Throws camp works to master skills needed to succeed in shot put, discus

EDWARDSVILLE – There are many events available in track and field meets, and it takes practice in order to master the skills needed to succeed. One of those events are the throwing events – the discus throw and shot put, events that make up the program of events in high school track meets.

Throws require a specific skill set in order to be successful, and developing those skills is important; Edwardsville High conducted a throws camp at the Winston Brown Track Complex this past week, attracting 15 participants ranging in age from middle-school age to high school juniors, all representing parts of the Metro East area.

Techniques and drills specific to the discus throw and shot put were taught throughout the camp while also introducing participants to the javelin throw, which is part of the program in Missouri high school track, and the hammer throw, which is part of the program in collegiate track.

“We've had 15 kids here working on shot put and discus stuff and we'll do some javelin (throw) and hammer (throw) introduction today,” said Edwardsville girls throw coach Jaimee Phegley. “The 15 kids is the biggest group we've had here; we have kids here from Alton, Highland, Granite City and Edwardsville.”

There is some good talent being developed at the camp, Phegley believes. “This year, we have a lot of great talent (at the camp),” Phegley said. “Kids are seeing themselves improve; we had some competition today from their first throw to their third throw. It looks like we've got a lot of good stuff coming up, especially in our middle schools; they're very coachable and catching on with a lot of new techniques so they can practice at home.

“We have a lot of strong middle schoolers out here.”

Many students do not have their own throws coaches, Phegley said. “I went through that myself of not having a throws coach,” Phegley said. “It's a rare thing to have, even at the high school level, so the goal of the camp is to give the kids the background and resources to come up with some drills and things they can do at home to make themselves better.

“I started throwing in middle school and did it through high school (at Red Bud) and threw at Eastern Illinois University; one of my teammates at Eastern Illinois is here co-hosting (the camp). We do this every year together; we just like to take what we've learned through out years of throwing and push that knowledge on to these kids so they can get interested in the sport and event and understand it a little better.”

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