Lake Park’s Spejcher thrives with ‘Spalding’
Not all training has to be a drag.
Coaches try to make practice fun, at least part of the time.
In between coaxing Lake Park junior Kevin Spejcher toward a meet record and personal-best 6-foot, 11-inch high jump Saturday at Downers Grove South’s Bud Mohns Invitational, Lancers assistant track coach Doug Juraska addressed a training exercise he devised for Spejcher.
“Remember ‘Wilson,’ from that movie?” Juraska asked. “He’s got ‘Spalding.’”
That movie is “Cast Away,” which features a volleyball that Tom Hanks’ character befriends after crash landing on a deserted island.
Spejcher and teammate Zach Ziemek, the Wisconsin-bound pole vaulter and jumper, have their own version.
“We have a little tether ball named ‘Spalding’ because it’s a Spalding ball,” said Spejcher, working to go downstate in high jump a third straight year.
“We practice plyometrics, which is like quick jumping. You take it and you jump, you dunk it. Me and (Ziemek) jump so high, we have dunking contests and stuff. So we just practice every day before everyone else gets there, a little plyometrics.”
“Wilson” had a face on it, a byproduct of the Hanks character cutting his hand and getting blood on the ball, then improvising.
Any painted smiley face on “Spalding”?
“No. I wish, though,” Spejcher said. “That’d be funnier.”
Fremd Throwers Invite: Waubonsie Valley, Wheaton North and Lake Park all brough athletes to Thursday#146;s Fremd Throwers Invitational. There were few surprises.On the varsity level, Lake Park#146;s Jermaine Kline won the shot put competition with a throw of 62 feet, 5 inches, the farthest outdoor toss in Illinois this season. Kline was making his 2011 outdoor debut following a disciplinary suspension. Another of his attempts went 62-2.His twin brother Jeremy took first place in discus, at 175-5. Hot on his heels was Lake Park#146;s third great thrower, Greg Block, at 169-1.Following Jermaine Kline in shot put was Waubonsie#146;s Owen Saldana, at 57 feet. Also in the top 10 was Wheaton North#146;s Christian Hollinger, at 49-7.Along with the Lake Park duo in discus, other top 10 finishers included Saldana at 155-11, Wheaton North#146;s big Rafe Kiely at 151 feet, Jermaine again at 149-5 and Wheaton North#146;s Branden Miller at 145-8.He#146;s ready: If York senior Matt Winans#146; boots ever hit enemy soil, he#146;ll be ready.The 18-year-old sprinter was sworn in to the Marines in October. He began weekly physical training sessions in September, and once he graduates high school he will attend boot camp in Camp Pendleton, near San Diego. Winans is looking forward #8212; yes, looking forward #8212; to a three-month stint in boot camp that is #147;a lot harder than the rest of (other military camps).#148;He#146;ll also be attending Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) school, studying ground warfare intelligence and signals intelligence.#147;Kind of like high school, but for your job,#148; he said Saturday at Downers Grove South. #147;And I#146;m probably going to go to either the Middle East or maybe Korea.#148;Winans said he has wanted to join the Marines for a while, due not only to the patriotic aspect of protecting the country but also preparing himself for the job market once he completes his military stint. In the meantime, Winans has hit the track running his senior year. At Saturday#146;s Bud Mohns Invite he finished fourth in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200. #147;This is my best track season yet,#148; he said. #147;I think it#146;s from training with the Marines. I#146;m trying to go to state at least for the 200 (dash) and the four-by-two (800 relay).#147;I#146;ve been practicing those races since seventh-grade, just this year is the year I#146;ve been doing really good at them.#148;