I’ve known Joy Upshaw Margerum the Athlete for about five years. But only now am I learning about her other roles — Mom to Two Daughters, Wife to a Collegiate Football Coach and (of special interest to us) Joy the Track Whirlwind. She’s been there and done that for years, and her legendary energy and enthusiasm will be common knowledge if she is elected USATF Masters T&F chair in Indianapolis. Joy sent me an article that summarizes her track pedigree.

Here is is:
Joy Upshaw-Margerum of the Bay Area comes from a family of track & field athletes and has continued to make track and field a part of her life.
Her father, Monte Upshaw, was a high school national record holder in the long jump in 1954 (25’4 1/4) and also known as a terrific hurdler and sprinter. Her grandfather — known as “Stormin’ Norman” Jackson on her mom, Carol Jackson Upshaw’s, side — was an outstanding sprinter from Fresno in the 1920s clocking 9.7 in the 100. Joy’s siblings — Chip, Merry and Grace –graduated from Acalanes High in Lafayette. All set numerous records in the sprints, jumps and hurdles. Most recently, the youngest sister, Grace, 29, was a 2004 Olympic long jumper and is currently ranked in the top 10 of the world!
A 1983 graduate of Cal State Hayward, Joy earned All-American honors competing in the hurdles, long jump, heptathlon and relays. After earning her bachelor’s degrees in Kinesiology and Dance, Joy continued her education by adding her master’s degree in Human Performance at San Jose State in 1988, where her thesis project was writing and illustrating a book draft called “The Joy in Kid’s Sports: Positive Attributes of Sports for Kids!”
Joy began her coaching career at Los Gatos High School in 1983, where she specialized in hurdles, sprints, jumps and relays as well as Cross country, sending many athletes to the state meet in her seven-year tenure (1983-1989).
In 1989 she moved to Hawaii where she continued to coach at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island. She co-coached the girls team at the Academy to a state title in track and field in 1985 and a runner-up finish is 1996, as well as a pair of cross country state titles in 1993 and 1994.
Back to the Bay Area in 1996, Joy was co-head coach at Menlo College. Then in 1997, she began coaching at University of California at Berkeley. During her eight years at Cal (1997-2004) she coached, directed the Track Camp, helped to found the Track & Field Steering Committee, and was the Coordinator for Alumni & Community events.
With her love of coaching track & field, Joy founded Joy’s Jackrabbits Track Club in 1998, an introductory club for kids ages 5-12 emphasizing proper running mechanics and learning and understanding all the events — whether they are the next track star, or next great official. On frequent occasions the club will get guest visitors, like her Olympian sister, Grace, and other elite athletes and coaches.
Joy continues to compete in masters track and field. After she turned 30, she was so excited to know that there were divisions where you can still long jump, sprint and hurdle till you are 100 years old! She quickly took up the sport again. She has won numerous competitions in her events and has been voted Athlete of the Year in her age group many times.
She held the W35 400 hurdle record (64.12) and won the Female Athlete of the Year given by the Honolulu Quarterback Club. Most recently, Joy competed in the Masters Indoor nationals 2005, and won all her four events: 60m ( 8.04), 200m (26.22), LJ (17″8″) and the 60m hurdles (9.08) — setting the American Record for W40 in that event. (She also won the W45 200 at the Linz world indoor meet in 2006 and several events at the Charlotte nationals that summer.)
She continues to support her sister, Grace, in her long jump career — video taping when needed, coaching her JackRabbits TC, supporting the terrific local officials and coaches, and now that she is not recruiting for Cal, you will see her recruiting and rallying friends 30+ years old into Masters Track & Field!
Joy is married to Ken Margerum — former high school and collegiate hurdles great — who is a member of the Stanford Hall of Fame and who went on to play for the Superbowl champion Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers. Currently, Ken is offensive coordinator coach for San Jose State University. They reside in Los Altos Hills with their daughters Sunny and Windy, original members of the Jackrabbits!