March 4, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State Track and Field signee Alex Adams of Bedford, Texas has emerged as a top-recruit in the 2008 track and field recruitment class. Adams, who will join the Redbird throws squad in the fall of 2008, earned the nations-best discus throw over the weekend (March 1) and also owns the No. 2 shot put (62-04.00).
Adams' throw of 209 feet, eight inches is the Nations furthest discus throw of the 2008 outdoor season, thus far. The throw surpasses last year's top-throw by Geoffery Tabor of Oklahoma by three inches (209-05). Tabor, who is now a senior, will continue his education and throwing career next year at Stanford, and he currently owns the second-best discus throw (204-09).
Illinois State assistant track and field/throws coach Jeff Chakouian, who was a six-time all-American in the shot put from Kentucky and is in his second year at ISU, recruited Adams and is ecstatic with what he has achieved so early in the outdoor track and field season.
"This is only the second meet that Alex has thrown at this year," said Chakouian. "There are only a handful of kids that will break 200 feet in the discus every year. For him to throw 209 this early puts him at the top of that list and he will stay at the top as the year goes on. Signing a guy that is one of the top-athletes in the country just shows the impact he will have here with us, in the conference and at a national level. It is also a testament of what a great school ISU is to recruit to."
In the Missouri Valley Conference, the throws area is continually gaining strength and with the addition of Adams to the mix, it will only continue to improve the level of competition. Chakouian projected that the Colleyville Covenant Christian Academy thrower will have an immediate impact and become a point scorer for the Redbirds at the conference meet next year.
"The Valley has a lot of depth," said Chakouian. "There are some great throwers and coaches in the Valley right now. For example, this year at conference it took a distance of 57-02 in the weight throw to place eighth, whereas last year eighth place was 51 feet and that number is going to continue to increase. Coaches realize that and in order to compete in The Valley you are going to have to go outside the region recruit the athletes that the best in the nation.
"The reason I was drawn to recruit Alex was because he has great character and comes from a good family. He has a passion for throwing and he dreams big. We have already started talking about next year and his goal is to go to nationals as a freshman. It is a pretty large task, but he has reached every goal that he has wanted to achieve this year. The sky is the limit with this kid. He has the talent, we are just going to provide that tools for him to develop mentally and physically to achieve those goals. He is going to be a great asset to not only the track and field team, but the university and community. He really is the total package which is why he was the top guy on my list and as it turned out he is the top guy on the total list now."
The high school track and field national performance list is compiled by dyestat, to follow Adams and other top high school student-athletes click here.
