Giving his BHS shot!
by Cate Murway
The shot put is a throwing event in most track and field
competitions. To compete, an athlete throws a metal ball
as far as he/she can using a technique that is one part
defined by rules and two parts conforming to the best
available techniques.
There are two basic methods for properly throwing the shot put.
The "spin" or "rotational" technique is the more complex method.
The "glide" technique is more commonly-used and,
with its linear movement through the throwing circle,
is the easier one for beginners to learn.
Bristol's Kieran Anthony Greenfield, BHS ‘13 owns the BAL
[Bicentennial Athletic League] shot put title.
He stepped into the circle as a freshman after brief flirtations
with t-ball and basketball and his goal is to dominate this event.
The sky is the limit.
His father, Rashee Greenfield, BHS ’94
was a football/ basketball athlete but it was his mother,
Dawn Denise VanDoren, a Neshaminy graduate,
who had competed in shot put. She had the opportunity to watch
her son compete at states after he qualified at the District 1 PIAA Championship meet at Coatesville Area High School when he came in first place with his shot of 44-09.25.
Kieran threw 39’6 last year at the 2010 BAL champs but he fired the iron ball to a 46’6 personal best this year.
He also placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 110 feet, 11 inches. His personal best discus is 120’.
The footwork of his approach to the shot put line was as important as the angle and power of his throw. He is mastering the technique of the glide to come across the 2.135 meter circle faster to efficiently put the shot further with powerful projection speed and accuracy within the 40 degree sector at the front of the circle.
He has found that subtle changes in form, the way the 12# shot is put, can rapidly and impressively improve performance.
“You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.” ~Zig Ziglar
Does he have a shot?
Initially, Kieran didn’t know much about the sport, so he worked diligently to go through the athlete development stages. He learned the fundamentals [agility, balance and coordination], developed a strong foundation [weight training, core stability work, running, throwing], and practiced the technique over the summer, without the shot.
He would watch the older athletes. A winner leaves clues for others to follow.
Kieran watched You Tubes of Reese Hoffa, the U.S. Olympic Athlete from Athens, GA, who is the 2008: World Indoor Champs silver medalist and the 2007: World Outdoor champion. His role model, Reese had earned another first place at the ISTAF Olympic stadium in Berlin, Germany on August 22, 2010 with a throw of 21.44 meters [70 feet 4 inches]!
He had lacked strength and Kieran aspired and perspired to gain more strength with a main focus on front and back squats, power cleans and snatches.
Shot put training often emphasizes the muscles of the arms and shoulders - those most visibly involved in throwing but the throw’s power begins in the legs and flows upward through the hips, back and arm.
After school and practice, at 5:30PM, he works with the trainer Clifford Harris who studied Kinesiology at Temple University. He lifts all the time and is able to squat 425 pounds and complete benching sets of 225 pounds and then execute powerful shoulder lifts.
“Mr. Jones makes me run 2 laps and do warm-ups.”
Per Coach Jones, “ He wants to be the best”.
Kieran’s Uncle Mike VanDoren, BHS ‘01 threw shot his senior year for head coach James William [Jim] Jones, Jr, BHS ’59, dubbed “Hound Dog”, who was among the first six inducted into the BHS Sports Hall of Fame on January 14, 1988 for his accomplishments in all three sports of football, basketball and track.
“A little boy was always with him. That little boy was Kieran”, added Coach Jones.
“He can only get better. He’ll be back at states.”
Everyone pitched in when throwing coach, Reginald Stancil left BHS and during Coach Jones’ absence this past year.
Health & P.E. teacher, JoAnn Mazzocchi is the assistant coach.
Paul McAndrew, who had coached in the 1980’s [BHS won the B.A.L. in1982], “he has a passion and really enjoyed it”; and Social Studies teacher/cross country & bowling coach, Ronald Brian McGinn worked with the team.
Kieran “loves sports” but his favorite academic subject is the Social Studies class taught by Michael N. Lalli, BHS ’76. Mike Lalli teaches Psychology, Social Studies and Economics at BHS and has coached their very successful Softball team for almost 30 years.
Kieran’s goal is to major in physical education to become an athletic trainer or a gym teacher and he enjoys working with the frosh athletes to better their technique.
Coach Jones ordered an overweight 16# shot for Kieran from a vendor while they were at Shippensburg University for states.
"Train hard and fight easy" is a slogan of military, police and athletes the world over. Training at a level greater than the one encountered in competition can help make success more certain. One way to do this with the shot put is to practice using one that is heavier than those thrown in competition.
Workouts happen in the gym and on “the path”, the Borough Spurline Park trail, taking a toll on his body. He depends on protein shakes and Clif energy bars [peanut butter is a favorite] to recover and rebuild his muscles. Carbohydrate loading, commonly referred to as carbo-loading or carb-loading, a strategy to maximize the storage of glycogen [or energy] in the muscles, include large pasta dinners the night before competitions.
He listens to “loud and fast music to get pumped”. A favorite is “Still Fly” performed by The Devil Wears Prada.
Athletes he admires include the Jamaican sprinter and a three-time World and Olympic youngest-ever gold medalist, the IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Track & Field, Usain St. Leo Bolt, nicknamed ‘Lightning Bolt’. He is “just too fast”.
Another is swimming superstar, the youngest American male swimmer at an Olympic Games, Michael Fred Phelps. “Wish I could swim like that”.
Perhaps he can practice all his power strokes when he vacations with his family at Rehoboth Beach this summer.
Recommend a “Spotlight” or “Children are our Future”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
