This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
06/25/2023 08:02 AMDrew Schwartz thought it would be a nice idea to try his hand at track for his final sports season at Branford High School, and he had a heck of a hunch, because the senior had arguably the greatest rookie run in the history of Hornets’ track.
After a decorated wrestling career that includes an individual and team state crown with the Hornets, Drew decided to cap off his high school athletics career this past spring by trying his hand at throwing for the Branford boys’ outdoor track team. Drew caught on quite quickly, as he claimed both the SCC and Class MM state crowns in the javelin with top-notch tosses of 171 feet-9 inches and 172 feet-10 inches, respectively.
Schwartz was also runner-up at the State Open Championship on June 5 in that event (169-11) before he capped off a terrific postseason push by earning All-New England Team honors in the javelin as he finished fourth (178-7) at the New England Championship on June 10 in Maine.
“I thought track would be a fun thing to do this year, and it really just blew up,” says Drew, who also played on the gridiron for the Hornets. “This was a lot of fun; I did not expect any of these awards at all. It all just sprung out of my competitiveness and having fun at practices. My friends played a big part in me joining the team because they were all on the team. They wanted me to do it for a while, and it was a nice change of pace from intensive sports like football and wrestling. It is more laid back, but there is a nice rush you get from the competition with track and field.”
With a deep brain trust of prior power throwers and friends at his disposal, Drew quickly grasped the tools, talent, and intangibles needed to toss towards greatness on the grass.
“I had a lot of help from my teammates who had done the events before,” Drew says. “I also had my coaches give me input, plus I myself also looked back at my throws and what I needed to improve upon. We also had a lot of competition within the team during meets which were a lot of fun and helped me.”
Branford boys’ outdoor track Head Coach Kent Jackson notes that a great deal of Drew’s rookie dominance as a senior comes from his attention to detail with taking his coaches’ guidance to heart while beating as the sound drum of an example to others.
“Drew was a rookie on the track and field team but no stranger to athletics. Drew takes practice seriously and in a very quiet way; he absorbs all the coaching he receives and implements it into his performance as an athlete,” says Jackson. “Drew is a pleasure to work with as he is respectful of his coaches and a real competitor. Drew qualified for states in the javelin on his second competitive throw at his first track meet. Drew is also very competitive in throwing the shot put; he has been a real asset to the team in this event during the season.”
Drew’s drive to be a terrific leader really stems from the mental acumen to know that he is serving as a key medium between younger athletes and coaches that also helps pass the baton to the next class of competitors for Branford and convey expectations.
“Being a senior leader is very important, because the younger guys look up to you,” says Drew. “And how you impact them tells a lot about the future of the team and program. It was my job to tell them about the team’s culture in order to prosper.”
Whether looking to pin an opponent on the mat, or looking to launch the javelin for a conference, state, or even regional crown, Drew denotes the chase of feeling accomplishment is a rush that can push aside any stage fright or trepidation.
“In big situations, I of course feel nerves like any human, but it just gets to a point where you want to win so badly,” says Drew. “Winning big events feels so good, so much so that it overpowers any nerves you may have.”
As Drew looks to lift himself to new heights by potentially heaving the javelin for Southern Connecticut State University, he never forgets about the importance of family and bonds that can be built through athletics.
“I may be doing the javelin at Southern, because it is something really fun that can also keep me driving forward,” Drew says. “For all of the sports teams I have been on, they have each had a really big family-type impact on me. My football coaches have always emphasized that each of us has a home with Branford football, and that can help you feel care free in a good way.”
While on the mats, Drew underwent a mental maturation process when it came to garnering and gaining measures of resiliency and rebounding rather swiftly when it came to quickly wiping away the bitter taste of a defeat and exchanging it for triumph.
“Wrestling taught me how to bounce back from a loss,” says Drew. “Even if you lose a match in a tournament, your next match is only about 45 minutes away, so you cannot sulk. You have to learn what mistakes you made and bounce right back to win the next one.”