Newspaper write up on Zack

There was a really cool write up on Zack in one of our local papers today. You can see it here or read it below.

ADVANCE NEWSPAPERS OPINION

The Latest News, Updates and Opinions

Allendale thrower ranks among nation's best
by Grant Lofdahl
Tuesday May 27, 2008, 3:38 PM

Many people have gifts, whether they be in music, art, mathematics, medicine - or in throwing heavy objects long distances.

That last gift is the one Allendale junior Zack Hill was blessed with. The Falcons' biggest standout track and field competitor - both literally and figuratively - has made his mark on the local and state scene in 2008 by hurling the discus and shot put farther than any local thrower in recent years.

Hill began his throwing career as an eighth-grader and had an inauspicious start - he wasn't even the best thrower on his own team. Fellow Class of 2009 member CJ Koop was already an excellent throwing competitor, and his throws were farther than Hill's. However, Allendale throwing coach Brandon Sloterbeek said he could see a great deal of potential in both young men.

"I think we knew in eighth grade both Zack and CJ were exceptional throwers," said Sloterbeek. "CJ was beating him then substantially, but Zack just had the body type for a thrower. There was definitely a lot of potential there. Both he and CJ were in the 40s (feet) for shot in middle school, so they were exceptional throwers from the beginning."

That potential should be clear to anyone who knows Hill's father, Mark. Mark Hill was a standout football player at West Ottawa High School who moved on to play at both Michigan and Michigan State. As it turns out, Zack got some important throwing attributes from his mother Jennifer as well.

"I got my size from my dad," said Zack. "But I think I got a lot of the mind part of it from my mom - the way I can feel myself in the throwing circle.

"My dad played center and long-snapper at Michigan and then transferred and played guard at Michigan State."

As a ninth-grader, he continued to grow and continued to throw. By Hill's sophomore year he held Allendale's school records in both shot and disc. But beyond his considerable athletic ability and achievements in the throwing circle, Falcons head track coach Brett Cataldo said Hill is the kind of kid who others admire and would do well to emulate.

"Zack is a great kid and a good role model as a positive contributor at school," said Cataldo. "He does the right things. He has strong character and an excellent work ethic. His parents are very supportive, and along with Brandon they have put him in a position to train at high levels all year. It is clear that he has done the work over the off season because his performances are amazing this spring."

Amazing indeed. Sloterbeek and Hill worked out extremely hard over the winter in preparation for Zack's junior season. Lifting weights intensely and participating in several indoor track meets, Hill showed signs of doing even greater things than one might expect from a sophomore school record holder. He achieved major goals early by in the outdoor season by throwing the disc over 160 feet and putting the shot over 55.

Sloterbeek said Hill's passion for his sport has been a big reason for his success this season.

"In addition to natural talent it's drive and a love for the sport," Sloterbeek said. "He loves throwing a lot, so that makes him work on it, think about, it all the time.

"We got a lot more depth to our training program this year. We've been lifting a lot longer. We did a lot of work in January, February, and the number of lifts, the different styles of lifts, those are the things that we did a lot better this year."

Hill said he's always been bigger than his classmates, and growing accustomed to his own size and strength was another factor in his improvement.

"Maturing into my body is just the biggest thing," Hill said. "I was just a really big kid. And all the off-season training has really paid off too."

Asked how far he hopes to throw and what his goals are for this season and beyond, he said.
"Just wherever the Lord takes me pretty much, just to get as good as I can."

So far he's been awfully good. Hill surpassed the 60-foot mark in the shot in a league dual meet and then exceeded 170 feet in the disc. At the Ottawa County meet last Thursday night, he amazed spectators with a mighty heave of 187 feet, seven inches in the discus. Still just an 11th-grader, he has attracted the interest of local track powers Grand Valley State University and Calvin College, and he's also received interest from NCAA Division 1 heavyweights like Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Purdue.

With the MITCA and MHSAA state finals going on the weekends of the 24th and the 31st, Hill's primary focus is on winning state championships (he placed fourth in the shot at the MHSAA finals last year). Still, he also admitted that the Grand Rapids Press area records - 196-5 in the discus by Grandville's Brett Organek in 1992 and 64-10 3/4 in the shot by Middleville's Gary VanElst way back in 1968 - are something he's thought about and hopes one day to achieve.

Currently, the junior is ranked third in the state in the shot and fourth in disc, and he is rated in the top-30 in the United States in both according to high school track web site Dyestat.com. Coach Cataldo said Hill, now 6-1 and 270 pounds and likely still growing, still has even greater throws left in him.

"I think he still has the potential to throw farther. He has consistently gotten better as the season has progressed," said Cataldo. "His work ethic and the coaching Brandon is doing with him are paying off. The future is bright for Zack as long as he continues to do the work that he is capable of and train hard."

As for Sloterbeek, the throwing coach said he's given up trying to predict or set limits on how far Hill can throw.

"I won't speculate on that, I don't have any idea," said Hill. "As far as God wants him to throw - I could put a number out there, but the last time I did that he crushed it. We set a goal during indoor track of 55 feet, and he threw 59-2, just out of the blue. I don't think anyone can say how far he's going to throw."

With his coaches behind him and teammate Koop, who'd be the best thrower on most any other high school track team, pushing him in practice and in meets, the sky appears to be no limit for Zack Hill. He will continue striving for greater performances, using his gift: throwing heavy objects far into that sky.