by Scott Sacry, Sports Editor
Some of the best young track and field throwers from Montana convened in Corvallis on Tuesday, June 17 for the Corvallis 406 Throwers Camp. The camp has been an annual summer event for the last 19 years, bringing together participants (7th grade and older) from all over Montana. The participants get instruction in shot put, discus, javelin, and college recruiting.
The camp is the brainchild of Corvallis teacher and high school throws coach Garrett Middleton.
“When I started coaching at Corvallis there were all sorts of summer camps – basketball, football, and so on,” said Middleton. “So I said, how about we do a throwers camp. I went to throwers camps in high school and it helped me. That first year we had two participants in camp, but they both went on to throw for MSU, so that was good.”
From those humble beginnings the camp has grown, and they now limit the number of participants to maintain a good camper to coach ratio. This year roughly 80 throwers attended camp at the fields just north of the Corvallis soccer fields and next to the new baseball field.
Throwers get instruction at the Corvallis 406 Throwers Camp on Tuesday, June 17 in Corvallis. Photo by Scott Sacry.
“This year’s camp went great,” said Middleton. “All the kids and parents seemed happy and really enjoyed it, and all the coaches enjoyed teaching the campers. It was a great day.”
There were 18 coaches working with the campers this year. These coaches included college coaches, high school coaches, and former campers.
“My favorite part of the camp,” said Middleton, “is watching the coaches work their magic with the campers. I’m now the organizer of the camp, the one who makes sure everything runs smoothly, so I don’t get to do much coaching. It’s great to watch the other coaches teach.”
The camp is for all levels, from beginners and state champions.
“One of our main goals is to get quality instruction to all levels of throwers,” said Middleton. “No matter if you’re a first timer or if you won state the previous year, we have something for everyone. It’s all about lifelong learning. Everyone can always learn something new.”
The camp alumni are a who’s who of Montana high school throwers over the last 19 years. At last count, former campers had racked up over 80 different state titles over the years, as well as over 200 top six state finishes.
The camp features a unique session where the campers learn about NCAA/NAIA compliance and college recruiting tips and training. Middleton thinks it is important to educate the kids on how to navigate the next level if that’s a camper’s goal. The coaches explain best training and lifting practices, and give insight into what college coaches look for in recruits.
“The camp has an annual competition to see who traveled furthest to be at the camp,” said Middleton. “It was a fight between Culbertson and Richey this year.” Culbertson got the win, being 583 miles away from Corvallis, compared to 541 miles for Richey. For throwers, distance matters.