Greenville High School’s Johnny Jenkins tries to clear his mind before each discus throw. The hours of training Jenkins puts in allows him to do this. Due to his hard work during practice, it’s now more a matter of instinct.
“I do not try and think of anything when I am out there competing,” Jenkins said. “You have to have a clear mind to do your best.”
So far this season, Jenkins has been performing his best ever. Jenkins has now learned to use his 6-foot-4 frame to send the discus longer and longer distances.
His discus throw of 145-feet earlier this season was a personal best. With the state meet now just a few weeks away, Jenkins is looking to take home top honors for his Greenville High School track team.
Jenkins, along with teammate James Cosie, make up a formidable one-two team of throwers for the Hornets this track season. Jenkins and Cosie both throw the shot put and the discus. While Jenkins has been better at the discus this season and Cosie at the shot put, they each push each other at both disciplines. Each throw during practice is its own competition. Each throw is a chance to gain bragging rights.
“We definitely help each other get better,” Jenkins said. “We always want to beat each other.”
On Monday afternoon this week while the rest of their teammates had already finished practice, both Jenkins and Cosie were still at the Greenville field receiving instruction from assistant coach Kenneth Kable.
“It’s not unusual for them to be the only ones out here at the track,” said Coach Kable. “They both work hard and are really dedicated at the sport.”
Jenkins, a junior, said right now his plan is to have a career as an underground welder. “My uncle has done this, and I think it would be a very interesting job,” Jenkins said.
For a career like that, Jenkins said he knows he has to keep working on his strength and his concentration — which he does on every throw.
