...that's four so far. andrew mcdonagh wrote:
> Brown’s breakout a boost for UA > BY BOB HOLT > > Posted on Friday, April 9, 2004 > > FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas javelin thrower Eric Brown needs a new goal. > > Brown, a sophomore from Baldwin City, Kan., had set a goal of throwing 230 > feet by the end of this outdoor season. That seemed reasonable — within > reach but still a notable improvement — after he threw a best of 206-7 last > year. > > Then Brown opened this season by throwing 235-6 last weekend in Austin at > the Texas Relays to become the first Razorback to win the javelin in the > meet’s 77-year history. > > Brown threw Friday night with the "B" group but was declared the winner when > none of the throwers in Saturday’s "A" group could beat him. "That was an > amazing performance by Eric," Arkansas field events coach Dick Booth said. > "I don’t think any of us could have known that was going to happen. Now > Eric’s kind of opened up the box." > > A realistic goal now for Brown, who will throw at 11 a.m. Saturday at the > John McDonnell Invitational in the Razorbacks ’ lone outdoor home meet, is > breaking the school record of 241-11 set by Ed Kaminski in 1990. "I didn’t > think I would have a chance to get [the record] this year, but it’s > definitely a good goal to have now," said Brown, who has moved into second > on Arkansas’ all-time list and ranks seventh nationally this season. "If I > put things together, I don’t really know the limit. > > " I really was thinking that 230 would be a good goal for this year and > would get me into nationals, so breaking that mark the first meet, I didn’t > expect that at all. " > > Brown, who won two Kansas 4A state titles and threw 215 as a high school > junior, struggled last year with injuries. He had a pulled groin early in > the season, then pulled a back muscle late in the season. > > After hitting the weights hard and going from 180 pounds to 205 as a > freshman, the 6-4 Brown said he was more susceptible to injuries. > > " Last year I got so much stronger so fast that I think it kind of took my > joints a while to catch up to the rest of me, "he said." That’s why I kept > getting pulled muscles. "Now I’m used to the weight and everything’s > stabilized." > > Brown also has benefited from volunteer coaching provided by Andrew > McDonagh, who was a Mid-American Conference javelin champion at Western > Michigan and now lives in Fayetteville and works as a manager for Wal-Mart. > > McDonagh volunteers his time to help coach Brown, who doesn’t have any other > javelin throwers on the team with whom to practice. "Andrew has helped me > tremendously," Brown said. "With all of his experience, he knows what kind > of workouts to do." > > Arkansas has been known primarily for distance runners and jumpers. "Most of > the time people see I’m from Arkansas and they’re confused because they > think I’m so big to be a distance runner," Brown said. "They never even > think we have a javelin thrower." > > Booth began recruiting Brown after they met in the summer of 2001 at an > Olympic development camp in San Diego. Brown narrowed his choices to > Arkansas and Kansas, then decided to leave his home state and signed with > the Razorbacks. "I love KU, but I just wanted to get a little farther away > from home," Brown said. > > Booth said the Arkansas coaches "sold Eric on the idea he could be special > for our program because we didn’t have a javelin thrower." > > Brown said 15 family members, including his parents and grandparents, will > come from Kansas to Fayetteville to watch him compete Saturday. "I > definitely want to throw well when they’re all here, but that’s not a bad > kind of pressure," Brown said. "It’s an extra boost." > > After opening this season by competing at Austin, Brown hopes to throw there > again when Texas hosts the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on > June 9-12. "You get a good feeling for a place when you’ve thrown well there > before," Brown said. "Starting the season in Austin the way I did was a huge > plus and has given me a lot of confidence." > > Andrew McDonagh > 73.39m > Wal-Mart Store 0001 > Volunteer Throws Coach > http://www.cox-internet.com/coachmcdonagh/ > > _________________________________________________________________ > Tax headache? MSN Money provides relief with tax tips, tools, IRS forms and > more! http://moneycentral.msn.com/tax/workshop/welcome.asp
