H-S Athlete of the Week: Ryan Kent, Belle Vernon
NAME: Ryan Kent
SCHOOL: Belle Vernon
CLASS: Senior
SPORT: Track & Field
KENT’S WEEK: The Leopards’ top male thrower swept the field events in the Fayette County Coaches Association (FCCA) Track & Field Championships last Friday at Uniontown’s Bill Power Stadium before dominating the field in the Scott Frederick Mid Mon Track Classic on Monday at Ringgold’s Joe Montana Stadium.
Kent won the discus, javelin and shot put at both events. He earned the title as the MVP of the field events in the FCCA meet for the second straight season, and added the overall boys MVP this year.
Kent, who is the WPIAL leader in the discus this season after throwing 174-4 at the Wildcat Invitational on April 11, didn’t break his PR (personal record) in the FCCA championships or the Mid Mon Classic, but he was happy to earn three titles apiece in both meets.
“I use those meets to get more reps in for the season,” Kent said. “I tend to treat those meets kind of like a practice. I am not going to stress about breaking PRs and all that in those meets.”
Kent is second in District 7 in the shot put behind Connellsville’s Glen Strickler, who has a top throw this season of 57-4. Kent is on the heels of Strickler at 57-0.
Although he won’t compete in the event at the WPIAL individual championships on May 13 at Slippery Rock University, Kent is 15th in the WPIAL in the javelin with a top mark this season of 164-9.
“I am in the top 24 in the javelin, so I would qualify for the WPIAL meet if I chose to do the event, but I am much better at the discus and shot put. I have a much better build for the other two.
“You don’t see javelin throwers that are my size. They are normally smaller and quicker. Throwing the javelin is also kind of hard on my arm. It doesn’t hurt my arm at all throwing discus and shot put, but sometimes I really feel it after the meets when I throw the javelin. I am kind of stepping away from the javelin a little bit so I don’t get hurt.”
ONLY TRACK & FIELD: Kent played football for the Leopards until this past fall, as he has been solely focused on track & field and his studies.
Kent has committed to Shippensburg University to continue his academic and track & field careers for the Red Raiders. Kent, who carries a 3.86 GPA, plans on studying civil engineering in college.
“I thought I was going to go to college for football, but I kind of fell in love with track, and I wanted to continue in the sport for the next four years,” Kent said. “I went on an academic visit and I told the head coach I was going to be there, and he set up an athletic visit, so I pretty much took two visits in one.”
Kent, who is looking to compete in the PIAA Class 3A Boys Track & Field Championships for the third straight year, is eager to hopefully throw where the field events are held at Seth Grove Stadium before he does it at the collegiate level.
“I am very excited for the opportunity to compete at the same venue where I will be in college,” Kent said. “I know I have to make it, but it is going to be really cool this year to be competing at home. They also host the PSAC Championships each year, so it would be seven years where I competed at Shippensburg University in big meets.”
Kent will add the hammer throw and weight to his events in college. He has never participated in either event, but is excited about the two events.
ANOTHER BIG MEET: Kent will compete today in the Baldwin Invitational at Baldwin High School. The meet always brings out some of the best competition from around the WPIAL, and many athletes use it as a chance to qualify for the WPIAL championship meet by securing a distance or time that will place them in the top 24 for Class 3A in each event, which is the cutoff point for the district meet.
Kent has comfortably qualified in his events, but will look to unleash a top throw at Baldwin.