St. Rose’s Huisman sets school shot put record in winning MOC gold medal
March 8, 2024 at 7:00 a.m.
In winning a second straight indoor NJSIAA Meet of Champions gold medal in the shot-put March 3, St. Rose, Belmar senior Josh Huisman also broke Luke Grodeska’s eight-year-old school mark. That prompted the senior to note “It means a lot; that record was set by a legend.”
It was broken by a guy who’s fast becoming a legend. Huisman’s winning toss of 67-feet, 7-inches was the second best nationally this winter and the third best in Indoor Meet of Champions history.
Josh Huisman stands atop the podium after winning his second straight indoor gold medal for shot put at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. Courtesy photo
He beat Grodeska’s mark of 64-5¾ on his fourth throw at Staten Island’s Ocean Breeze Track & Field Facility, achieving a personal record of 66-31/2. Josh figured with first place clinched, he could just let it rip on his final attempt and broke 67 feet for the first time.
“It’s definitely a build-up during the competition,” Huisman said of his process. “My first throw I go really slow just to get a mark out there. I feel out the circle and feel out the field. I went 60 feet on my first and after that I just kept adding a little more energy. If I just go all the way on the first throw, I’ll be sloppy, I won’t feel the way I should feel. I think in that meet I did a good job of building up to a fast, feeling-good position in a throw.”
It was Huisman’s 11th win in as many events this winter, including The Monmouth County, Shore Conference and Non-Public A & B Championships.
His success came despite battling tendinitis during the season, prompting Purple Roses coach Kaitlyn Lavender to remark “He is fully about the shot put and throwing. The kid is extremely dedicated to it. He’s very supportive of the rest of the guys on our team. They have fun doing it together. He loves to throw, he loves his teammates and he’s laser focused on throwing.”
Huisman said the tendinitis affects him more in the weight room than it does when he is actually throwing. That didn’t stop him from trying to keep improving his strength and physique.
“You can battle through it,” he said. “It’s not like a crazy injury but it’s just something nagging and can really limit my mobility and create pain. I went to (physical therapy), they did a good job. But some exercises you just have to deal with the pain. Last year I tore my groin and had a bad strain of the muscle. That was pretty bad. But I know a lot of throwers way worse than me, so I consider myself lucky.”
Despite the fact he was never beaten this season, Huisman did not consider a great year as far as his throws were concerned.
“I couldn’t get above 63 in most meets,” he said. “Last year I threw 64 so that really aggravated me. I wanted to get at least above that.”
Coach Kaitlyn Lavender knew it was coming.
“We’ve been waiting for Josh to have a huge meet for a while,” the coach said. “During practices he’s always been right there, he’s even thrown a few times in meets where he’s fouled, and the throws had been pretty big. He definitely was ready to unleash last weekend.”
From left, St. Rose coach Kaitlyn Lavender, senior Josh Huisman, coach Pete Casagrande and junior Joe Seib celebrate the shot put medals won by Josh and Joe at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. Courtesy photo
Huisman’s work with the other throwers paid off for junior Joe Seib, who threw a 55-8 to gain a sixth-place medal at the MOC after being 17th entering the event.
“Josh was a huge influence on him; they’re buddies,” Lavender said. “Joe was injured at the beginning of the season, he came back right before counties and has gotten a lot better. He was pretty excited to medal. They were both very happy with their performances. I know Josh is super happy to see Joe succeeding.”
Huisman’s indoor season concludes this weekend at the Nike Nationals in New York March 9 and the New Balance Nationals in Boston March 10. He is confident of having a strong showing against some of the nation’s best, saying “the competition is there, but I believe at least on Saturday I can get one out there.”
Huisman will then go for his second straight outdoor MOC shot put gold medal while also chasing Grodeska’s outdoor record of 68-¾. And he wouldn’t mind breaking his brother Andrew’s discus record.
From there it’s off to the University of Michigan.
“I wanted to go where I could get the best education,” said Josh, who has a 3.5 grade point average. “I’m not really sure what I want to do yet but they have a broad study, so this was the best for me. And I love the coaches there, the other throwers are very good. I can learn a lot from them.”
* * * *
Other area medal winners in the Meet of Champions are as follows:
BOYS
Joe Barrett (junior), Christian Brothers Academy, 3rd in 1600 (time of 4:15)
Patrick Coyle (senior), Red Bank Catholic, 4th in 800 (1:53)
Connor Clifford (senior) CBA 5th in 1600 (4:17)
GIRLS
Kennedy Miller (junior), RBC, 4th in 400 (57.38).
