Patton Puts Judo Skills To New Use
By BART O'CONNELL Tribune correspondent
The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 25, 2008
ZEPHYRHILLS - Of all the ways to learn how to throw a discus, Zephyrhills track star Kate Patton might be on to one of the most violent.
Patton has been throwing people to the ground for a lot longer than she has thrown discus. But the Bulldogs sophomore is not the school bully. She is a soft-spoken, accomplished junior champion in the Japanese martial art of judo.
After using many of those skills to perfect her discus throw, Patton is seeded fifth in the Class 2A state meet, which starts Saturday in Winter Park.
"Some of the judo moves, you have to do with the hips, like the turns in discus," she said. "It has also helped me a lot with balance in the circle."
Patton has practiced judo at the El Mambi Judo Club in Tampa since she was 9, and she is a brown belt. Black belts are only awarded to practitioners 17 or older. Her judo trophy case includes second- and third-place medals the past two years from the Pan-American Junior Games.
Three of her matches at last year's Judo Junior U.S. Open can be seen on YouTube. As of Thursday afternoon, the videos had been viewed almost 1,400 times combined.
But while Patton is among the best in her age group in the sport, she is quickly growing fonder of track. She has been a discus thrower since seventh grade, and she competes on an AAU track team and has a throwing coach. The plan is to quickly add discus awards to that judo medal collection and to prepare for the future.
"I like track better," Patton said. "I think discus gives me a chance of getting a college scholarship."
Patton is off to a good start after winning discus and shot put district titles two weeks ago. Her discus-winning throw of 113 feet, 8 inches was a personal record. She did not compete in district last year because of a judo tournament in the Dominican Republic.
After finishing fourth at regionals (110-9), Patton earned a coveted spot in Flight 1 of Saturday's state meet. A top-eight finish in the preliminaries will get her into the finals.
"I think Kate gives us our best chance at a medal, based on her seeding," said Zephyrhills track coach Dave Jones, who is coaching two other state qualifiers this year - sprinter Jamieshia Parker and triple-jumper Josh Perkins. "It's funny, most of my experience is coaching sprinters, but it seems like at the state meet, we've always had more success with the field events."
The last Bulldog to win a track and field state title was Bryan Thomas in the 2006 Class 2A long jump. Thomas is attending the University of Florida on a football scholarship, but he might travel to Winter Park to support the Bulldogs at Saturday's meet, Jones said.
As for Patton, she is keeping her expectations modest.
"I want to try to get at least top eight at states," she said. "I don't have a distance in mind, just the place."
Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com.
The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 25, 2008
ZEPHYRHILLS - Of all the ways to learn how to throw a discus, Zephyrhills track star Kate Patton might be on to one of the most violent.
Patton has been throwing people to the ground for a lot longer than she has thrown discus. But the Bulldogs sophomore is not the school bully. She is a soft-spoken, accomplished junior champion in the Japanese martial art of judo.
After using many of those skills to perfect her discus throw, Patton is seeded fifth in the Class 2A state meet, which starts Saturday in Winter Park.
"Some of the judo moves, you have to do with the hips, like the turns in discus," she said. "It has also helped me a lot with balance in the circle."
Patton has practiced judo at the El Mambi Judo Club in Tampa since she was 9, and she is a brown belt. Black belts are only awarded to practitioners 17 or older. Her judo trophy case includes second- and third-place medals the past two years from the Pan-American Junior Games.
Three of her matches at last year's Judo Junior U.S. Open can be seen on YouTube. As of Thursday afternoon, the videos had been viewed almost 1,400 times combined.
But while Patton is among the best in her age group in the sport, she is quickly growing fonder of track. She has been a discus thrower since seventh grade, and she competes on an AAU track team and has a throwing coach. The plan is to quickly add discus awards to that judo medal collection and to prepare for the future.
"I like track better," Patton said. "I think discus gives me a chance of getting a college scholarship."
Patton is off to a good start after winning discus and shot put district titles two weeks ago. Her discus-winning throw of 113 feet, 8 inches was a personal record. She did not compete in district last year because of a judo tournament in the Dominican Republic.
After finishing fourth at regionals (110-9), Patton earned a coveted spot in Flight 1 of Saturday's state meet. A top-eight finish in the preliminaries will get her into the finals.
"I think Kate gives us our best chance at a medal, based on her seeding," said Zephyrhills track coach Dave Jones, who is coaching two other state qualifiers this year - sprinter Jamieshia Parker and triple-jumper Josh Perkins. "It's funny, most of my experience is coaching sprinters, but it seems like at the state meet, we've always had more success with the field events."
The last Bulldog to win a track and field state title was Bryan Thomas in the 2006 Class 2A long jump. Thomas is attending the University of Florida on a football scholarship, but he might travel to Winter Park to support the Bulldogs at Saturday's meet, Jones said.
As for Patton, she is keeping her expectations modest.
"I want to try to get at least top eight at states," she said. "I don't have a distance in mind, just the place."
Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com.
FONTE: Tampa Tribune - Tampa,FL,USA
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