GIRLS WINNER: Kali Davis-White - Senior @ Boyd Anderson
Boyd Anderson senior Kali Davis-White appears to be in the best shape of her high school career and her performances of late support that claim. Davis-White has run three indoor meets in 2013 and has been working on refining her start and being more comfortable coming out of the blocks. The senior and coach Damion Thomas also worked on improving her turn running which really helped her out in the 200 meters. Coming off a win in the 60 at the Brooks PR Invitational at the end of February, the senior came into New Balance Nationals as the favorite in both the 60 and 200. Thomas says her eyes were fixated on the prize.
"After winning Brooks she definetely had her mind set on winning the 60 meters at Nationals and getting a ring. I think after winning Brooks Meet she was probably the favorite going into Nationals, but I wouldn't say she felt like there was a target on her back."
Riding the momentum of a great start to 2013, Davis-White entered the semi-finals of the 60 meters ready to run. Unfortunately, a false start by the senior put a damper on those hopes in a split second. Coach Thomas says the disqualification was unfortunate, and after being down about the situation for a moment, it was time to get back to work and focus on the next event, the 200 meters.
"The official reason given was that her 'butt' moved while in her set position. The thing that bothered the most was that she was denied the right to run under protest. She did cry a little. She realized that things do happen and only God knows why it happens so she just accepted it has that was part of the plan that God had for her that day. She quickly refocused her attention to getting ready for her 200 final and the plan was just to go all out, which she did."
Before the 60 meter semifinal, Davis-White was able to work on sprints off and up the bank during her warm up. This helped her to become more comfortable with the banked track and allowed her to be more aggressive during the 200 meter semifinals. It took 24.31 to make the finals and the meet record was broken in nearly every heat. Coach Thomas says the two talked about working the bank harder in the final, and that set her up for one of the best races of her career, which she did coming out of lane six.
"I personally think that lane six is the best lane to handle the turns on a 200m bank track. Only drawback is there is no one in front so it is kind of hard to really know your position in the race. I think once Ariana came up on her going into the 2nd turn that made her pick up into the turn. I was very impreseds with how Kali was able to come back the last 50 meters, especially against a talent such as Ariana. Before the race my prediction was whoever came off that last turn first would win the race, but Kali showed something different that day. Overall it was an amazing performance."
Amazing is a great way to describe what transcribed. Davis-White won the race in 23.48, the fastest time in the country, and the 7th fastest all-time indoors. Thomas says her hard work and motivation is what makes her such a great runner. Also, that she is always looking for feedback after every practice session and interval run. Next on the schedule will be the conference championships, a possible trip to California for the Arcadia Invitational, and then back home for the state series. They also hope to hit up some national meets such as the Dream 100 if she is invited and maybe New Balance Outdoor Nationals. Thomas believes his star runner is much further along than she as at this point last year and says this year she is out to leave a legacy.
"Her goal is pretty much to win all her races and run fast times. When everything is said and done I would like for her to be mentioned amongst the best sprinters to ever come out of this state."
BOYS WINNER: Austin Droogsma - Senior @ Gulf Breeze
Austin Droogsma told me last week that it was just a matter of time before he popped a big throw. He was right. Last week he threw the shot put 55-3 and threw the discus 178-6. He followed those perfomances with a 59 foot throw at a smaller meet (we do not have those results) which set the school record by over two feet. This week he continued to improve by unleashing the shot put more than 60 feet at the 32nd Annual Frank Lay Patriot Invitational. His father and throws coach, Mike Droogsma, says his consistency is the key to success.
"Consistency has always been a key thing that I watch when they compete. I would much rather see three good throws than two ugly ones and one lucky bomb during regular season meets. I see constant growth in distance that is verified by meet performances and then we know the things we are doing on practice are helping."
Coach Droogsma points to an increase in weight training and core strength as reasons for growth this season. He says Austin is much more focused than in year's past and that they have been doing weight specific training that they have not done before in hopes of increasing his distances in the shot and disc and explosiveness in the circle. It's paid off. After setting the school record, Droogsma had his eyes set on the 60 foot club. Mike Droogsma could see the adrenaline rush in his son and told him to just breath and go after it.
"He said I am going to throw 60 feet. The next throw was 60-1. There was quite a large crowd watching when he hit that one and there were cheers all around. He followed that one with another that landed in the same hole. Measured it at 60'. I call that consistency. The funny thing is I know he has a 65-70 in him and we just have to get a few technique things working a little better."
Austin's mark of 60-1 was the state leader and ties him for number one in the country with Marty Taylor of California for the 2013 outdoor season. However, his dad was not done. He still had a job to do in the discus. He unleashed the implent 178-6 the top throw in the state and the sixth best in the country. Coach Droogsma says now that his son has thrown 60 feet in the shot put the next goal is to get his discus back up to around 195-200 feet, and break his current best of 193-0.
"It wont take much. Tere is more than enough power and speed. We just need to get it all focused in one direction. I think both of us are looking for the state discus record. If the shot record falls too great. I know it will be a great state meet this year. 3A looks like its going to have a HUGE year in discus. Several guys look like they will be pushing 180' or better."
That competition is what fuels Droogsma. He is a state competitor at wrestler, football player, and track and field standout. Last year he had to lose weight for the state wrestling tournament, but this year his focus is soley on track and field. His father will miss watching him wrestle and knows his wrestling coaches will miss him asll well, but knows he had to make a choice of goals and pick one over the other.
Dad would love to see Austin at the top of the NCAA's and to qualify for the Olympics in Rio in 2016. He has full faith in Coach Scott at FSU and knows he has been there and knows what it takes. He says he also knows that with the right training and his sons competitive nature nothing is impossible.
"I hopeCoach Scott pushes, pulls, teaches, whatever it takes to make Austin one of the best in the world. I think our job as parents and coaches is to get a child to love a sport or whatever it is they want to do and encourage good provide them with good equipment and the tools to get better and the child will do the rest if they love it. Austin loves football, baseball ,wrestling, weightlifting, and track and field. I think he could even be a solid raquetball player if the opportunity came up."