Vere's Shericka Jackson

Vere Technical High School's new track and field coach, John Muir has deemed their fourth-place finish at last year's Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships an uncomfortable position and is bent on the Clarendon-based institution moving up the points table.

"Fourth is not a real comfortable position to be in and we are working hard to move up the ladder," said Muir, who left Jamaica College for Vere in August of last year. "Finishing fourth is a no, no. We have Edwin Allen, Holmwood and St Jago in front of us and we need to pass one, two or all three of them."

Muir is not only focused on the teams in front of him, as he is cognisant of the treat poised by last year's cinderella team, Hydel which amassed 113 points for fifth; 34 points adrift of his team's 147 tally.

Vere have won the most Girls Champs titles (22), including 15 consecutive triumphs between 1979 and 1993. Their last title was, however, won back in 2002 and they were way off the pace last year, finishing 204 points behind first time winners Edwin Allen (351).

Muir is convinced that his athletes will give an improved showing this year.

"I am as confident as I can be and the athletes have put in the work and I expect them to just go out there and do their best," Muir said. "We haven't had many injuries and the athletes are responding well to training and they are upbeat and ready to go."