Participating in a variety of events ranging from Javelin to the 4×100-Meter Relay and the 100-Meter Dash on Andover Boys Track & Field team, Alex Apgar ’17 has been an impactful thrower and runner to the team, according to his teammates.
When he was younger, Apgar ran track and field, but did not become serious with the sport until his Upper year at Andover. Growing up, he pursued athletic activities by playing soccer, ice hockey, baseball, lacrosse, and football.
According to Apgar, he attributes his current athletic ability to the diverse range of sports he played as a child.
“I can thank some of my javelin success to the fact that I played baseball from ages four to 15 — this helped me achieve some foundational arm strength and hand-eye coordination — which, along with soccer and hockey, allowed for me to spread my athletic ability, instead of following the ever-prevalent path of being a ‘specialized athlete’ from a young age,” wrote Apgar in an email to The Phillipian.
Apgar continued, “My diversified athletic background has made exploration of other sports, many of which I could never have imagined playing, a possibility.”
In the winter of his Upper year, Apgar decided that it was time to end his Hockey career. Along with his good friend Mike McGreal ’17, they decided to choose a new sport in the spring.
Apgar had previously played JV Baseball and golf during his Junior and Lower spring terms, respectively. Upper spring, however, he was looking for a different sport.
“We had narrowed our Upper spring sports options to Playground Games and Javelin after discussing the matter with Mr. Gorham, my house counselor, mentor, and javelin coach, I was persuaded to give jav a shot,” said Apgar.
Though nervous at the beginning, Apgar believes joining the javelin team was one of the best decisions he has made both athletically and socially.
Apgar said, “Our javelin team in itself is a small, fun-loving, and spear-throwing group of athletes, who undoubtedly make Andover the kind of close-knit place it is.”
Apgar learned how to throw during his Upper winter. While the skills he had learned playing baseball translated to the physical aspect of throwing a Javelin, it was not a seamless transition, according to Apgar.
“Surprisingly enough, the event itself is perhaps one of the most technical and athletically challenging out there; the body must work, from head-to-toe, like a well-oiled machine, with the legs and lower body creating momentum, then transferring that momentum through the javelin with a simultaneous block of the left side (the left leg must be completely straight and have substantial separation from the right trailing leg), torque of the hips, rotation of the upper body, and explosion over the block, while arm acts almost like a slingshot, propelling the javelin to into the distance,” said Apgar.
Along with throwing Javelin, Apgar is also a part of the 4×100-Meter relay. The one-loss team comprised of Apgar, Post-Graduate (PG) Turner Corbett ’17, PG Will Sirmon ’17 and PG TJ Urbanik ’17, is looking forward to Nepsta Interscholastics this Saturday.
Apgar said, “At the end of the day, track and field is a game of inches and hundredths of seconds, so those willing to give that final, tolling push will find themselves victorious. There is no doubt in my mind that our team has the, skill, drive, and depth to prevail, but it’ll take more than one man to do so.”
Apgar, the previous New England Champion for the Javelin, will fight to regain his title this weekend at the Nepsta meet despite being seeded third.
