Episode 41 - Still Moving Glaciers - a podcast by Charles J. Infurna, EdD

Our initial conversations early in the week were about his goals and how he wanted to wrap up this season.  I suggested that he had probably maxed out his Highland Games technique, and that a 44’ throw would not secure him a spot in the top 16 of the region in 3 weeks.  Rather than give it a shot in round 3, a safety throw was taken to ensure that he would at least finish 2nd in this meet and score points for his team.  The thrower that won went over 57’.  It was unlikely that he would throw a 4m PR to win, and 2nd was all but assured because he was the only other thrower over 40’.

From my perspective, he wanted to accelerate the learning process.  He expected that everything would instantaneously click and that he would automatically throw much farther.  Derek’s words ring true in this situation.

I see it often.  When making minor technical changes, throwers might assume that the fix will cure what ails them in the circle.  It is not always the case.  Sometimes it is never the case.

The notion to reap immediate outcomes without putting in solid work still boggles my mind.  Patience as a virtue (or skill to be mastered) seems to have fallen by the wayside and replaced with immediate or instant gratification of a job well done.

Now, mastering a two or three turn weight/hammer throw at the high-school level might not necessarily take four or five years (if you start throwing as an 8th grader).  The comparison to others is what I feel sets an internal clock.  The thrower that won the boys shot-put and weight throw doesn’t have a high school throwing coach.  He doesn’t have a private coach.  I know this because I asked him after I congratulated him.  He told me he watches YouTube videos and that is how he learned how to throw.

When other throwers (with coaches, too) see and hear about this, instincts might tell us to begin pushing the glacier back up the mountain.

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