 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Throws Summit recap
First-year showcase clinic a sensational success!
Anaheim CA
Inaugural National Throws Summit event enjoys
robust turnout, booming success, stellar marks!
By Rich Gonzalez
Editor, DyeStatCal/ESPN RISE
(ANAHEIM, Ca.) -- "Disneyland.... Where Dreams Come To Life!"
One of many slogans synonymous with the Southern California theme park, which over the weekend turned another dream
into reality: The inaugural National Throws Summit.
"It was great, the turnout was small but better than expected and everyone enjoyed themselves," said Billy Smith of VS Athletics,
one of the organizers and primary sponsors of the Throws Summit, a combined coaches clinics and athlete competition conducted
Friday and Saturday at the Anaheim Convention Center and Downtown Disney.
"This was more successful than the first year of the Pole Vault Summit and we've seen how that has grown. We expect this to
grow at least as successful as that one has."
The Pole Vault Summit, which pulled off its 19th annual event over the weekend, has swelled to 700 vault competitors and over
1,600 participants after starting Year One as a small coaches gathering with no athletes competing.
 
The National Throws Summit, on the other hand, brought together 38 coaches, plus world-class throwers for an elite Saturday night
competition, and additional scores of competitors for a Sunday morning contest. All told, 83 athletes competed!
Performances included 70-foot-plus shot put efforts from Olympian Reese Hoffa on day one of the two-day gathering, then saw prep
Stephen Saenz of Texas rip one of the nation's top high school shot performances and the Kraychir Sisters record exceptional weight
throws marks on the closing day of competition.
"People were pumped, Reese was getting into it and he always gets the crowd excited," said VS Athletics' Rich Benoy, who handled
many of the meet-day logistics for the inaugural event, which was the brainchild of meet director Skip Stolley.
In a highly unique format, meet attendees first soaked
in the philosophies employed by many top coaches before
being treated to an elite athletes competition in Downtown
Disney, located adjacent to Disneyland Park. Attendees
then redeemed their twilight entry tickets to the globally
renowned theme park for an evening of fun. Included was
the Athlete Celebration Experience (see the video), a
pre-parade march down Main Street USA right before
the Disneyland Parade.
The festivities continued into Sunday, where Open and
Masters competitions took center stage in a modified
setup, which drew rave reviews from the athletes, at the
Convention
Center.
"We built a new ring specifically for the Summit and
(Benoy) did a great job on that," added Smith. "A few of
theelites were asking us if we could bring that ring out to
nationals this year, saying it was the best they'd been on."
In addition to Hoffa, other elites participating included
Olympic decathlon gold medalist Bryan Clay -- who also
celebrated his birthday in the process -- and Olympians
Jill Camarena and Stephanie Brown-Trafton.
See the videos!
Among the personal highlights for these Olympians was a chance to participate during the
day in a mentorship capacity as part of Disney's Big Brother sponsorship program.
 
Photos courtesy of Doug Lynch, VS Athletics
Olympians Reese Hoffa (left photo) and Bryan Clay pose with a few of their newest friends at Downtown Disney.
"They really dug that," Smith noted. "What Disney does for these kids is awesome and for them to give the throwers a chance to
share in that mentorship experience was really neat."
 In the open competition, where a few high school athletes competed unattached (using the 12-pound shot),
most of the attention centered on Saenz, the Texas bohemoth who ranked nationally among this year's
high school shot put returnees.
Already leading the six-round competition by several feet after a 64-09.75 toss in his first trial, Saenz
uncorked a tape-measure heave in the fifth round, with several meet organizers and witnesses confirming
the the effort measured at 20.60 meters, or 67 feet, 7 inches. But the presiding official reportedly errantly
transposed the final two digits, entering "20.06" on the official results sheet. The clerical flaw was not
found until after the official had left, with the rules calling for the lesser (20.06, or 65-09.75)) mark to stand
as the official result under such circumstances. The 67-07 would have been Saenz's career-best toss by
an inch and the #2 mark in the nation this winter. He fouled on his final attempt.
Photo courtesy of Ofelia Saenz
Texas throws ace Stephen Saenz
 
In the Open Division Weight Throw, sisters Casey and Katie Kraychir (at left)
dominated the six-athlete competition, with marks of 56-03.75 and 54-02.00, respectively.
All four of Casey's legal throws were well beyond 51 feet, with Katie also having four
tosses beyond 51 feet. Casey is a junior at Twenytnine Palms HS and Katie is a sopho-
more at the same school.
Although the Kraychirs rank among the nation's elite high schoolers in an event not too
often contested in certain parts of the country, that may begin to change thanks to the
National Throws Summit.
"VS Athletics believes there is a great opportunity for the Throws Summit to become
a national platform and major media event to both advance and celebrate the throwing
events at every level," said Stolley.
"Just one example was our field practice sessions the discovered some high school
throwers who have great potential in the javelin and hammer should they continue their
careers to the collegiate level. We are also seeking for the Throws Summit to expand
its relationship with the USATF Development Committee and National Throws Coaches Association.
"Growing the Throws EXPO of implements, equipment, training aids, and coaching education materials could see it become
one of a kind."
Stolley added that the National Throws Summit will continue next year at Downtown Disney, with a survey of preferred dates
now being made of available at http://www.nationalthrowssummit.com
Plans for Year two include "a new curriculum option where coaches will be able to attend classroom sessions and field practice
sessions with their athletes," saidd Stolley, who added that both single-day and two-day participation options will be offered.
Today, the shot put competition became recognized nationally.
Tomorrow? ... It could very well be 'The shot [competition] heard 'round the world!'
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
