Green Middle School Tarck & Field

[Freakling1]

I joined the team and want to do shot-put and discuss. It's a fun sport!

[h2oville rocket]

Tark is awesome- the most nearly pure sport there is. No goals or passes (well, in relays) or shots or pads just mano a mano against the other guy and yourself. You wanna be a thrower, huh? Better hit the weights. BG doesn't have much of a tradition of throwers but Kent State used to have the best hammer throwers in the country when I ran and OU and Central both had Olympic throwers. Best advice: hit the weights and focus on your legs- that's where the strength comes from. Do you glide or spin for the shot? I had better results with the spin but I wans't much of a shot guy- just did it in the multi events.

The high jump however, is the best event and I'll tell you why. YOU control the pit. Why is that important? Because everybody wants to lay around in the pit and soak up rays (including the young ladies) so you get to decide who and when. Somebody flops down that didn't get your OK- "Oooops, I gotta take a practice jump-get out!" Some young lady catches your eye: "Hey, we're about done here if you wanna lay in the pit." Its a huge responsibility but it may as well be you that has it.

Of course it helps if you got some hops!

[transfer2BGSU]

The high jump however, is the best event and I'll tell you why. YOU control the pit. Why is that important? Because everybody wants to lay around in the pit and soak up rays (including the young ladies) so you get to decide who and when. Somebody flops down that didn't get your OK- "Oooops, I gotta take a practice jump-get out!" Some young lady catches your eye: "Hey, we're about done here if you wanna lay in the pit." Its a huge responsibility but it may as well be you that has it.

Of course it helps if you got some hops!

FINALLY some good advice from you!

[footballguy51]

Tark is awesome- the most nearly pure sport there is. No goals or passes (well, in relays) or shots or pads just mano a mano against the other guy and yourself. You wanna be a thrower, huh? Better hit the weights. BG doesn't have much of a tradition of throwers but Kent State used to have the best hammer throwers in the country when I ran and OU and Central both had Olympic throwers. Best advice: hit the weights and focus on your legs- that's where the strength comes from. Do you glide or spin for the shot? I had better results with the spin but I wans't much of a shot guy- just did it in the multi events.

The high jump however, is the best event and I'll tell you why. YOU control the pit. Why is that important? Because everybody wants to lay around in the pit and soak up rays (including the young ladies) so you get to decide who and when. Somebody flops down that didn't get your OK- "Oooops, I gotta take a practice jump-get out!" Some young lady catches your eye: "Hey, we're about done here if you wanna lay in the pit." Its a huge responsibility but it may as well be you that has it.

Of course it helps if you got some hops!

Unless something changed recently, men's track no longer exists at BGSU.

I was a thrower in high school and had ambitions of throwing at BGSU. I did the shot put and the discus. Is this your first year? If so, make sure to listen carefully to what the coach says, and practice as much as you can. You will find that there are a lot of kids that will join the team just to hang out, and throwing is "easier" because you don't have to run. But if you show that you are interested, the coach will make sure to give you the time necessary to learn the proper techniques to throwing. As h2o said, throwing has a lot to do with leg strength, but it is equally about technique and agility. Once you learn the proper form, you can then move into learning the glide or spin for shot, and the full spin for discus.

In fact, I coached track for a couple years after I graduated from Fremont Ross, and one of my rules was that the throwers were not allowed to actually throw a disc or a shot for the first entire week. We did drills that practiced technique, and they practiced a proper discus release by rolling a disc back and forth across the grass to each other. After the first week, they were then allowed to get the first throw in. I had a lot of the kids complain, but throwing the shot put incorrectly can injure your shoulder pretty bad.

One last bit of advice: don't "arm it". By that, I mean use the proper technique, but "arming it" is something people tend to do when they try way too hard. In shot, the power comes from your legs. In disc, the power also comes from your legs and from the rotation and whip action. The best discus throw will seem effortless.

[Freakling1]

Tark is awesome- the most nearly pure sport there is. No goals or passes (well, in relays) or shots or pads just mano a mano against the other guy and yourself. You wanna be a thrower, huh? Better hit the weights. BG doesn't have much of a tradition of throwers but Kent State used to have the best hammer throwers in the country when I ran and OU and Central both had Olympic throwers. Best advice: hit the weights and focus on your legs- that's where the strength comes from. Do you glide or spin for the shot? I had better results with the spin but I wans't much of a shot guy- just did it in the multi events.

The high jump however, is the best event and I'll tell you why. YOU control the pit. Why is that important? Because everybody wants to lay around in the pit and soak up rays (including the young ladies) so you get to decide who and when. Somebody flops down that didn't get your OK- "Oooops, I gotta take a practice jump-get out!" Some young lady catches your eye: "Hey, we're about done here if you wanna lay in the pit." Its a huge responsibility but it may as well be you that has it.

Of course it helps if you got some hops!

Unless something changed recently, men's track no longer exists at BGSU.

