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By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
In a sport full of large men, Nate Swadley isn’t the most imposing figure ever.
Willard’s senior recently surpassed the Mendoza Line, but that hasn’t stopped Swadley from becoming one of Missouri’s most complete throwers.
The reigning Class 4 Southwest Region Track & Field Athlete of the Year enters 2018 with a chance to become the first athlete in Missouri history to complete a sweep in the throwing events (shot put, discus, javelin).
Swadley took home three all-state medals in 2017, finishing third in the shot put and javelin and fifth in the discus. He was one of just two throwers in Missouri to finish all-state in all three throwing events.
“I am just now breaking the 200-pound barrier, but even then, I still hover over the 190s from time to time,” said Swadley. “Being that small does have its disadvantages, but I can use my speed and technique to make up for the difference.
“There are a couple of pictures of me from nationals last summer where I am the smallest person on the podium, and it’s uberly noticeable. My primary way of explaining my situation is that force equals mass times acceleration. I don’t have the mass, so I have to find the speed to get the same result.”
As a result, Swadley has focused much of his attention and time on perfecting his technique in each of his three throwing events. Willard head coach Mark Larson and Swadley credited throwing coach Justin Harris for the development of Willard throwers but especially that of Swadley.
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Willard has sent six different throwers to Jefferson City in the past 10 years. Swadley, along with classmate Josh McGuire, also qualified for state in all three throwing events as a sophomore.
“I would say Coach Harris is the most critical factor in my technical success,” said Swadley. “He is always learning something new to try in practice, and his attention to detail can sometimes become frustratingly accurate. He has an eye that is quick to mistakes, but that quality is what is needed in a coach of these events. Without Coach Harris, I wouldn’t have had the success that I’ve had.”
That success has carried over into the offseason for Swadley, who actively competes during the indoor season.
Swadley won the University of Arkansas Indoor Invitational and the Mizzou Big River Indoor Championships in the shot put. He also took first at Mizzou in the weight throw.
The 56-foot, 8.75-inch mark he posted in Mizzou’s shot put would’ve earned him a state championship last year.
None of the success seems to come as a surprise to Coach Larson, despite what can be perceived as limitations to Swadley physically.
“Nate has a great work ethic and he’s passionate about throwing,” said Larson. “There aren’t many kids who have their own throws areas set up at home, but Nate does. Nate is also among the most complete athletes to come through Willard. He’s an outstanding football player. As a freshman Nate ran the 100-meter dash and was among the fastest ninth-graders in our conference. Throughout his high school career, he has had the natural athleticism to be great, but his work ethic has moved him into an elite category.”
All of the work has also spawned a friendship between Swadley and McGuire that has been molded in sweat, both athletically and academically.
McGuire finished fifth in shot put and sixth in discus last year. His competitive spirit has forced Swadley to grow as a student-athlete.
“Where Coach Harris is critical on the technical side, Josh is critical on the mental side,” said Swadley. “Since seventh grade, Josh and I have been each other’s biggest competition. We’ve competed against other great throwers who have beaten us at meets, but the competition with Josh is every day, and that’s not just with track. We are one and two in our class with our GPAs being four thousandths apart, we both have the same ACT score and our throws often jump back and forth between who is better. That constant competition makes us both better, and whether we are trying to compete, it is always there, so that very much strengthens our mental games.”
Swadley and McGuire will now lead a Willard team that could compete for a podium finish behind two of the state’s premier throwers.
The Tigers were the Class M runner-up in 1972, the best finish in program history. Larson is intent on keeping his kids focused each day, having his team be process-driven rather than results-oriented.
But it’s well within the realm of possibility that Willard could find itself coming back with hardware in Class 4.
“Our sophomore year we won the Pyrah meet and it was the first varsity meet that we won for several years,” said Swadley. “Last year was a similar story with winning districts for the first time in a very long time. It has been the goal to bring back a team trophy for a couple of years now, so to finally achieve that in our senior year would be an extraordinary honor.”
