Good and getting better
Kevin Lemieux regularly visits the zone.
The West Valley senior discus thrower knows how to find the place that allows him to get the most out of each launch.
“I can tell when everything is right,” he said. “The way the discus comes off your hand. Everything just feels right. When you throw the discus perfectly, it doesn’t feel like you’re throwing hard at all. It feels effortless.
“My throws coach, Howard Dolphin, is always telling me that a good thrower will have three good throws in a meet when everything is just right. I want to get the most out of those three throws.”
Last year, Lemieux threw 156 feet, 10 inches at the state Class 3A track meet in Pasco, an effort that earned him a fourth-place medal.
Last week, he launched a throw of 159-6 to win the three-way Greater Spokane League meet at Hart Field with Lewis and Clark and Central Valley by more than 25 feet over his nearest rival.
“I’ve thrown better than that,” Lemieux said. “At the Acadia Meet in Los Angeles I threw 161-5.
“I feel like I’m throwing it pretty well right now, but I can get better.”
The Southern California meet was inspiring, Lemieux said. The chance to mingle with so many outstanding track athletes was truly memorable.
“It was awesome to be down there with so many good people,” he said. “I watched a guy throw the discus more than 205 feet in practice. That was amazing. I tried to watch everything he did, his steps, his setup, his finish. He did a few things differently from how I do them. But man, it was awesome to see someone up close throw over 200 feet.”
And Lemieux has witnessed some outstanding efforts on his own team. West Valley teammate Rashad Toussaint sailed more than 51-8 in the triple jump at Hart Field last week.
“The thing about it that was cool was the way he handled it. He wasn’t bragging or anything after he did that. He was still the same Rashad.”
At the moment, Lemieux is hobbling after dislocating his knee at a meet last weekend. During the shot put, his foot caught the toe board in the throw ring, momentarily dislocating his knee.
“I play hockey over the winter and I’ve dislocated the knee before,” he said. “That’s how I dislocated it the first time – I took a hit from another player. The doctor said I should be able to throw again this weekend, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Lemieux has a secret weapon in his corner as he pushes his personal best ever higher: Longtime West Valley throws coach Dolphin – the former longtime East Valley track coach who was coaxed out retirement to assist his son-in-law, longtime West Valley coach Jim McLachlan.
“Coach Dolphin is awesome,” Lemieux said. “He’s spent so much time with me. That’s the kind of coach he is. He spends time with you on weekends, over the summer. And he just knows so much about what he coaches. He knows what he’s talking about – he’s been doing it for more than 50 years.”
However, Dolphin announced that he will hang up his coaching whistle after this season.
“I just want him to know how much we appreciate what he’s done for us,” Lemieux said. “I’ve learned so much from him and I know I’m not alone.”
Lemieux may be able to put an exclamation point on his coach’s final season.
The first- and second-place finishers at last year’s state meet graduated. Third place finisher, Renton junior Korey Morris, threw 162-5 at state – just 5 feet, 7 inches farther than Lemieux.
And the Eagle feels he still has some very big throws in him.
“I’ve thrown well over 170 in practice and I know I can do that in a meet,” he said. “It’s just a matter of time.
“The thing is, in a meet you only get six throws. In practice, you throw and throw and throw. But I know I’ll uncork one. It’s just a matter of the right time and the right place and the right conditions.”