Should masters weights continue getting tweaked?
M75 Hall of Famer Bud Held has a column in the current National Masters News about the disappearance of masters records involving phased-out implements. M35 Norm Deep, a relative newcomer, is calling for even more changes in the weights. (See his proposal.) But both are on the same page. They want more attention and respect given masters weightmen and women. Norm has been shopping his proposal for different weights for five years, he says. But his thoughtful ideas merit consideration. And they apparently will be given a hearing at the next USATF annual meeting.
Here's the intro to Norm's plan:
"This proposal is asking for the inclusion of the 1.75k discus in masters competition, and the creation of M40-49 as an age group with lighter, more age appropriate weights.
"The current specifications for implement weights dictate that a 50-year-old man must throw a 6K (13.2-pound) shot & hammer -- implements HEAVIER than a high school kids'. But this same 50-year-old gets to throw a 1.5K discus --a discus LIGHTER than a high school kid Something is wrong with this logic!
"The discus relies LESS on raw strength and more on technique than the shot. And to equate the levels of speed and explosiveness of a 50-year-old man with a high school kid is unrealistic.
"Shot-putters ad hammer throwers are penalized until they are age 50, and even then must throw a heavier ball than a high schooler. At the same time, the discus throwers get an “easier weight” at age 50. A bigger discus is less of an inhibitor on the body AND performances than a heavier shot or hammer is.
"A few years ago, the IAAF (and subsequently USATF) changed the weights of the “Junior” (under-age-20) implements for National and International competition. Junior men throw a 6K shot and hammer and a 1.75K discus!
"These weights were adjusted, and so were the records. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CHANGE SHOULD PROMPT USATF MASTERS TO ALSO MAKE A SIMILAR CHANGE!"
The simple solution is: Throwers should “go down” in implement weight the same way that they now “come up.” Our current set-up for “going back down” in implement weight does NOT make sense."
Norm says USATF Masters T&F Chair George Mathews (a thrower) has seen the proposal, "and I have been told by Dick Hotchkiss that it will (in some version) be proposed." A long version of his proposal, plus essenial charts, appeared in Glenn Thompson’s Long & Strong Throwers Journal.
A high school coach now, Norm is a Colgate grad (Class of '89) whose collegiate bests include 47-10 3.4 in the shot and 145-8 in the hammer. He also played football (but don't hold that against him).
Norm writes: "I have stayed extremely dedicated to throwing and active in competition and weight training, as I am the head football coach and track coach at Clinton High School in Clinton, N.Y. ,and I am also the part-time throws coach for Hamilton College (also located in Clinton N.Y.)
"I have competed and (medaled) in multiple USATF open Eastern region meets (having made the USA EAST squad for a “dual” meet against Quebec in 1992) and multiple NY state open Empire State Games teams. I have numerous medals at the masters level.
"My main point is that I have been diligent -- but just can NOT pump out the same kind of numbers at 39 that I could at 25 , 30 or even 35! For a thrower, competing is great, but low, low numbers just frustrates us (30-49) and for a lot of us, pushes us out of the sport (it’s just not fun for an ex-50 footer to throw 38’0”) only to re-emerge at 50 years old. There’s no telling how many of us may NEVER come back.
"The responses that I’ve got (to my proposal) from all but the very most ELITE throwers age 30-49 has been a resounding "THANK GOD”! The elite guys (those who can throw 60’0” in the shot at age 35) could go either way. The resistance seems to come from most of the 50-year-old + guys ( who are worried about their “records” or the fact that THEY had to wait until 50, therefore so should every one else) Most of the older throwers do not know that
the “junior” implements even exist, to compare the inconsistency to.
"I don’t feel a good idea that preaches CONSISTENCY, compliance with IAAF ratios, and an attempt to keep people “in the sport” from 30-49 should die because of selfishness."
Comments
I like the proposal. I am a reasonably good M55-59 discus thrower but don't throw the shot-put because it's too heavy. I plan to throw the shot next year, perhaps at the World Championships, when I hit 60 and the ball drops to 5 kg. My joints won't take the heavy implements. I have thrown the 2 kg discus over 150 feet during the past few years, but this year it was a real struggle.
I agree with the statement that more people would continue throwing if it the heavy weights didn't make it so physically challenging.
Posted by: Thomas Fahey | June 30, 2006 2:16 AM
Excellent proposal. I've seen a lot of guys in the 40-49 age group somewhat demoralized by the decline in distance they experience using the "open" implement weights. And the "some are heavier, some are lighter" situation between the high school and 50-59 group implement weights has been a real puzzler. I hope this proposal passes. It's a great opportunity to finally get it right.
Posted by: John | June 30, 2006 5:25 AM