- January 16, 2025
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Suhaib Mansour (3), Kajuan Curry (4), Abaraham Osorio (5) and Andrew Prowell (6) vie for position at the front of the pack in the 800 meter run at the District 6-3A meet last season. Curry went sub two minutes for the win. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland three-sport athlete Kajuan Curry. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland three-sport athlete Kajuan Curry. Photo by Michele Meyers
District 6-3A 4x400 relay champs Drayden Wood, Ezaiah Shine, Kajuan Curry and Khalil Wilmore of Mainland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Kajuan Curry (left) and Khalil Wilmore get some video in after winning the 4x400 relay with teammates Ezaiah Shine and Drayden Wood. The Mainland boys team won the District 6-3A track and field championship in April. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland wide receiver Kajuan Curry makes the catch as Belleview's Keondre Fillmore is called for a facemask penalty. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Kajuan Curry goes up to catch a 59-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sebastian Johnson in a game against DeLand this season. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Kajuan Curry (right) runs for a touchdown just before halftime as DeLand's Omarion Johnson (16) jumps over Ray Matthews in pursuit of the tackle. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland wide receiver Kajuan Curry (center) runs to the sideline after catching a touchdown pass from quarterback Cole Walker (right) during the Homecoming game against Belleview. Phillip Moore (left) Photo by Michele Meyers
Kajuan Curry and Mainland athletic director Terrence Anthony. Courtesy photo.
Senior Kajuan Curry is the reigning Mr. Mainland and he is taking his job seriously.
According to Mainland High School athletic director Terrence Anthony, whether it is a volleyball, basketball or soccer game, basically anything happening on campus, Curry is there.
“School spirit is big for me,” Curry said. “I know a lot of people from different teams — girls and boys. I go support them, scream at the games for them, be lit and everything. My drive is I just like being very supportive and helping out. It just motivates me. I love that.”
In March, Curry won the Mr. Mainland competition with a performance that included an energetic dance routine. Kiera Williams was crowned Miss Mainland. Curry said because he was the second contestant he knew he had to set the tone.
“I felt like dancing would get the crowd hyped and energized,” he said. “All those that won the title in the past were never forgotten faces on campus, still to this day. Having that opportunity motivated me to be remembered after I graduate. I will always be recognized as the 'littlest' Mr. Mainland to earn that title.”
Curry was born in Miami then moved with his mom, Lisette Dawkins, to North Carolina. He moved to Daytona Beach to live with his father following his mother’s death in 2020. He said it took him and his father time to build a relationship.
“Me and my dad repaired our relationship through long talks and having to understand each other in many aspects, such as, I have a future goal in sports and he never played sports so he never understood,” he said. “He’s a wonderful father today and we get along pretty good.”
Campbell Middle School was the first school Curry attended in the area. He started high school at Atlantic where he played football for coach Jerrime “Squatty” Bell. Curry said Bell became one of his mentors.
“He was a great role model,” Curry said. “He showed me how to step up and be more of a man — just be great at everything I do, not doubt myself.”
Bell, who is now Mainland's coach, said Curry is an outstanding young man.
“K.J.’s bubbly personality is infectious,” Bell said. “Even when his peers are long gone, you’ll catch him staying behind helping the cleaning crew or the AD clean up afterwards.”
Following his sophomore year, Curry transferred to Mainland. Even though his father, Kajuan Curry Sr., gave him a football when he was 3 years old and he started playing soccer at the age of 7, he did not play football or soccer his first year at Mainland.
“Exposure-wise moving to Mainland helped a lot because I won so many achievements. I was a really productive person on the track,” he said. “I grew stronger relationships and bonds with this school than I did at Atlantic, sadly, because I was still in my development stage. When I got here, I started becoming more mature.”
He began his track career after he was introduced to Anthony, who is also Mainland's head track and field coach. Anthony said when they were introduced, Curry claimed he was going to be his fastest guy. Eventually, he began calling Anthony “Pops.”
A.J. is a better person than he is an athlete. He supports every organization on our campus. I don’t think you can find one person on campus that will say anything bad about him. If they do, all they’ll say is ‘Man we can’t get him to stop talking.’
— TERRENCE ANTHONY, Mainland athletic director
“When we got on the track last year, he wanted to try everything. He wanted to be in the 100, he wanted to run the 200, he wanted to run the 400, he wanted to run the 800,” Anthony said. “He did everything and everything he did, he did with such moxie and had such a great attitude about it. He made everybody want to be around him.”
At the District 6-3A meet last season, Curry won the 800 meters in 1:59.22, becoming the first Mainland track athlete to break two minutes. He went on to set a personal record of 1:58.86 and place third at regionals. Curry, Drayden Wood, Ezaiah Shine and Khalil Wilmore won the 4x400 meter relay at districts, placed second at regionals and went on to place ninth at the Class 3A state championships.
“I was always a 100/200 running type of guy,” Curry said. “T.A. (Anthony) made me become an 800 runner. After I placed third at regionals, I thought I could be really good at this race. It’s a love-hate relationship, but the second lap is always going to give you that kick. You have to fight through it. It’s about who wants it more.”
This soccer season, he has been helping Mainland coach Danny Peralta, who recently asked Curry to join the team and finish out the season.
“A.J. is a better person than he is an athlete,” Anthony said. “Everybody loves this kid. He supports every organization on our campus. I don’t think you can find one person on campus that will say anything bad about him. If they do, all they’ll say is, ‘Man we can’t get him to stop talking.’”
Curry said Anthony is his role model.
“T.A. always cared for me and provided for me,” Curry said. “He took me under his wing. He’s like my second father. I thought I was already hot stuff at what I used to do. He always told me I could be 10 times better and he showed me — it motivated me.”
