“Chasing 60 Feet: How Eli Cabrera Is Throwing His Way Toward a College Future”

Junior Eli Cabrera walks into O’Dea high school ready to start a new day unsure of what the future may hold. Rays of sunshine beam in the stained-glass windows in his classroom and all he can think about is throwing at track practice after school. He wants to improve his shot-put distance to get scouted for scholarships because for Cabrera track is more than a sport, it is a way to shape his future college environment.

Scholarships provide a chance for Cabrera to continue to play track and field in college while also reducing the financial burden of college. Cabrera also really enjoys track and he “wants to have more years to do the sports I play”. He does not want to give up on track after high school; but continue by throwing in college and exploiting the skills he learned at O’Dea at whatever university he attends.

To earn a scholarship in track most shot-put throwers have to throw around 60 feet which is a high mark to hit but Cabrera has seen major growth even since last year. “Last year I was in the mid-40s range (feet) but now I’m in the low 50s(feet)”. This is massive growth only in a few months and one he can look to build on this season in an attempt to gain a scholarship to a D1 sports school.

(Eli Cabrea 27 at a track meet throwing shot-put)

It is not just about the track season, however; there will need to be work done in the offseason if Cabrera wants to reach his goal. To reach that goal, he is planning to do indoor, year‑round track and field clubs, as the cold and rainy Washington weather can be a problem for training and meets. Aside from learning new techniques, Cabrera also plans to attend Coach P’s workouts to get stronger and be able to throw the shot‑put farther.

Cabrera knows the journey ahead will not be easy, but his growth shows what is possible when talent meets passion. Each throw is a chance, a chance to get closer to the scholarship he is chasing.

By Torsten Schenck