Unorthodox in his training and unabashed in his goals is Omaha Central shot putter Chris Reed.

He wants the school record held by Larry Station, a College Football Hall of Famer whose mark of 64-9½ has stood since 1982.

Reed also wants the state record of 66-11½ set by Marty Kobza of Schuyler in 1981.

And he's closing in on his targets. Reed, the defending gold medalist at the state meet, has produced four marks of 60 feet or better since the calendar year began and has a best of 64 feet in practice.

At an indoor meet at the University of Nebraska, Reed went 61-4¼. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound senior took second at the indoor Simplot Games last month in Pocatello, Idaho, at 60-7½. He started the high school season Monday with a state-leading 60-2½ at the Burke Relays.

“For the first outdoor meet I couldn't expect too much,'' Reed said, “but I'd like to throw 61 at my next meet (Saturday's Millard North Relays) and maybe increase, by not a foot every time, but maybe PR at every meet and hope by state I'm at 66.''

He's changed his throwing technique since winning the all-class gold at 59-1 and achieving a personal best of 59-5. Back then he used a glide motion. He now uses a spin motion that he acquired last summer in tutelage from Leonard Woods, an Omaha physical therapist.

Reed said he's still getting accustomed to the switch.

“It's helped him in the discus, too,'' said Central's throws coach, Rob Locken. “You see the transition from the shot to the discus, with the rotation, so it's been quite good for him.”

Most of his training throws are with the college-weight 16-pound shot. High schoolers use a 12-pounder.

“It's easy to go back and forth because I do it all the time,'' Reed said. “I'll throw several at practice with the 12-pounder, but the rest are 16s. It makes the 12 feel really light.”

He threw the 16 at an indoor all-comers meet at Nebraska Wesleyan and won the event at 53-5.

“I didn't think I could win it, because the college guys throw the same one,'' he said. “It was pretty good for where I'm at.''

Reed, who grew up in Spirit Lake, Iowa, came to Central before his junior year. His father travels for business and needed a home closer to a major airport. Reed's family has relatives in the Omaha area.

He was all-division in football last fall as an offensive lineman. Central offered his first exposure to weight training.

“I never lifted in my life,'' Reed said. “I gained 60 pounds over the summer. Right now my bench is 340 and my squat 545. I'm getting stronger and faster every day.”

Reed has accepted a scholarship offer close to a full ride for football and track and field at NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato, a member of the Northern Sun conference that is 90 minutes from his old hometown. He's excited that three others from Metro Conference schools are also going there: Gary Hiatt and Max Hofmeister of Millard South and Josh Meeker of Millard West.

He said he won't waver on that commitment, either, even if Division I schools continue to call for track and field.

“I love the school already,'' Reed said. “It's a great town, and my (position) coach, Michael Cunningham, is one of the best offensive line coaches I ever met.''

Contact the writer:

444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com

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