The Store Is Open!

The Kelly Sports Group Store is now open.  That means you have one month to place your order.  Simply create an Account and order away! Orders will be finalized in 28 days (7/10/2107) and only then will you be charged.  The items will then be embroidered in the next month and shipping will occur on around 8/8/2017. 

Calling all readers to spread the word again, via phone, Twitter, Facebook, email or (gasp!) by mouth! Those spreading the word by Sharing on Facebook will be entered in a drawing for a classic t-shirt! (Funds for this will come from the Intern Stipend Fund.)

All items are in Mens Sizing!!!  (adjust accordingly) 
Addendum: 
For those using the landing page, the password listed on the flyer* will get you to the right page. Double check that the password is being entered correctly: PSUTFAL

Several items that I selected were unavailable, so this year's store will mostly be a Jacketpalooza! There are 4 separate jackets available, all with our great group logo embroidered on the left breast.

• A lightweight jacket from Nike that was our most popular item the last two times.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A rain jacket from Under Armour that has been requested by many who missed it the first time.  I have this and it is a spectacular item.  I have used it extensively already, even at the recent Big Ten Championships when the sky threatened to let loose!
  
• A Hybrid jacket with Nike Sphere technology that will bridge the gap between lightweight and heavy parka.
  
  
  
• A Nike Parka for the worst weather Happy Valley throws at us.
  
  
  

Also, there are 2 other items available:

• Rain pants from Under Armour to complete the rain set, especially for track officials and track coaches for those early season rainy meets. Logo on the left hip.
• Classic 100% cotton t-shirts that are pre-shrunk.  These come in either white or grey with the small logo embroidered on the left breast.

Ten Questions: Michael Shuey All-American!

Thanks to Michael Shuey for playing along with my 10 questions!

1. From what I can gather observing from afar, this year seems like a dream come true for you. Is that an accurate appraisal?

Anytime I can compete for Penn State is a dream come true for me. Being an athlete at this college was my dream since age 8. But to go through the surgeries and still be able to reach my goals is just icing on top of the cake.

 2. What was your injury and what did it take to come back as well as you did?

 I have had set backs since my 10th grade year in high school when I dislocated my elbow in a football game. Then the following year I got a blood clot in my throwing arm. The junior year at penn state in tore my UCL in my throwing arm which lead to surgery and was out for a whole year of not throwing javelin. Recovery from that is more mental then physical, I had to trust the surgery and not baby it. Which was just ignoring the little bit of pain.

 3. Was it as much fun as it looked winning the Big Ten title?

Winning the team title was a completely different feeling than any individual success. The vibs from the coaches and athletes made the experience amazing. We are such a close group of guys that achieving something together was something that I will never forget.

 4. Who taught you to throw a javelin?

In 7th grade I asked Coach Charney who was also a teacher I had, that I wanted to try javelin. He said that it's very technical and not something I could just pick up and do. But the last practice of the year he let me throw it in practice. The first couple throws I'll never forget he said "You could go to the Olympics" so after that he helped along with an assistance coach named Mike Sherry and Richard Schriber. But my high school coach Kurt Breakey was someone that really helped me become successful in it.

 5. Who are your idols in the Sport? 

Jan Zelzeny the world record holder is one of the throwers that I watched a lot growing up along with Tero Pitkämäki and Andreas Thorkildsen.

6. What is the proper angle when throwing a javelin?

The angle you want to throw the javelin is around 35 degrees. I'm working on doing that part of the throw well.

(There was a video game we used to play while in Podiatry School called "Track and Field"  It was a decathlon-like game with 10 events.  In the game 35 degrees was the ideal javelin angle while 45 degrees worked best for the shot put.  Takes me back 33 years!)

7. Have you ever heard Coach Groves’ story about how Willie Mays taught him to throw a javelin?

No, I never heard that story, please share hahah 

(It's a true story.  Willie Mays was in Coach Groves' unit in the Army at Fort Eustis Virginia, where Coach had a team. You need to go visit him and ask the question.  You may hear the story twice!)