I was a thrower in high school and had ambitions of throwing at BGSU. I did the shot put and the discus. Is this your first year? If so, make sure to listen carefully to what the coach says, and practice as much as you can. You will find that there are a lot of kids that will join the team just to hang out, and throwing is "easier" because you don't have to run. But if you show that you are interested, the coach will make sure to give you the time necessary to learn the proper techniques to throwing. As h2o said, throwing has a lot to do with leg strength, but it is equally about technique and agility. Once you learn the proper form, you can then move into learning the glide or spin for shot, and the full spin for discus.

In fact, I coached track for a couple years after I graduated from Fremont Ross, and one of my rules was that the throwers were not allowed to actually throw a disc or a shot for the first entire week. We did drills that practiced technique, and they practiced a proper discus release by rolling a disc back and forth across the grass to each other. After the first week, they were then allowed to get the first throw in. I had a lot of the kids complain, but throwing the shot put incorrectly can injure your shoulder pretty bad.

One last bit of advice: don't "arm it". By that, I mean use the proper technique, but "arming it" is something people tend to do when they try way too hard. In shot, the power comes from your legs. In disc, the power also comes from your legs and from the rotation and whip action. The best discus throw will seem effortless.

Thanks! And everyone, I meant to say TRACK.

[h2oville rocket]

Tark is awesome- the most nearly pure sport there is. No goals or passes (well, in relays) or shots or pads just mano a mano against the other guy and yourself. You wanna be a thrower, huh? Better hit the weights. BG doesn't have much of a tradition of throwers but Kent State used to have the best hammer throwers in the country when I ran and OU and Central both had Olympic throwers. Best advice: hit the weights and focus on your legs- that's where the strength comes from. Do you glide or spin for the shot? I had better results with the spin but I wans't much of a shot guy- just did it in the multi events.

The high jump however, is the best event and I'll tell you why. YOU control the pit. Why is that important? Because everybody wants to lay around in the pit and soak up rays (including the young ladies) so you get to decide who and when. Somebody flops down that didn't get your OK- "Oooops, I gotta take a practice jump-get out!" Some young lady catches your eye: "Hey, we're about done here if you wanna lay in the pit." Its a huge responsibility but it may as well be you that has it.

Of course it helps if you got some hops!

Unless something changed recently, men's track no longer exists at BGSU.

I was a thrower in high school and had ambitions of throwing at BGSU. I did the shot put and the discus. Is this your first year? If so, make sure to listen carefully to what the coach says, and practice as much as you can. You will find that there are a lot of kids that will join the team just to hang out, and throwing is "easier" because you don't have to run. But if you show that you are interested, the coach will make sure to give you the time necessary to learn the proper techniques to throwing. As h2o said, throwing has a lot to do with leg strength, but it is equally about technique and agility. Once you learn the proper form, you can then move into learning the glide or spin for shot, and the full spin for discus.

In fact, I coached track for a couple years after I graduated from Fremont Ross, and one of my rules was that the throwers were not allowed to actually throw a disc or a shot for the first entire week. We did drills that practiced technique, and they practiced a proper discus release by rolling a disc back and forth across the grass to each other. After the first week, they were then allowed to get the first throw in. I had a lot of the kids complain, but throwing the shot put incorrectly can injure your shoulder pretty bad.

One last bit of advice: don't "arm it". By that, I mean use the proper technique, but "arming it" is something people tend to do when they try way too hard. In shot, the power comes from your legs. In disc, the power also comes from your legs and from the rotation and whip action. The best discus throw will seem effortless.

Thanks! And everyone, I meant to say TRACK.

Keep us posted on your results. And one thing footballguy51 and I forgot to mention is that throwers get to participate in the greatest spectacle in all of track and field, The Fat Man Relay. This creative affair involves four throwers running a 4x100 relay using a shot instead of a baton. For spectators its a great event because it allows them time to go get a hot dog, use the restroom, get the sunglasses from the car, call the sitter and check on the kids and get back in time for the anchor leg.

[footballguy51]

Tark is awesome- the most nearly pure sport there is. No goals or passes (well, in relays) or shots or pads just mano a mano against the other guy and yourself. You wanna be a thrower, huh? Better hit the weights. BG doesn't have much of a tradition of throwers but Kent State used to have the best hammer throwers in the country when I ran and OU and Central both had Olympic throwers. Best advice: hit the weights and focus on your legs- that's where the strength comes from. Do you glide or spin for the shot? I had better results with the spin but I wans't much of a shot guy- just did it in the multi events.

The high jump however, is the best event and I'll tell you why. YOU control the pit. Why is that important? Because everybody wants to lay around in the pit and soak up rays (including the young ladies) so you get to decide who and when. Somebody flops down that didn't get your OK- "Oooops, I gotta take a practice jump-get out!" Some young lady catches your eye: "Hey, we're about done here if you wanna lay in the pit." Its a huge responsibility but it may as well be you that has it.

Of course it helps if you got some hops!