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In winning a second straight indoor NJSIAA Meet of Champions gold medal in the shot-put March 3, St. Rose, Belmar senior Josh Huisman also broke Luke Grodeska’s eight-year-old school mark. That prompted the senior to note “It means a lot; that record was set by a legend.”
It was broken by a guy who’s fast becoming a legend. Huisman’s winning toss of 67-feet, 7-inches was the second best nationally this winter and the third best in Indoor Meet of Champions history.
Josh Huisman stands atop the podium after winning his second straight indoor gold medal for shot put at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. Courtesy photo
He beat Grodeska’s mark of 64-5¾ on his fourth throw at Staten Island’s Ocean Breeze Track & Field Facility, achieving a personal record of 66-31/2. Josh figured with first place clinched, he could just let it rip on his final attempt and broke 67 feet for the first time.
“It’s definitely a build-up during the competition,” Huisman said of his process. “My first throw I go really slow just to get a mark out there. I feel out the circle and feel out the field. I went 60 feet on my first and after that I just kept adding a little more energy. If I just go all the way on the first throw, I’ll be sloppy, I won’t feel the way I should feel. I think in that meet I did a good job of building up to a fast, feeling-good position in a throw.”
It was Huisman’s 11th win in as many events this winter, including The Monmouth County, Shore Conference and Non-Public A & B Championships.
His success came despite battling tendinitis during the season, prompting Purple Roses coach Kaitlyn Lavender to remark “He is fully about the shot put and throwing. The kid is extremely dedicated to it. He’s very supportive of the rest of the guys on our team. They have fun doing it together. He loves to throw, he loves his teammates and he’s laser focused on throwing.”
Huisman said the tendinitis affects him more in the weight room than it does when he is actually throwing. That didn’t stop him from trying to keep improving his strength and physique.
“You can battle through it,” he said. “It’s not like a crazy injury but it’s just something nagging and can really limit my mobility and create pain. I went to (physical therapy), they did a good job. But some exercises you just have to deal with the pain. Last year I tore my groin and had a bad strain of the muscle. That was pretty bad. But I know a lot of throwers way worse than me, so I consider myself lucky.”
Despite the fact he was never beaten this season, Huisman did not consider a great year as far as his throws were concerned.
“I couldn’t get above 63 in most meets,” he said. “Last year I threw 64 so that really aggravated me. I wanted to get at least above that.”
Coach Kaitlyn Lavender knew it was coming.
“We’ve been waiting for Josh to have a huge meet for a while,” the coach said. “During practices he’s always been right there, he’s even thrown a few times in meets where he’s fouled, and the throws had been pretty big. He definitely was ready to unleash last weekend.”
From left, St. Rose coach Kaitlyn Lavender, senior Josh Huisman, coach Pete Casagrande and junior Joe Seib celebrate the shot put medals won by Josh and Joe at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. Courtesy photo
Huisman’s work with the other throwers paid off for junior Joe Seib, who threw a 55-8 to gain a sixth-place medal at the MOC after being 17th entering the event.
“Josh was a huge influence on him; they’re buddies,” Lavender said. “Joe was injured at the beginning of the season, he came back right before counties and has gotten a lot better. He was pretty excited to medal. They were both very happy with their performances. I know Josh is super happy to see Joe succeeding.”
Huisman’s indoor season concludes this weekend at the Nike Nationals in New York March 9 and the New Balance Nationals in Boston March 10. He is confident of having a strong showing against some of the nation’s best, saying “the competition is there, but I believe at least on Saturday I can get one out there.”
Huisman will then go for his second straight outdoor MOC shot put gold medal while also chasing Grodeska’s outdoor record of 68-¾. And he wouldn’t mind breaking his brother Andrew’s discus record.
From there it’s off to the University of Michigan.
“I wanted to go where I could get the best education,” said Josh, who has a 3.5 grade point average. “I’m not really sure what I want to do yet but they have a broad study, so this was the best for me. And I love the coaches there, the other throwers are very good. I can learn a lot from them.”
* * * *
Other area medal winners in the Meet of Champions are as follows:
BOYS
Joe Barrett (junior), Christian Brothers Academy, 3rd in 1600 (time of 4:15)
Patrick Coyle (senior), Red Bank Catholic, 4th in 800 (1:53)
Connor Clifford (senior) CBA 5th in 1600 (4:17)
GIRLS
Kennedy Miller (junior), RBC, 4th in 400 (57.38).