8. It looks like there is more in the tank. What’s next for you?

Yes, more to come I hope. We leave for the USA championships in hopes to place high enough to make a USA team. 

(Good luck. Maybe I need to come up with 10 more questions!)

9. If you couldn’t throw the javelin, what other event would you do?

 If I couldn't do the javelin and had to pick another event. It would be high jump! I was recruited for the decathlon my freshmen year and loved to high jump.

10. Will you join us for a future Reunion and Coach Groves Golf Tourney?

I will for sure do the reunion and golf tournament.

How Did The Women Do At The NCAA Championships?

The big answer is tied for 29th place.

Tori Gerlach used her extra eligibility to All-American effect by placing third in the 300M SC! And Danielle Gibson used her first effort in the Triple Jump to place sixth for the second All-American for PSU!  Both Tori and Danielle PRed in their Championship performances.  Coach Groves would be proud.  Only Tori PRed, (Thanks Mimi McGarry McCloskey!) Coach Groves is still proud.  Blog interns will be denied soup at lunch for the next week. 

600M Record Holder Cas Loxsom with Tori Gerlach.

The Team Rundown:

• 800M - Danae Rivers     19th   2:07.17
• 3000M SC - Tori Gerlach      3rd   9:46.76
• 5000M - Tessa Barrett     20th   16:18.86
• 10000M - Jillian Hunsberger     10th   33:29.40
• Pole Vault - Hannah Mulhern      NH
• Triple Jump - Dannielle Gibson    6th   43' 10"
• Shot Put - Obeng Marfo   19th   53' 3/4"

How Did The Men Do At The NCAA Championships?

 "It was a fun race."

-Isaiah Harris, runner-up in the 800M.

(And let's not forget this previous tweet from Isaiah!)

"Light yourself on fire and then roll in broken glass to put out the fire!" -from Isaiah Harris's Twitter Feed, explaining how to replicate the feeling after an 800M race.

The big answer is, tied for 20th in the team standings.  For the third straight year in the top 20!  Congrats to the coaches and all the athletes (and not just the ones who scored!).  Coach Gondak related his happiness and the hunger for more!

Coach Gondak and Isaiah Harris.

Isaiah Harris closed out the NCAA Championships with a very smart race, finishing second to the heavy favorite, UTEP's Emmanuel Korir.*  Isaiah stayed back early and ran relatively even splits (52.32 and 53.09).  That kept him out of trouble when the 2 UTEP runners tangled and Michael Saruni went down with 200M to go.  Many thought Korir could have been disqualified for the trip, but judges eventually ruled it out.

Isaiah Harris represents the 7th All-American performance in the 800M since 2009 and ties both Brannon Kidder and Casimir Loxsom with the highest finish in the event at the Championship level.

All the participants in the NCAA Championships: 

• Javelin - Michael Shuey   3rd   250' 9"
• Javelin - Ryan Kerr       9th     232' 0"
• Javelin - Michael Biddle   18th   219' 8"
• Long Jump -  Malik Moffett       18th   24' 1/4"
• Shot Put - Jon Yohman    11th      62'   1/2"
• 4 x 100M - Karson Kowalchuk, Dan Chisena, Xavier Smith, Malik Moffett  13th  39.15
• 4 x 400M - Dan Chisena, Xavier Smith, Tyreek Mathis, Isaiah Harris  9th   3:04.17
• 800M - Isaiah Harris   2nd    1:45.40
• 800M - Domenic Perretta   21st   1:49.14
• 200M - Malik Moffett   22nd   20.93
• Discus - David Lucas    9th  190' 3"
• Triple Jump - Bryce Williams  17th  51' 1 3/4" 

* Even better, Isaiah wore his "Alumni-like Singlet" in the Final.

A Little Rant: I Wish The Scoring System At NCAA Would Be Updated

It has always confused me as to why the scoring system for the NCAA Track Championships is as restricted as it is.  Only scoring the top 8 in the Nation shortchanges so many schools and individuals who are at the top of the Sport. It doesn't make sense.

