Breaking 60 feet in the shot put is no easy feat- and Matt Brady of Biddeford has done it four times this outdoor season. He's currently the top shot put thrower in the state, having thrown 62-2 earlier this season. He's also undefeated in the shot this season, undoubtedly boosting his confidence going into the state meet. Brady also throws discus, and is ranked second in Class A going into the state meet with his throw of 172-9 behind Austin Lufkin of Brewer. After being injured during the indoor season and not being able to make it to states, there's no doubt that Brady is ready for his first state title.
In indoor, Brady started out on fire with a throw of 57-1 at his first meet. However, he had instigated two minor tears in his right pectoral. As a result, his season was put to a halt. Brady said, "It took a lot of time with rehab and not throwing to fully get better". This was devastating; starting out with such a momentous throw and then being sidelined for the season. That angst has fueled Brady's comeback though, as he's thrown over 60 feet a handful of times this season. He's poised for first in the shot put and second in the discus at states, and is being driven by a craving for a state title that he's worked so hard to achieve.
Although Brady is seeded so well, there's competition for him nonetheless. Brewer has two throwers who will also be aiming to place well, Austin Lufkin and Jacob McCluskey. Brady said he's "Very excited to see what the north brings to the state meet". He then added, "I am going to focus on keeping with what I always do", indicating that he's not going to let the hype of the state meet phase him. Lufkin is seeded a little less than three feet behind Brady in the shot put at 59-3.5. In the discus Lufkin is seeded first with a 184-0 throw and Brady second with a 172-9 effort at Southwesterns last weekend. Don't count Brady out in the discus though, 172-9 was a seven foot PR, and he said "Both the shot put and discus will be close and exciting". It will be interesting to see what both throwers bring to the table this weekend.
Rather than focusing on reaching specific distances, Brady has changed his mindset this year; clearly it's working well. Regarding what distances he was trying to reach this outdoor in the discus and shot put, Brady said "Ever since sophomore year when I wanted to break 50 I always thought of numbers. So this year I've changed my thought process from thinking of numbers to thinking of a PR. If I PR by .25 inches that's a great day". This focus on PR'ing rather than the large distances themselves has mentally changed the game, and as a result Brady has been throwing further this outdoor than ever before.
Moving beyond the state meet, Brady has high hopes for New Englands. He said, "I hope to carry on my success this year into New Englands. I will be top five in both events and hope to come in top three". Being all New England is impressive, and Brady is going in knowing he can do it. His excellent ability to constantly be a top contender in the state as well as in the region has led to a collegiate throwing career for Brady with the University of Connecticut. Of this, he said "I hope to have a successful career there and be able to move to the next step of throwing". Brady's drive to throw well has paid off, allowing him to compete at the division one level in college.
The idea of throwing first came into Brady's mind at a basketball game. He said, "In 6th grade at our basketball game my dad told me that I should sign up for track. After he told me it wasn't all just running I decided to do it. Having no idea what to do I ended up winning my first meet. That's when I fell in love with the sport". Brady's natural ability to throw well along with his love for the sport have undoubtedly fueled each other, so that when he began training he became a formidable opponent in high school. Brady's been throwing well since middle school, and is a well established thrower across the state. Regarding what he attributes his success to, Brady said "I would like to thank Biddeford High School, my coaches, and my parents. Without any of them none of this would be possible".
Brady is somebody to keep an eye on this weekend at the state meet and beyond. It will be interesting to see how he matches up against the Brewer guys, having had minimal competition this outdoor season. Into college, Brady will undoubtedly experience more success. Being allowed to utilize high level physical facilities and being given D1 training will allow for Brady's success to skyrocket. He seems excited and confident for his throwing ability to flourish. Keep Matt Brady on your radar, if he isn't already.
