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Show Shot And Discus, Work of an Artist By DAVE WIGHAM Clipper Sports VI E WMONT -- Track and field is not what you would consider a glamour sport to begin with, afterall the main emphasis in the media this time of the year happens to be baseball. So the Youngsters involved in track have to fight for their publicity. EVEN THEN the athletes in track have their own glamour events, the sprints for one, and the shot put and discus just don't seem to fall into the glamour category. That's just fine with Viewmont's Dave Titensor who happens to participate in both the shot and discus for the Vikes. "It's fine with me that everyone watches the running events while we compete. That way I guess there's not a lot of pressure on me by having all those people watching," he laughed. DAVE, A 6' 195 pound senior, not only com- ; petes in the shot but he just happens to be one of the best in the state in the 4A ranks. His best effort of the year has been a 50'2" toss that has him ranked as number two behind J.C. VonCollin Von-Collin of Clearfield who has thrown'around 54'. Even though the Falcon shot putter is favored fa-vored in the state meet Dave isn't about to conceed anything to him. "A year ago everyone every-one said that the Egginton kid from Roy was unbeatable yet in the state meet he had a bad day and VonCollin beat him. It'll be hard to beat him but nothino is imnncciMi -nH l'm Q w iniujjuu, U1IU 1 111 iiui just going to give up and give it to him." Without seeming cocky or over confident Dave, or his coach, can't see anyone in the region that will push him for the title. "That's not that I'm that great but the region is down this year in the shot." As far as the state event goes Dave knows his two big competitors will be VonCollin and Dave Stroedor of Alta. ALREADY THIS season, and in the indoor season. Dave has enjoyed success in the shot. He placed second at the two Alta and the one BYU indoor events with his only disappointment disappoint-ment being the Simplot Games in Idaho. "Ijust goofed around too much up there. Stayed in the jacuzzi too long and everything. I learned from that meet that it takes a lot of mental prepardness to get ready for my event. I won't make that mistake again." It's an amazing story that this big redhead is even involved in the shot and discus. He started his track career in the seventh grade at Bountiful Junior as a sprinter, that's right a sprinter. By the ninth grade though he had put on some weight and was slowing down a little and his coach suggested he try the weight events. WHEN HE SHOWED up in the halls of Viewmont he wasn't that serious about track, in fact it took a friend of his who is no longer involved in the program to convince him to go out for track. By the time he was a junior he has gained a reputation for himself by placing third in the region meet and then eighth in state event. "I made the finals in state and I felt great about that. My best throw last year was around 45 feet so you can see I've improved this season." IT-- r v'' y& . i- ' y ' " ' " j W . -,i ,v iSr , ' r i- H ' " , . Pi' ' v?,4- - i y flu , ..s Viking Dave Titensor is a quiet individual who simply goes about his business of winn ing points for his team in the field events. ous.ntss ot umn- ALTHOUGH if you see Dave in a crowd he certainly wouldn't come across as a little guy yet when he gets with the shot putters of the state he is one of the smallest ones. "I feel smaller when I'm around those guys but it helps me. A lot of those big guys don't take the sport serious, they just think their size will get they by. With me, my speed is the big factor that helps me. First there's the speed getting across the ring and then there's the arm speed in throwing the shot. They might be stronger than me but very few of them have my speed . ' ' Before one gets the impression that Dave is a weakling consider the fact that he benches around 300 pounds. "I'm not weak but I'm not as strong as most shot putters. I would say on a scale of 1 to 10 my strength is about 7 and my speed is about 8. My speed still needs work until I get it perfect." THE SHOT is by far his best event but both Dave and his coach feel the discus could have been. "Coach DuBois told me if I spent as much time at the discus as I have the shot that I would have done as well in the discus. The discus really needs speed more than strength and that's my best asset. I regret it a little, not putting in the time for the discus, because I have seen tremendous improvement in just a little time. Yea, I probably would have done fine in the discus had I spent the time." "The discus is such a technical event" added coach Lynn DuBois "you need the time-to time-to work on it. The weather has been awful around here and Dave just hasn't had the time to work on it. He has an excellent arm and is strong." DAVE ISN'T about to give up on the discus event, "it's not out of my reach to do well at state. My best this year has been 132 feet and I'll have to throw it about 140 feet to place at state but I feel I can do that" he smiled. Track is the only sport Dave has been involved in-volved in at Viewmont but it wasn't by choice. He used to be a great offensive tackle in football foot-ball but a wrestling accident ended his playing days. "In the 8th grade I had to have a neck operation due to a wrestling accident, in surgery they fused together two vcrtabrac and the doctor said no more contact sports. I loved football and it's been hard on me not to be able to play." The coaches would have loved to have had him. DAVE'S TALENTS aren't just in the world of athletics. He's also a fine artist. "That just might be my profession" he proudly stated "it's just something I've always done, sketch and draw. I'd like to get into the advertising area involved in commercial art or illustrations." illustra-tions." According to most sources Dave is a gifted artist and he plans to pursue that field after high school. RIGHT now though he simply wants to help the Vikings to the state title in track. "Track is a team sport but at the same time it's individual. indi-vidual. It's up to me how I do at region and state and I like it that way." Success hasn't come overnight to Dave, he's put in his time. "Dave is very coachable," added DuBois "he's very dedicated to his sport, he's put in many hours in the weight room. If he does have a weakness, if you want to call it that, it's because he's such a great kid at times he lacks aggressiveness. But I'll tell you one thing, he's a pleasure to coach." |