May 27—Kohen Donat likes physicality, at least in the realm of athletics. It’s part of the reason why the Bemidji High School football defensive lineman signed up for the track and field team.
Donat was already involved in football and wrestling, but he wanted to be a three-sport athlete during his freshman year. He had some history playing baseball, but in his words, he “sucked” at it.
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“I couldn’t ever hit the ball,” Donat quipped.
So, with a passion for the more intense side of athletics, Donat decided to join the portion of track and field known for its quick bursts of strength and intensity; the events that involve heaving a 12-pound ball into a pit of sand and whipping a metal disc as far as possible.
Throwing.
“Passiveness is not my forte, it’s not as fun,” Donat said. “I figured I’d play something violent.”
Donat has found his home in the shot put and the discus events, illustrated by his top-10 finishes in both events at the
BHS Invite last week
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. And he’s not the only Lumberjack football lineman who’s found success.
Seniors Tanner Whipple (an offensive lineman), Kolton Meyer (a defensive lineman) and Donat form the core of the Bemidji boys throwers this season. Though a year younger, Kellen Biggin, another football player, is also an important piece of the puzzle.
Together, the quartet has consistently paced the Jacks in throwing events this season. Whipple notched a first-place finish in the shot put at last week’s meet (50-0.75), while Meyer led BHS in the discus in second place (141-2).
“All the senior guys are a lot closer; we’re all in football,” Whipple said. “And even Kellen, he’s a junior, we’re still pretty close because he’s in football, too. Still friends with a lot of the other guys too, but the throwers, we’re all pretty close.”
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Track and field isn’t necessarily a sport that conjures up the images of brute strength associated with football. However, for Bemidji’s top-end throwers, there are plenty of similarities, from footwork to athletic twitch.
“Typically, if you’re good at throwing, you’re gonna be good at football,” Whipple said. “It’s like short bursts of explosiveness. I’d say it translates both ways. In the trenches, it’s like you’re hitting somebody right in front of you. In this, you’ve got to throw the ball as hard as you can right away. It’s great for explosiveness.”
Some, like Whipple, joined track in part to improve in football because of those shared traits. He signed up in 10th grade at the suggestion of one of his coaches.
“He told me that it would help with football with footwork and explosive work,” Whipple said. “You just basically lift, and sometimes you go to meets.”
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Others, like Meyer, actually began in track and field first and joined football later. He’s been competing since sixth grade and only played football the last two seasons.
Though Meyer has a little bit of distance running under his belt, he’s primarily found his passion in the throwing events.
“Football was fun for me, but I definitely like throwing a lot more,” Meyer said. “I love it. It’s a lot more chill, I like the people, it’s great.”
For all of the similarities, Bemidji’s throwers also enjoy just how different the sports are. Instead of the stress and pressure of a football game day, meets often offer a more relaxed atmosphere.
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There’s certainly still pressure to perform; Donat, Meyer, Whipple and Biggin are all highly competitive, after all. But before, after and in between events, Bemidji’s throwers are chatting, hanging around and getting in a few practice reps.
“It’s fun, it’s relaxing,” Donat said. “There’s more of a walk-around, talk to people kind of environment than it is with football, (where) it’s like walk in, do your job. (In track) it’s like, once you’re done with what you’re doing, you can just walk around, talk to whoever you want.”
With the contrasting atmospheres comes a completely different mindset as well.
“It’s a lot different,” Meyer said. “Football, I’ve got to physically and mentally prepare. It’s a lot less mental preparedness for track and field, I’d say. For track, I just kind of roll up, do my thing. I still have to eat right, drink water and everything. Mental preparedness is not as needed, whereas in football, you’ve gotta be ready for everything — those football games are hard.”
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“(At meets) you don’t normally really get into the mentality until about 10 minutes before you throw,” Whipple said. “Like a football game, you get in (to the mentality) like an hour (before) at least, for sure, sometimes two hours. So it’s a lot more relaxed and chill, honestly. Even when you are throwing, in between throws, you’re not exactly 100% focused, unless it’s some big event like true team or section.”
With the Section 8-3A meet coming up this Wednesday in Brainerd, Bemidji’s seniors have one last opportunity to put all that intense athleticism in the throwing circle on display. That is, if they don’t make it to state.
“Making state, that’s my current goal,” Whipple said. “I’ve thrown a couple state qualifying throws in practice, but nothing in an actual meet, so I’ve just gotta do that (at sections).”
