By snoadmin
A couple months ago, Long Beach State’s track and field throwing coach Greg Hodel started to have his players practice a new exercise. But unlike throwing the hammer, discus or shot put, he wanted them to do something much less physical.
He wanted them to stand in front of a wall with their eyes closed for 20 minutes.
“At first we didn’t have a lot of faith in the new [technique],” said LBSU thrower Jennifer Onyeagbako. “We would joke around while doing it and not take it seriously. But as the season has gone on, we realized it was helping us, and now we take it seriously.”
Although the mental exercise looks a little silly to the outside observer, what is going on in the throwers’ heads is helping them when they open their eyes and start practicing.
“I just close my eyes and in my head I go from first person to third person,” said Rob Jennings, who has recorded the longest discus throw in the Big West Conference this season. “First, I picture what it is like to throw in the first person. Then I go third person, and I watch myself, like I do on tape. I am focusing on the little things and that helps.”
It sure is helping.
LBSU features one of the best all-around throwing groups in the Big West Conference. The group will have to be at their best this weekend when the men’s and women’s track and field teams go to Cal State Northridge to compete in the Big West Championships.
Jennings and Ezra Kwong, who are roommates, are the top throwers for the 49er men, ranking at or near the top in the hammer, discus and shot put. For the women, Onyeagbako is the best overall thrower, ranking as the top discus, No. 6 hammer and No. 7 shot put thrower in the conference.
“In my 11 years, this is the best overall [throwing] group I have ever had,” Hodel said.
Much of the throwers’ success comes from pure talent, but they say what has raised their performance is their mental approach to the game.
“At this point of the season, we have done everything there is to do physically,” said Kwong, who has the second longest shot put throw in the Big West Conference this season. “With the season coming to an end, I’m now focusing on the mental side of the sport.”
Both the men’s and women’s Big West track and field championships are wide open coming into the weekend meet.
“[The men’s track and field team] definitely has a chance to win it,” Kwong said. “There isn’t a clear favorite, so anyone can win it. I think we are going to do very well.”
On the women’s side, Onyeagbako also believes the team can leave Northridge with a conference championship.
“All the teams are pretty even, so I think we can win it,” Onyeagbako said. “It all depends on who does well on the day of the championships.”
