Last season, shot putter Kyle Helf was in the best condition of his life and getting results. So when an uncontrolled hammer throw struck him in the hip and ribs during practice, the consequences were devastating.
“The injury messed up my whole frame,” said Helf, from his parent’s home outside of Nicolston. “My hip was twisted and my pelvis was out of place.”
Nearly every athlete suffers injuries, but when it’s a freak accident that vaporizes months of training, it’s even harder to take.
“It set me back pretty good,” said Helf, “There was lots to work on again.".”
Helf attends the University of Georgia on a shot putting scholarship, where he just finished his fourth year of psychology, and while the injury occurred mid-season in his third year, he still finished the year of competition. After taking the summer off to heal, he started the process of rebuilding.
“I lost 20 lbs. (over the summer),” he said, “And with that goes a lot of strength.”
He spent his fourth season getting back to where he was before the injury, and while he says this season would have been better (without the injury), he’s staying in there.
Staying in there for some people may mean just showing up, but for Helf it involves something different.
He competed at the Olympic trials in Montreal recently, and while not at the top of his game, still managed to place second after 27-year-old Dylan Armstrong, a thrower who broke the Canadian shot putting record with a 20.92 metre toss earlier this year.
Helf shot 18.20 metres in Montreal but unfortunately didn’t qualify for the Olympic team.
“You have to make the Athletics Canada standard, which is higher than the Olympic standard,” he said, adding that he didn’t believe the standard was currently within his range. The Athletic Canada 2008 Olympic Men’s A+ Qualifying Standard is 20.36 metres.
Unlike some sports, shot putters come into their prime in their mid to late twenties.
“It has to do with strength that develops when you’re older,” said Helf. “A lot come on when they’re 25, 26 and 27, and some in their 30’s.”
At twenty-two, Helf is relatively young for the sport.
“Four years from now I’ll be 26. That’s a good age for it (going to the Olympics).”
Helf is returning to the University of Georgia this fall for a fifth year, and while he’s used up his four years of eligibility, he’ll still be throwing and training,
He trains with Don Babbitt, who also coaches the number one shot putter in the world, Reese Hoffa. “The U.S. is the best in the world (in shot put). They’re better than any other by far and are consistently ranked in the top three,” said Helf.
Closer to home, Helf also still works with his long time coach Peter Dajia out of Aurora-Newmarket who is a former shot putter.
Training with the best is all part of what has become an integral part of Helf’s existence.
“I’ve been really competitive my entire life,” said Helf, who started throwing in Grade 7, “I couldn’t see myself without doing this.”
A successful shot putter uses their entire body during a throw, which is why Helf’s injury had such a big impact. “It’s the legs, the mid-section and the upper body,” he said. “It’s really the whole body.”
Helf’s preferred technique is the rotational or spin, which he says is more effective than the traditional glide method.
“If you can catch a throw (using the spin method), it has the potential to go a lot further. There’s more separation and more speed on the ball.” He also believes the spin method is more difficult but points to all the top throwers who use the technique.
Helf took four days off after the Montreal trials but then it was “time to get back on.” He started training again and while he has no plans for any meets this summer, since the Olympic trials were the biggest meet of the season, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a goal in sight.
“I’ll try for the Francophone Games in the summer (2009),” he said, “And hopefully make the Pan-Am Games (2011).”
