star wins discus
at Jr. Nationals
Kuehl to represent U.S. at Pan-American Jr. Games
Ex-Monmouth Regional
star wins discus
at Jr. Nationals
By tim morris
Staff Writer
With one great throw, Adam Kuehl put a frustrating freshman season at the University of Arizona far behind him.
The Monmouth Regional graduate won the discus throw at the USA Junior Track and Field Championships on June 21 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., securing a spot on the national team that will compete at the Pan-American Junior Championships in Barbados later this month (July 18-20).
"This is the best," Kuehl said of his national title. "I can’t wait to put on that uniform and represent the United States against the other countries in the Americas. My father [Doug Kuehl] is in the Army and just got back from Kuwait. Now I have my USA uniform."
Kuehl’s personal best 190-10 with the heavier junior discus (1.75 kilos compared to 1.60 that he threw in high school) more than made up for the trials and tribulations of his freshman year at the University of Arizona. Everything seemed to be going well for the high school NJSIAA State Group III, Penn Relays and Golden West Invitational winner. He was adjusting well to college life academically, socially and athletically.
"I love it out there," he said of Tucson, home to the University of Arizona campus.
Then came a bout of mononucleosis in late January. Coupled with his being a diabetic, the illness was a huge setback. He lost 25 pounds. It wasn’t until late March that he was able to return to throwing, and it was decided that because of the time lost, he would be red-shirted.
By the end of the season, he was back in form enough to be throwing unattached in some meets in California. But it wasn’t like competing for the Wildcats. It was just enough to have him ready for the Junior Nationals.
"I wasn’t even listed on the program of throwers to watch," said Kuehl. "I wanted to show everyone that I was still here."
A 190-10 spin on his first throw certainly did that.
"It was the first time I got to wear the Arizona uniform this year," noted Kuehl. "I hadn’t had a meet like that all year. I kept imagining what my first throw would be like, and to have it be the winning throw was great."
Even though a second-place finish would still have guaranteed him a place on the national team, Kuehl was looking for more.
"I didn’t want to finish second," he pointed out. "I finished there way too often in high school
"I’ve learned that you have to be relaxed in the big meets," he added. "I felt pretty comfortable. I felt that I had a lot more in me, but the competition started at 8 a.m. and I had to get up at 5."
That victory more than made up for what Kuehl had to put up with during the season. Looking back, it may have been the best thing for him. He didn’t go to Palo Alto with a full season behind him and was more fresh.
"It was kind of a gift from God," said Kuehl. "It was a sign that there was a reason for what I went through."
Kuehl enjoyed the experience of being the part of a team where he had other throwers to urge him on in workouts. No longer were his workouts solo, and it didn’t take him long to find out that what he had thought was a tough workout in high school was just scratching the surface in college. He learned just how much more there was.
"Training is more intense," he said. "When you are weightlifting, teammates are there to push you. It’s so intense. Your teammates get you to do that one last rep."
In his preparation for the Pan-Am Games, Kuehl has returned to his old stomping grounds, the discus circle at Monmouth Regional. It was there at the Monmouth County Championships last year that he got off his personal best and Shore Conference record 209-0. He’s doing 15-20 throws five times a week. That’s in addition to his ongoing weight training.
"We’re at the explosive and speed stages of lifting," he pointed out.
Despite a very shortened collegiate season, Kuehl made great progress. He reached 52-10 with the heavier 16-pound shot put (the high school shot is 12) while completely changing his throwing style.
"I went from the glide to the spin," he said. "It’s more technique. It was a little easier for me because it’s technique similar to throwing the discus."
The collegiate discus is two kilos (4.4 pounds), and he managed to come up with a best of 174-4.
As he looks ahead to the Pan-American Junior Games, Kuehl wants to make the most of the experience, which will begin in Miami on July 15 when the national team members meet there to receive their uniforms before traveling to Barbados.
"I’m going to try and soak it all up every moment I can," he said.
However, when he puts on his uniform to compete in the discus, Kuehl will have his game face on.