This past weekend, the Garage Strength throwers opened their indoor season at the Nittany Lion Challenge at Penn State. For those who follow the Throws University Instagram page, this is the meet T'Mond Johnson set a new indoor personal record of 20.21m alongside top performers Eric Favors and Rachel Fatherly. In this week's blog, we will get athletes' perspectives on their performance.
T'Mond Johnson 20.21m
Q: How do you feel about your performance this past weekend?
A: I felt good about my performance this weekend hitting a PR is always exciting. Plus, I feel like I executed my techniques throughout the series, so that’s also a positive.
Q: What were you trying to achieve at this competition?
A: Ultimately, I just have a good opener and throw further than I did at my opener last year, along with executing the technique we’ve been trying to build at a higher intensity.
Q: What was your focus?
A: My focus was to stay relaxed out the back level with my shoulders and open my heel to the center of the sector before sweeping down into the middle. Then smash the finish.
Q: What could you have done better, if any?
A: I definitely think I could’ve started stronger and trusting my technique earlier on. I was a little hesitant during the first two rounds, so my marks were a foul, and not as good into the next competition. It will be to be more aggressive from through one and build on that throughout the competition
Eric Favors 19.67m
Q: How do you feel about your performance this past weekend?
A: I felt pleased with my performance over the weekend.
Q: What were you trying to achieve at this competition?
A: I came in wanting to focus on what I’ve been doing in practice and stay present. It’s my best first meet ever. I wanted to throw a bit further, but I am happy with my movement and taking it one throw at a time.
Q: What could you have done better, if any?
A: Moving forward, I’d like to make some technical changes while competing, staying present, and having fun.
Rachel Fatherly 16.20m
Q: How do you feel about your performance this past weekend?
A: It’s a start. I feel like I struggled to put pieces of the technique together. I'm proud to see some of the technical progress of the left heel and right, now to add some speed and timing.
Q: What were you trying to achieve at this competition?
A: High left heel and strong finish. Strong start to the season.
Q: What was your focus?
A: High left heel down fast and go.
Q: What could you have done better, if any?
A: Trusting in my technique, performing better in the previous rounds, and turning off my mind and go execute.
Mason Woods 13.36m
Q: How do you feel about your performance this past weekend?
A: I felt somewhat confident in my ability to execute the cues I had set myself to achieve that day. This technique will be relied on later down the year to produce big results.
Q: What were you trying to achieve at this competition?
A: I wanted to feel a sense of accomplishment coming away from the meet, that my throw mirrored what I wanted to achieve with the cues set.
Q: What was your focus?
A: I wanted a lower right leg sweep out of the back. This will allow me to finish forward on the throw rather than fall onto my left.
Q: What could you have done better, if any?
A: Have a more macro-vision on the season. Distances in early January are not as important as you perceive them. Having sound technique will almost have that delayed gratification effect for a big result in June/July/August.
Lucas Warning 16.72m
Q: How do you feel about your performance this past weekend?
A: It is what it is! No need to cry over spilled milk. I’m not thrilled but gotta move on. I know I’m better than that. Etc etc.
Q: What were you trying to achieve at this competition?
A: Feel positions and get back to the competition setting.
Q: What was your focus?
A: Drop low and keep the left foot low out of the back. Good entry mechanics.
Q: What could you have done better, if any?
A: Be better prepared technically. Needed more time to acclimate to changes
Sam Weeks 16.81m
Q: How do you feel about your performance this past weekend?
A: Overall, I’m pretty happy with how I performed. I went into the competition with three goals (process, performance, and outcome), so I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do. I finished at 16.81m for 8th place, which I was not expecting, but we take those.
Q: What were you trying to achieve at this competition?
A: My process goal was to unseat my hips and get my left to the toeboard. My performance goal was to have three valid attempts. Side note: I was referring to prelims, as I wasn’t thinking of finals. My outcome goal was to throw 17 meters.
Q: What was your focus?
A: I knew if I could unseat my hips and get my left foot to the toeboard, I would produce a big throw.
Q: What could you have done better, if any?
A: Even though I executed my process goals, I could have executed them with more rhythm. Also, my nerves were getting to me during prelims, which held me back. With this competition under my belt, the next competition should be smoother!
Recap
This season opener was successful, setting up the season for bigger performances. Make sure to follow Throws University's Instagram page to keep up with later competitions! Jobs not finished!
FIREMEUP - Sam Weeks
"Our aim is to provide concise and concrete education and training on the throws, helping coaches and athletes learn what they need to do to succeed and become champions."
- Dane, Trevor, and Sam
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