Phipps Throws Weight at NCAA National Meet But Does Not Qualify for Final; Outdoor Track is Next
Kevin Phipps
BEREA, OHIO
-- Baldwin-Wallace College sophomore thrower Kevin Phipps (Reynoldsburg/ Watkins Memorial) finished fifth in his flight of the 35-pound weight throw at the 2009 NCAA Division III National Championship Meet at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. This was his first trip to the Division III national meet.Phipps, who also plays defensive end for the Yellow Jacket football team, threw the weight 51-feet and five and three-quarter inches. It was off his season-best of 56'6.5". He also was the individual champion at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Meet on March 6.
Phipps and the Yellow Jackets are back in action next weekend when the outdoor team travels to Charlotte, North Carolina to compete at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte Meet on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21. Currently, the B-W outdoor teams are competing at the Coastal Carolina Relat Meet in Conway, South Carolina.
FOR MORE INFORMATION on Baldwin-Wallace College athletics, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. You also can call Assistant SID Nick Minerd at 440-826-2780 and e-mail at nminerd@bw.edu. Head Coach Bill Taraschke can be reached by phone at 440-826-3322 and e-mail at wtarasch@bw.edu. You can access all of the latest B-W Sports Information via the Athletics Web site at www.bw.edu/athletics.
Phipps Goes from Football to Indoor Track to Outdoor Track; No Off-season for This Standout
Wriiten By Chris Reisner, SDA 344A
BEREA, OHIO -- For Baldwin-Wallace College Yellow Jacket two-sport standout Kevin Phipps (Reynoldsburg/ Watkins Memorial) there is no such thing as an off season.
The sophomore is currently competing in his second season of indoor and outdoor track. This fall, Phipps earned his first varsity letter as a member of the football team.
Phipps has already posted an OAC qualifying shot throw of 14.25 meters (46’9”). He is also the team’s leader in the weight throw with a personal best throw of 16.25 meters (53’3.75”). Both throws were accomplished at the February 6 B-W Indoor Meet on the Harrison Dillard Track inside the Lou Higgins Recreation Center in Berea.
But when asked if Phipps was happy with his indoor season so far his answer was surprising.
“Not really, I have done some good things, but I haven’t accomplished my own goals yet,” said Phipps, an exercise science major..” It is that never ending thirst for success that propels Phipps to work equally as hard in both sports.
“His dedication doesn’t change at all between the seasons” says roommate and fellow sophomore varsity football player Ryan Dugan (Mentor). “He’s equally dedicated to being successful in both sports.”
It was that dedication that helped Phipps rise up the depth chart during the football season, and made him a key contributor by the half way point of the season. Although Phipps does admit that football is more demanding because of the collisions and the toll that it takes on his body, he enjoys both sports equally.
“I love the technical aspects and the perfection that has to be achieved to excel in throwing, but I have been playing football my entire life, and I can’t imagine not having it be a part of my life,” said Phipps, a six-foot and two-inch, 235-pound defensive end in the fall. Phipps also plans to utilize his exercise science degree and the knowledge gained in football to help him following graduation as a strenth and conditioning coordinator.
First year Yellow Jacket throws coach Jarrod Davis thinks Phipps is the best two-sport collegiate thrower he has ever coached.
“Kevin has the explosive quickness, balance and body awareness that developed on the football field and convert positively into the track and field arena,” said Davis, who was a three-time Horizon League Champion thrower while at NCAA Division I Youngstown State University.
“I believe more of Kevin’s success directly stems from his work ethic and his competitive drive,” continued Coach Davis. “He is constantly working to do better than he did the day before and never allowing himself to be satisfied with what he has accomplished. That being said, I also think that he has a uniquely high work capacity that provides him the ability to excel in each sport.”
Being a two-sport athlete is not easy though, but Phipps has a secret to his success.
“It’s all about time management. I have to budget my time so that I can get all my work done, spend time with friends, and get to bed early enough that I can make it to morning football workouts,” said Phipps, speaking of the 6:00 a.m. voluntary conditioning that members of the football team do during the winter and spring. “It helps that I have been doing this since junior high school.”
“I don’t get to see him as much as I used to because we are on such different schedules,” said Dugan, “but he fills me in on what is happening in track. I’m not surprised in the least by his success in track. He puts forth great effort and gives it all he has, regardless of what he is trying to accomplish.”
Phipps believes the hard work and sacrifice will pay off in the end.
“Throwing is all about repetition and technique. You have to perfect your throw and make it second nature. The only way to that accomplish that is practice,” said Phipps, who will lead the Yellow Jacket men into this weekend’s Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Meet at Capital University on March 6-7.
Davis agrees.
“The throwing events require a lot of technical precision. The main method to develop technique is through repetition. So as far as throwing goes, the more throws and/or drills he can get in, the better. We also have some strength goals and bodyweight goals that will help him reach his top potential.”
Sounds like a ton of work of work for a guy carrying a full class load, preparing to contribute again to the Yellow Jacket “Swarm D”, on the football field while keeping a demanding academic schedule and working hard to keep both his girlfriend and his roommate happy. But for Kevin Phipps, a lot of work has never been a problem.
NOTE ON THE WRITER, Chris Reisner is a senior business and sport management major at Baldwin-Wallace College. As part of an academic requirement for his SDA 344A class, Reisner had to write a student-athlete feature story. He also is a retired Yellow Jacket football student-athlete who works as a student assistant in both the sports information and athletic departments.