games. The number of Gold and Silver medals Janice has earned since 2012 has increased exponentially in each of the sports she’s involved in. In 2024 both her 60+ softball team, CT Thunder, and her 70+ CT Sisters basketball team took the Gold at their respective tournaments and qualified, once again, for the 2025 National Senior Games.
   A common thread among our female senior athletes is women’s team sport offerings were limited or non-existent when they were growing up. Whether it’s making up for lost time or pure love of sports and competition – or maybe a little of both – Jan has motivated many hundreds of people to get started with sports regardless of their age. She joins the 95% of Masters’ athletes that agree the camaraderie is equally, if not more, important than the win.
The drop-in basketball program she started 25 years ago is still going as strong now as it was then – only now it draws athletes from all over Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. She tirelessly recruits female softball players “who thought their playing days were over – due to aging – or simply didn’t know there is a state and national program for not only softball but many sports”. The strides made in growing the pickleball community in Newtown are unprecedented. Jan created a drop-in pickleball at the Town Hall at Edmond Town Hall and Sandy Hook School, and offered free lessons at Newtown Parks and Recreation.  She, along with Ed Miklaszewski, advocated and fundraised for repairs to the Fairfield Hills Courts. She helped in the formation of the Newtown Pickleball Club and is part of the Recreation Department’s Masters program that encourages athletic participation and helps residents get involved and prepare for the Masters’ Games. And it doesn’t stop there either.
   Jan has played: horseshoes, darts, archery, badminton, archery, bocce, corn hole and even tried her hand at curling. She’s played with some of her children and grandchildren in coed softball in Danbury and Bethel for over 20 years and coed dodgeball for 10 years. Not to mention keeping up with her fitness training twice a week.
   In addition to being actively involved in countless sports, Jan has consistently encouraged hundreds of people of all ages to participate regardless of their age. She has developed friendships through the common bond of athletics with people across the nation.
   For her continued efforts to promote healthy and active lifestyle through physical fitness and sport for the last 25 years and her embodiment of the Olympic spirit, we are proud to acknowledge Janice Goulart-Brown as the 2024 Connecticut Masters’ Games Athlete of the year!
A compilation of CT Masters’ Games documentation and Newtown Bee articles by Andy Hutchison

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