The Daily Reflector
Thursday, April 24, 2008
For Ayden-Grifton's Devoe Mewborn, second place just isn't good enough. That's the idea he'll try to get across if you talk to him about his expectations for the Chargers' upcoming conference and regional championships.
Mewborn, who competes in the shot put and discus for the A-G track and field team, qualified for the East regional in both events in the Chargers' very first track meet this season.
He said it was something he wanted to get out of the way.
"I've qualified before, but you have to go and do it every year," said Mewborn, whose season-best distance in the discus is 141 feet, 10 inches. "I wanted to knock it out quick this year so I could just concentrate on my technique and work on my distance and not have to worry about qualifying or anything like that."
Mewborn has spent time with A-G assistant coaches Janarde Cannon and Aaron Edwards, who have each helped to fine tune Mewborn's technique.
"This season, I've actually surpassed what I thought," said Mewborn, who's tossed a 38-foot, 8 1/2-inch shot put this year. "I've been real consistent this year, unlike past years.
"Coach Cannon and Edwards have really improved my consistency, which has helped my distance. I've worked on my technique and my spin."
As any coach will say, hard work is contagious. A-G skipper Jeff Dufour likes that most about Mewborn.
"Devoe has made really, really big strides in everything he's done," he said. "He's really put forth a senior effort, which has had an effect on the team. He's over there doing his two events, but his leadership is evident everywhere."
That leadership, his coach said, starts with his desire for victory, which Mewborn summed up in one sentence on Wednesday.
"I plan on winning conference and regionals, and making a run at a state championship," he said.