Unless something changed recently, men's track no longer exists at BGSU.

I was a thrower in high school and had ambitions of throwing at BGSU. I did the shot put and the discus. Is this your first year? If so, make sure to listen carefully to what the coach says, and practice as much as you can. You will find that there are a lot of kids that will join the team just to hang out, and throwing is "easier" because you don't have to run. But if you show that you are interested, the coach will make sure to give you the time necessary to learn the proper techniques to throwing. As h2o said, throwing has a lot to do with leg strength, but it is equally about technique and agility. Once you learn the proper form, you can then move into learning the glide or spin for shot, and the full spin for discus.

In fact, I coached track for a couple years after I graduated from Fremont Ross, and one of my rules was that the throwers were not allowed to actually throw a disc or a shot for the first entire week. We did drills that practiced technique, and they practiced a proper discus release by rolling a disc back and forth across the grass to each other. After the first week, they were then allowed to get the first throw in. I had a lot of the kids complain, but throwing the shot put incorrectly can injure your shoulder pretty bad.

One last bit of advice: don't "arm it". By that, I mean use the proper technique, but "arming it" is something people tend to do when they try way too hard. In shot, the power comes from your legs. In disc, the power also comes from your legs and from the rotation and whip action. The best discus throw will seem effortless.

Thanks! And everyone, I meant to say TRACK.

Keep us posted on your results. And one thing footballguy51 and I forgot to mention is that throwers get to participate in the greatest spectacle in all of track and field, The Fat Man Relay. This creative affair involves four throwers running a 4x100 relay using a shot instead of a baton. For spectators its a great event because it allows them time to go get a hot dog, use the restroom, get the sunglasses from the car, call the sitter and check on the kids and get back in time for the anchor leg.

I love that event, when it is run properly. At some meets, the weight man relay is run for fun, where as at others it is run for points. When the event counts for points, it makes it more interesting, but then teams tend to cheat. On several occasions, we were paired up against a team that used sprinters that "decided to try to throw" that day. Most of our throwers were athletic enough that we were able to keep up with them and beat one of the teams that did this. The part that made it even was running with the shot. Of course, some meets count this event for points and use a baton instead, and we actually withdrew from that event once because they were changing the rules as they went.

[Warthog]

My son is a sophomore and running track for the first time. He's really just trying to stay in shape and get faster for football. Sounds like he is doing the high jump, long jump, the 800 and ?. I don't know squat about how a track meet is run so I may come back with some questions.

[Ydfalcon]

My son is a sophomore and running track for the first time. He's really just trying to stay in shape and get faster for football. Sounds like he is doing the high jump, long jump, the 800 and ?. I don't know squat about how a track meet is run so I may come back with some questions.

Easiest way to figure out how a track meet is run is to go watch one. There will be a schedule of events throughout the day, and various kids on each team will be participating in a number of them. As for that schedule, there's usually a generally accepted order of events, but it doesn't always play out that way, so you just learn to adapt as a spectator. Having been both a spectator and a participant, I can say that they're a lot of fun on both ends. Best of luck to your son, and I hope you both enjoy it!

[Freakling1]

Today we got basic shot put form down. Tomorrow, we'll be doing discuss.

[Falcon Fanatic]

Today we got basic shot put form down. Tomorrow, we'll be doing discuss.

Our daughter is a junior on the track team. She is doing shot, discus and sprint. Keep us posted on how YOU do!!!

[h2oville rocket]

My son is a sophomore and running track for the first time. He's really just trying to stay in shape and get faster for football. Sounds like he is doing the high jump, long jump, the 800 and ?. I don't know squat about how a track meet is run so I may come back with some questions.

Meets start with field events (well there are lots of kinds of meets- dual, tri, big relays, etc. but almost all of them start with the field events) because they take longer than running events. Then the running events start-in HS its a little confusing because, unlike college, you may have a shotputter running over to run a sprint or a distance guy finishing the 800 and racing over to get his jumps in the long jump. College athletes tend to be more specialized (unless you're me- I participated in at least eleven different events in college). Interspersed throughout the running events are relays where teams of four run sprint and middle distance relays. The only problem with track as a spectator sport is that the action is spread out and sometimes on the far side of the track and there are usually several events going on at once. A lot of HS tracks have the throwing pads outside the stadium which REALLY makes it tough to watch multiple evnts. Let me know how your son does in the HJ-

[Falconfreak90]

I threw shot and discus in HS....loved it. We lifted all the time, did our events very early in meets and then caught rays in the sun and babe watched the rest of the meet.
Oh, and we didn't have to run....perfect.

[Freakling1]

Yesterday we did discus and today we did shot-put.

[footballguy51]

Keep in mind that distance is not important right now. The people throwing it the farthest right now are usually the ones that have been doing it a long time. The people who are able to just muscle it out there will max out on their distance very soon, and the throwers with proper technique will be able to pass them up very soon. Work on the technique, and then speed up the motions as you get more comfortable with it.