Things started off quickly for Jake Kelly.
We’re talking really fast.
Jake Kelly is a senior on the Archbishop Ryan High School track team, but when he started his career on a track team, he was running the 100- and 200-meter races.
Little did he know, he’d make history doing something completely different.
“I was always fast as a kid, and I started running in fourth grade at St. Dominic’s,” said Kelly, who stands 5 feet 11 and weighs about 225 pounds. “I had a friend who told me I would like throwing the shot put. I was talking to him and he told me I should try it. I did and liked it, so I started doing and I’ve been doing it every year.”
With plenty of success.
Last year Kelly’s efforts earned him a spot at the state championship. And while he didn’t have his finest day there, he learned what it was like to be there and what it takes to compete with the best.
It’s safe to say he learned a lot over the years, and he’s certainly putting all that to good use in his final year as a Raider. And in the process, got his name in the record books.
Kelly set a school record, breaking the mark set by Rich Garrow in 1972. Throwing at the Armory Indoor Track championships in New York, Kelly first broke the record throwing 52-6 on his second-to-last throw of the night. Then in his next attempt, he threw 55-1.
That throw not only shattered the school record he set a throw before, it put him No. 4 in the state of Pennsylvania this year.
It was a great showing. Obviously any time you break a school record, it’s a pretty big deal. It’s an even bigger deal when the record stands for more than 50 years.
But the greatest thing about Kelly’s throw is how much improvement the already talented thrower showed in his fourth year in the event.
“I first threw 52-5, and that was a PR and school record, so that was pretty cool,” Kelly said. “My last throw of the day, it was 55-1, so it was a lot better than my first school record. I was a little surprised in the moment, but I knew before I had fouled a 55 previously. I knew I had it in me, but it does mean a lot to pull it out.”
It’s impressive for many reasons. One of the biggest is because Kelly isn’t one of the larger shot putters. Typically you see lineman-sized throws, but Kelly isn’t built like that.
Because of his size, he has to focus mostly on his technique and being ready and in the right mindset when it comes to throwing.
“For me, I like to warm up, that’s the most important thing,” Kelly said. “That’s my secret. Get my muscles right, warm up and then I feel good. And I’ll focus. I’ll listen for motivation, if they’re like, ‘This kid can’t throw.’ But I warm up really good and I don’t talk. I get into my mindset and just get ready to throw.
“In the offseason, I don’t do anything special, I focus on technique and I just work hard. I like to watch my videos from my previous seasons, too. I go to my area and watch and watch and practice and practice. And I hit the weight room. It’s a big part of it. Technique is the most important thing for me, but the weight room is important, too.”
The offseason is where the magic was made.
According to Ryan track coach Roger Munsey, Kelly’s work ethic is what put him in the record books.
“The kid is a workhorse,” Munsey said. “He threw all summer on his own, always sending me videos and updates. Almost to the point where I told him to stop and enjoy his summer. But he’s always working on his craft. (He) wants to get better almost more than any kid I’ve ever coached.
“He keeps asking if he can give up running to just concentrate on throwing. I keep fighting him on that considering he’s on our school-record 4×100 relay. And he’s still one of the quickest kids on the team. But he just wants to get better more than anything. He’s very dedicated to the event, always questioning things, in a good way.”
Now that he has the school record in indoor, he still has some goals to accomplish.
He’d love to qualify for states, and he hopes to have a strong outdoor season. There’s a school record waiting to be broken, and that’s on Kelly’s to-do list.
He’s also planning on his future. He’s unsure if he wants to pick up a trade, perhaps bricklaying, or if he wants to continue throwing in college. If so, he’s unsure about what he’ll major in, but is leaning toward business.
He does know no matter what he does, he won’t be doing it alone.
“Family is a huge part of everything I do,” Kelly said. “Me, my mom, my brother and sister and my aunt. I’m the youngest. My brother was, he was pretty good at running. My sister was a cheerleader. She went to Ryan. They’re all here for me. I’m lucky that way. My dad is a huge help too. He always pushes me. He’ll send me videos of me throwing and helps me get better with my technique and gives me tips on lifting.”
He feels the same way about his teammates at Ryan.
So to do what he did, representing the school that he loves will be something he’ll never forget.
“When I got to school, a lot of people were talking about it with me,” Kelly said. “It was very cool. I still have a lot of work to do, though. I just want to get better.”
