Hi - My name is Howard Chapman, I am now in my early 60's and I live in Orange NSW Australia with my wife and 3 dogs. We have built and operate 4 towns websites in the region along with a website for artists, another for 'owls' which is in the process of being constructed.
Although I have had quite a few small successes in my life, this story always stays in my mind – mainly for the main point of it – a point that has stayed with me.
This story goes back to when I was in high school (45 years ago). I wanted to be a part of the school's athletic team, however, I wasn't much good at running as my body was not proportioned for that sort of event (short legs – long torso). I had always been good at throwing things so I took up the discus.
The physical education teacher saw that I could throw this device in a relatively straight line so he encouraged me to develop my throwing technique to get more distance.
There was another bloke (his initials are/were BK) at school who also wanted to throw the discus, and throw it he did – about 30' further than what I could throw it.
We both practiced together and pretty soon I was almost reaching his best distance.
The pys-ed teacher took me on one side and said “You can beat this bloke, all you need to do is co-ordinate the speed of the body spin, the drive of the legs, the unravel of the body, the whipping through of the throwing arm and calmly think it through.” When he said – “and calmly think it through” he would raise his forefinger and prod his temple then prod mine. I said (being a smart arsed teenager who already knew everything) "Yeah - right." or some other equally dramatic remark.
The annual school sports were coming up so I decided to work harder at my technique and build up some more strength in my shoulders and upper body. One of the things I did was to tie one end of a three layer spring chest expander to a tree then hold the other end and use the strength of the springs to inhibit the throwing action of my right arm. I found that I could deliver more speed to the whipping action of the discus release and consequently gain more distance.
I worked more on my technique and on the day of the annual school sports – I beat B K.
B K changed schools (not because I beat him at discus) but he remained in the Auckland region of New Zealand.
The time came for the region's inter-school sports and I was now up against the best discus throwers in the whole of the Auckland region. B K was representing his new school. The heats and finals were held – and the final throw off was between B K and myself. We had 3 throws each. He went first and practically threw his discus out of the stadium. My heart sank – his first throw was 12 feet further than I had ever thrown a discus. I had my turn – I might as well have just walked to the edge of the circle and dropped it on the ground....for some reason, I could not get my act together. B K's next two throws were very good but not as good as his first one. My second throw was a bit better than my first but nowhere near the mark. For my third and final throw, I walked into the circle, faced the rear, the discus felt like it weighed a ton. I looked up and saw the phys-ed teacher looking at me – he smiled and raised his forefinger to his temple and prodded it, then turned and walked away.
I stepped out of the circle, closed my eyes and ran through the throwing actions in my mind – stepped back into the circle, swung, spun and threw that flaming thing 3'7” further than B K 's best – that was fifteen and a half feet further than I had ever thrown a discus in my life.
I was crowned 'Auckland and District Junior Discus Champion'. Local newspaper recognition, School recognition and even picked up a couple of new girlfriends.
All of this for just thinking it through.
Howard Chapman - Athletics
How to succeed in athletics.
Howard Chapman in Australia shares his experiences from a basic desire to do something in the athletics field to the final winning outcome
