Meyer States His Case

Jake Meyer may show up Hughes Stadium in Sacramento for Friday’s CIF State Track and Field Championships as a relative unknown in his events, but you can bet he knows all about the competition. Since qualifying for the state meet in both the discus and shot put last Thursday at the City Section finals, making a name for himself at his last high school meet is all the Palisades High senior has been able to think about. ‘I’ve been dreaming about throwing 57 feet [in the shot put] every day,’ Meyer admitted. ‘I want to finish in the top nine and I’m rated 25th now. Realistically, the odds of me improving 16 places are slim, but you have to have confidence to compete.’ Meyer is the Dolphins’ lone representative in Sacramento and is eager to give a good account of himself. He threw the shot 51 feet, 8 inches to finish second at the City finals behind Jasper Henry of Dorsey (53-5). The state leader is Mark Lewis of Arroyo Grande whose personal best throw is 65-11. At 6-3 and 225 pounds, Meyer routinely gives up 70 to 100 pounds and three to four inches in height to his competitors. ‘I’ve put a lot of effort into the shot put the last three years,’ said Meyer, who also basketball all four years at PaliHi, the last two on varsity. ‘I get to school at seven in the morning and throw. I’m not big compared to these other guys, so I have to have better mechanics. I bench press around 320 pounds and squat about 450. Other guys are benching 415 and squatting over 600 so mathematically I’m not supposed to be able to compete. But I do because of my technique. I work harder than anyone at it.’ Weight training six days a week and practicing his form with a private coach five days a week, Meyer first threw the shot as a sophomore, maxing out at 41 feet and qualifying for the City finals. He improved to 50 feet and finished fourth in the City as a junior. Training with a 16-pound ball (which is used by the NCAA) instead of a 12-pounder, Meyer achieved his personal-best of 53-0 at a Western League meet this season. ‘What I like about the shot put is that it’s pure will power,’ Meyer said. ‘I like the team-concept associated with playing basketball, but I hate running up and down the court. The shot put is something I’m good at and more than anything else I love winning. When I step in the ring, I expect to win.’ While he has worked to become proficient at the shot put, Meyer’s success in the discus was instantaneous. He had never thrown the discus in competition prior to the City finals, but he incorporated the same spin he used in the shot put to his new event and won with a throw of a 129-5. Though he will try both at Bucknell University next fall, Meyer believes the discus will eventually be his stronger event. ‘I’m lower rated in the discus because I haven’t had enough meets but I think my body type is better suited for it because it’s more about technique and quickness as opposed to just sheer strength.’