Sprinter = thrower???

[theczar]

So a teammate of mine (the best sprinter on our team...and ranked in the top 10 in Illinois) picked up a shot after practice the other day and threw it 52 ft standing! Not spinning, not gliding, not even suffling, just standing!

I don't understand

has this happened anywhere else? its kind of unusual...

[rainbowgirl28]

Good (like elite good) throwers are some of the best athletes out there. I've seen Adam Nelson run the 40y dash and it was impressive. He said he was worthless for any longer distance than that though

Most high schools put the good athletes in the sprints and jumps, the skinny kids in distance, and the fat kids in the throws.

[skivaulter]

Sprinting and throwing utilize the same kind of muscle fiber, fast twitch. So to tell you the truth it makes sense that he can do something like that. Maybe not the 52' which is a huge throw but all the same.

[mrc]

The most explosive events in track and field are the throws. The entire sport of shot and disc is centered around creating as much power as possible in a 6 and 8 foot ring! I've competed against Dan O'Brien and with Chris Huffins, but the most impressive athlete I've ever been around was Andy Bloom (NCAA shot/discus champ). The guy's incredible. Even filled in for a leg on a Wake Forrest 4x1 at a conference meet. Threw 200+ and ran 11.2 in college!

As someone who's just coming off my first year as a high school throws coach it is frustrating the stigma placed on throwers (skinny kids run, fat kids throw). Throwing is about balance and power, not the disability to run or jump, but just the opposite. Your best throwers are going to be your linebacker and volleyball player types, not the left-overs...

[skivaulter]

I can agree with you on that one. I play volleyball, and vault (obviously) most of the time. I'm also the thrid best thrower on the team with a PR of 37, throwing at most 3 times per season. I'm 6'2" and really skinny, every season some of the freshmen laugh when I come up to the throwing coach and ask to throw, they dont laugh very long.

[bel142]

on PSU during testing the fastest 20m runs for the men and women, were throwrs.... they are just really explosive...

[Glory]

Our best thrower is sitting 2 in the NAIA in Discus at around 172...he is 4th in hammer at 182...and is top 15 in shot i beleive at 51 something....this is all after he came to our school to hurdle...he got 4th at NAIA indoor freshman year with a 7.66 in the 60's...he stopped hurdleing to pursue throws..but its crazy he is that fast in the hurdles and one of the nations best throwers..