Throwing rings now the thing for Babicz
There has been some football withdrawal this fall for Matt Babicz.
For the first time since he was 5 years old there are no games to prepare for or play. Watching his younger brother Anthony, a junior defensive lineman for state-ranked Prospect, makes Matt Babicz wish he was still out there.
But football is still a big part of what's happened in Babicz's life. It helped lead him to DePaul on a track and field scholarship after a meteoric rise to become one of the state's top high school throwers.
"I was talking to one of my buddies about it and I never thought I'd go to school on an athletic scholarship because of throwing," Babicz said. "I joined track to get in shape for football. But I had some talent and great, great coaches to really develop me into a good thrower."
A year ago Babicz was thinking he'd still be going through football practices as a Division III lineman or linebacker. Now he's training for indoor meets which start in December.
Not bad considering he participated in swimming and gymnastics as a Prospect freshman and didn't start throwing until midway through his sophomore year.
Yet, not even an eighth-place finish in the discus as the Class AA state track meet as a junior seemed to change Babicz's path toward football.
"Going into my senior year I wasn't thinking of doing track in college," Babicz said.
Then Babicz started throwing distances which changed those thoughts. The goals Babicz and throws coach Joe Rupslauk made of placing in state in the shot put and discus were looking more realistic.
He finished third in Class 3A in the discus at 176 feet, 8 inches - behind monster performers Dan Block of Lake Park and Marcus Popenfoose of Huntley. He also took fifth in the shot at 56-5.
"His work ethic in the weight room and practice habits started leading you to believe he could be a college thrower," said Rupslauk, who is also a varsity football assistant. "He's one of the fiercest competitors I've ever seen in anything he does. That's what made him so successful."
His success in the throwing rings led to a change of heart.
"Toward the end of my senior year I realized track was my favorite sport because I controlled my own destiny," Babicz said. "It's a whole different sport from football. I controlled my results and that's what I enjoyed."
Schools were approaching Babicz with scholarship offers. A full ride from Eastern Illinois seemed to good to pass up.
But a late offer from DePaul involved more than just athletics. Babicz, who graduated from Prospect with a B average and scored 27 on the ACT, was intrigued by the school's highly regarded business entrepeneurial program.
Babicz knew he found a home when he met with DePaul head coach Pat Savage and throws coach Brandon Murer.
"I felt a connection right away," Babicz said of his late-July decision to attend DePaul. "These coaches reminded me of my coaches at Prospect. They were interested in me and obviously I was interested in them because of the academics."
Babicz said he received a 75 percent athletic scholarship and almost everything is paid for with grants and academic aid. He loves living in Chicago's vibrant Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Babicz is also showing how quickly he can adapt athletically.
DePaul hoped the hammer would be Babicz's strongest event. He's throwing it left-handed, because he is better with the spin, even though he throws the shot and discus right-handed.
It's all a lot different from trying to hammer a player in a different football uniform. But the change has been fine with Babicz.
"Obviously I caught on quick or I wouldn't be where I am," Babicz said. "Hopefully I can do the same thing (at DePaul) and as the years go on, hopefully get better and better."
mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com