Jogging through the halls. That’s how indoor track and field practice gets started at Liverpool High School.
“This is not a windup. We’re just going straight turn to 90," said Mike Cabrinha, the indoor track and field coach said as he did demonstration.
Weight throwing is a dance, and Cabrinha is the choreographer, AKA the coach.
Jalen Graham is the lead. It’s all about reps for the second-best weight-thrower in the state.
“When I do my weight throw, I do two spins. Right now, I’m trying to work on getting three with actual weight. So this is basically doing repetition over and over again so your feet stay the same," Graham said.
He’s also the reason this team goes outside in the snow when the equipment comes out.
“I didn’t feel the weight difference until I let it go, and I threw it far enough to where it hit the ceiling and it hit the beam and it put a big, giant hole," Graham said.
He walks by the field where he’s spent so much time as a football quarterback and a lacrosse star.
“Football, I’m the quarterback. Weight throwing, I’m throwing a 25-pound ball. It’s just the weight difference," Graham said.
A big weight difference.
“Weight throw is a 25-pound ball on a shorter wire that doesn’t go as far," Cabrinha said.
Doesn’t go far, huh?
“I’m only up to 63 [feet] right now, but hopefully by the time states comes, I’m throwing around 70, 75. I think that’ll push me to about third in the nation at that point," Graham said.
He's one of the best in the country at something he picked up in tenth grade.
“I like it because I get to release a lot of energy when I throw. I always have a lot of energy," Graham said.
The work doesn’t end in the grass. On a recent day, it ended in the weight room.
“It’s arms day. It’s upper body," Graham said as he pushed his teammate on the bench.
Rep after rep. Because that's what it takes to be the best.
“That’s my big goal, is to win the sectional medal this year," Graham said.
He knows you have to put in the work.