By JOHN VARGO - Sports reporter (jvargo@tribtoday.com) , Tribune Chronicle
MINERAL RIDGE - Jacob Chiclowe thrives off adrenaline.
"Chic, you're up," a call goes out from the official scorekeeper around the shot put pit.
The 5-foot-10, 250-pound senior, who will compete at Youngstown State University next season, paces back and forth before stepping into the throwing circle.
"It's all mental," Chiclowe said. "I like to get pumped up before the throw. It's better than standing around, being tight."
The white, powdery chalk covers his neck - thoroughly smacked on prior to his throw.
"It helps me get going in the shot put, the grip of it, the chalk," Chiclowe said. "That's one of the main things I use it for. It's a way to get pumped up, just slapping it on yourself. That's what does it for me."
Chiclowe's teammates begin a slow clap that rapidly increases as he takes to the circle.
It's all part his routine each and every throw - a routine that started prior to outdoor season.
Chiclowe was throwing indoor - eventually ending up at the indoor state meet in Akron.
"Helped me be quicker through the ring," Chiclowe said. "The ring is a little slicker, so I'm a lot more confident in the ring."
Last week, he broke the school record twice - eventually ending up with a throw of 56-5 1/4 at Saturday's Joe Lane Invitational.
"Outdoors, I've been throwing a little more so that's what's been producing the big throws," Chiclowe said.
According to oh.milesplit.com, Chiclowe's throw is ranked third in the state.
Springfield Local's Stephen Lyons, who finished second in the state in Division III last year, is Chiclowe's biggest rival. Lyons threw 57-11 in indoors.
"The competition me and him have is a great thing," Chiclowe said.
He's staying with a regimented preparation routine as well.
"We expected big things out of him at the beginning," Mineral Ridge throws coach Andrew Apisa said. "He's still lifting heavy. He's still doing a lot of heavy throwing. For him to throw two school records in the first week is an amazing thing.
"We're torn his body down. He's still lifting heavy."
Chiclowe is the overall Division IV, V, VI state high school powerlifting champion in the 250-pound weight class. He squatted 575 pounds, benched 345 and deadlifted 505 on March 10 at Kenton High School.
However, practicing was a premium during the winter for Chiclowe and the rest of the Mineral Ridge throwers. Chiclowe's father, Robert, took two 4-by-8-foot boards, 3/4-inch thick OSBs (oriented strand board) and cut a hole into it to simulate an outdoor throwing ring. Then, there was a footboard curved around the front and bolted in. And, to make it portable, Robert put two hinges on the sides so it would fold up.
Mats were put under the portable ring and spread throughout the Mineral Ridge gym.
"Just this past year, he got really serious," Robert said of Jacob. "They really didn't have anywhere to throw. Mr. Apisa said, 'It would be nice if we could get one.' And, I said, 'I'll build one.' So I did a little research and I said, 'I can build one of these relatively inexpensive and you guys go for it.'
"These guys were getting up at 6 a.m., showing up at the gym and using it - working out. They're very dedicated."
And, Jacob is motivated as well.
"He's an intense kid," Apisa said. "Him and Ryan Booth, whether they're here in the weight room, out here practicing down on the track, those two thrive off excitement. They go on YouTube and watch (American Olympian) Adam Nelson, the watch them and that's what gets them up and gets them excited."
