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Western Grove senior Luke Lane makes throwing discus look easy.
“He’s proved that he has a reason to have confidence, absolutely. It’s not a cockiness at this point, it’s a, I can throw 143 feet, what can you do?” said Western Grove track coach Cody Hudson.
Luke first picked up a discus in eighth grade, and he was throwing far from the start. This confidence though, that didn’t come until later.
“Ninth grade he was so nervous,” Hudson said.
The next year he won state as a sophomore, and again his junior year.
“Being able to work with an athlete like that, I don’t have to do a whole lot,” said Hudson.
And now, he leaves the nerves to his competitors.
“We get off buses now and he’s like, I can beat that kid, I can beat that kid,” Hudson said.
“When I warm up and throw really far people will be like, there’s no point being here. People will joke telling me to leave,” Lane said.
Luke already has the school discus record with 143 feet and two state championships, but there’s another mark he’s trying to hit. He wants his third consecutive state title.
“It really gets me excited and happy about it; hoping maybe colleges will notice me,” Lane said.
“We’re looking forward for this year. I’m looking forward to maybe another stake or two in breaking some school records, and looking forward to a great state meet and seeing how he does,” said Hudson.
At the conference meet on Wednesday, Luke finished first in discus and high jump, and qualified for the state meet in the 4×4 and 4×1 relays. The Class 1A State Track Meet is in Mineral Springs, Ark. on April 30th.