The 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 system is fine for smaller invitationals, but doesn't do justice for anyone who truly loves the Sport.  A team with 1 dominant sprinter/long jumper and NO OTHER TEAM MEMBERS can place high or even win the Championship (think a one man team of Carl Lewis!). And that would be a team likely to be at the bottom of their conference Championships and unable to win any dual meets (Not that they exist anymore anyway!).

A 20-18-16-14-13-12-11(...)-1 system would make more sense! It would still weight the top 3 positions as more important, but would reward well-balanced teams equitably. It is supposedly a team sport, after all.

What do you think?

Javelin Nation!

Michael Shuey made his extra year of eligibility count as he performed better than ever before at the NCAA Championships in Eugene yesterday.  This follows a return from major injury and a disappointing first Senior Season!

Not one, but 2 other Nittany Lions also performed well on the big stage at Hayward Field.  Michael Biddle placed 18th with a toss of 218' 8".  Ryan Kerr just missed All-American honors with a 9th place finish with 232' 0".

Ryan Kerr and Michael Shuey.

But Michael Shuey made his first throw in the extra 3 given to the top 9 count with a PR and new School Record of 250' 9"!  Congrats Michael.

1		Ioannis KYRIAZIS	JR	Texas A&M	82.58m (270-11 )
2		Nicolas QUIJERA	JR	Miss State	76.77m (251-10 )
3		Michael SHUEY	SR	Penn State	76.42m (250-9 )
4		Alex PASCAL	JR	Missouri	75.38m (247-4 )
5		Matti MORTIMORE	JR	N. Dakota St.	74.33m (243-10 )
6		Sindri GUDMUNDSSON	FR	Utah State	73.28m (240-5 )
7		Curtis THOMPSON	JR	Miss State	72.47m (237-9 )
8		Chris MIRABELLI	JR	Rutgers	71.68m (235-2 )
9		Ryan KERR	SR	Penn State	70.71m (232-0 )
10		McLean LIPSCHUTZ	SR	Alabama	69.41m (227-8 )
11		Sam HARDIN	JR	Texas A&M	69.34m (227-6 )
12		Cody DANIELSON	SR	Oregon	69.31m (227-4 )
13		Michael CRITICOS	JR	Memphis	69.18m (227-0 )
14		Adrian MITCHELL	FR	Albany	68.54m (224-10 )
15		Matthew KUSKEY	SR	UC Santa Barbara	68.25m (223-11 )
16		Simon LITZELL	FR	UCLA	67.62m (221-10 )
17		Werner BOUWER	FR	Texas Tech	67.60m (221-9 )
18		Michael BIDDLE	FR	Penn State	66.95m (219-8 )

All Kinds Of Nittany Lions See Action Today

The NCAA Championships start this afternoon.  There will be many Nittany Lions on the Track and in the Field.  You can keep up with all the action via ESPN.

Day

	Start Time	Wednesday Running Events	Rnd	Start List	Result	Status
Wednesday	4:32 PM	Men 4x100M Relay	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	4:46 PM	Men 1500M	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	5:02 PM	Men 3000M Steeplechase	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	5:32 PM	Men 110M Hurdles	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	5:46 PM	Men 100M	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	6:00 PM	Men 400M	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	6:14 PM	Men 800M	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	6:30 PM	Men 400M Hurdles	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	6:44 PM	Men 200M	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	7:08 PM	Men 10000M	Final	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	7:48 PM	Men 4x400M Relay	Semis	Start List	Result	Scheduled

Day	Start Time	Wednesday Field Events	Rnd	Start List	Result	Status
Wednesday	2:00 PM	Men Hammer Throw	Finals	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	5:00 PM	Men Pole Vault	Final	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	5:45 PM	Men Javelin Throw	Finals	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	6:00 PM	Men Long Jump	Finals	Start List	Result	Scheduled
Wednesday	6:40 PM	Men Shot Put	Finals	Start List	Result	Scheduled

Alumni (Golfers) In The News

Brannon Kidder ran a PR 1500M last weekend in the Asics Furman Elite 1500.  His 3:38.79 is the equivalent of a 3:55 or so Mile, which is significantly longer than his preferred distance!

And 3 Nittany Lions were drafted into the Tracktown Series of 3 meets with the Final meet to be held at Icahn Stadium in New York and televised on ESPN.

• Ryan Whiting (former Asst. Coach) Shot Put - Philadelphia Force
• Darrell Hill  Shot Put - San Francisco Surge
• Casimir Loxsom  800M - New York Empire 
• Others may be joining the fray as Free Agents...

2017 SCHEDULE

JUNE 29 – San Francisco
JULY 2 – Portland
JULY 6 – New York City

Four More Awards

The Mid-Atlantic Region of the USTFCCCA has recognized 4 Nittany Lions for Outdoor Track and Field Yearly Honors.

• Head Coach of the year,  John Gondak
• Track Athlete of the Year, Isaiah Harris
• Mens Assistant Coach of the Year, Lucais MacKay
• Womens Assistant Coach of the Year, Fritz Spence

And all are on an all-expense paid trip to Tracktown USA! (Actually, they are in Eugene for the NCAA Finals on Wednesday through Saturday.)

More About The Upcoming Kelly Sports Store

Things are not completely verified yet, but the store will be upcoming shortly.  There will be 9 items for sale this time.  I have included the original light jacket and the rain jacket, as they are two of the most popular items.  I have both and use them often.

I have also added the matching rain pants this time to complete your full rain suit for that extra special Happy Valley weather we all know so well!

Also included this time is a value polo at less half the cost of the big name brands and a plain old white t-shirt and a grey t-shirt for those of us that miss those 4 o'clock practices of old.  The t-shirts are both 100% pre-shrunk cotton (but not worn yesterday by the guy running next to you)!

The Way That The Store Works:

• The store will be open on the blog link for only 3 or 4 weeks. Be sure to alert your friends.
• At the end of the 3 or 4 weeks, your credit card will be charged and the items will be silk-screened or embroidered.
• Appoximately 1 month after the closing of the store, your items will be shipped. 
• Our group does not make money for the store sales, but we do reap the benefit of spreading the word and pride of PSU Track and Field. 

  

  Lightweight Jacket.

  
  

  

  Value Polo

  
  

  

  Mid-weight Hybrid Jacket.

The Kelly Sports Store Is Opening Soon And I Need Your Help!

There will be another opening of the Kelly Sports Store very soon.  That's the same crew that the Alumni Association uses.  We will have more items available than ever before.  Some of them will be popular repeats and others will be brand new.  There will be items ranging from a measly $9 all the way to a spectacular Nike Winter Jacket for $200.

I am going to need the help of my many wonderful readers to spread the word throughout our Universe.  All of us will want several of these items, but some will never know they are available without YOUR help.

Please be sure to let others know about our blog and this sale.  You can do that in the old fashioned ways, like talking and phoning people.  But if you are a member of the new digital hermits out there, please Like and Share all our posts on all your social media sites to your friends and enemies alike.  Remember, you have many more friends than I do!!!!

Logo on all items formulated by industrious blog interns!

Under Armour Rain Pant

Nike Parka

Nike Hybrid Jacket

Old-fashioned cotton grey t-shirt for all the alums who ran in them daily from the 40s to 80s!

 

Recipes And Another Steve Black TV Show

I don't really have much right now as we await the NCAA Finals and the #11 PSU Mens performance next week.  So I figured a couple of delicious chicken recipes were in order.

First up is a deep-fried version of Kung Pao Chicken!  (You knew that was coming, didn't you?)

And another spicy chicken dish I happen to love is Bojangles Roasted Bites.  Here's a simple recipe that makes a tasty dish right in your own oven or air fryer.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
3-4 Tablespoons of oil for marinating

and...

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Cut chicken breasts into chunks or bites.
2. Place seasonings and oil in bowl and mix till well coated.
3. Place on edged baking sheet (to cook it in its own juices).
4. Bake in oven preheated to 375 F for 12 minutes, flip, then bake for an additional 12 minutes.

And last but not least is another television movie starring 800U's Steve Black.  In this one he stars as the lead FBI agent in the reenactment of the bizarre Pizza Delivery/Neck Collar Bomb/Bank Robbery case in Erie.