Boys’ Player of the Week : Carter Develops a Philosophy That’s Winning
When Kaleaph Carter of Edison High School stepped into the shotput ring at the Beach Cities Invitational Saturday, he knew what was going to happen. He had already visualized it.
So, winning the event was almost academic, from a philosophical point of view.
Carter placed first with a throw of 61-feet 10 1/2-inches. He also placed second in the 120 high hurdles and fourth in the discus and was named the athlete of the meet.
“You work toward getting into the ring with your mind together and your body strong,” said Carter, The Times’ player of the week. “Everything then becomes eventual.”
Carter’s training technique involves a lot of weightlifting with a little philosophy. He adopted this unusual procedure from Tony Ciarelli, the Chargers’ field event coach.
Ciarelli, who has been coaching at Edison since 1981, uses philosophy to keep his athletes mentally sharp through the season.
The Chargers lift weights every day, during which Ciarelli will offer such philosophical thoughts as, “What is the meaning of your existence.”
“Bringing up abstract ideas during practice gets them thinking, and then they are able to focus on their performance,” Ciarelli said. “I use Aristotle, Confucius, Laotzu. They create positive energy.”
It has been an effective system. In 1986, Edison took the top five places in the shotput at the Sunset League meet. Last year, the Chargers captured the top four places.
Both times it was Carter winning the event.
“I don’t really believe some of the religious ideas involved with philosophy,” Carter said. “I’m a Christian. But, there are things that can apply to being a shotputter.”
Carter, a 6-foot, 210-pound senior, will use Ciarelli’s techniques in preparing for meets and also while competing.
Before the meet he will visualize the competition, working to correct flaws from his previous meet. Each day Carter works on a particular phase of his motion, until the day of the meet when he puts it all together.
“I step into the (shotput) ring and I find something to focus on, like a crack in the cement,” Carter said. “I keep staring at it all through my throw. It keeps me from rushing the throw.
“I don’t know if its all that philosophical, but it works.”
TOP PERFORMERS
Brian Criss of Servite drove in two runs with a double in the Friars’ 8-3 victory over Esperanza on Tuesday. He had 2 hits and 2 RBIs Saturday, as Servite defeated St. Paul, 5-2, in the Angelus League opener.
Julio Vargas of Santa Ana drove in 7 runs on 3 hits Friday, as the Saints routed Santa Ana Valley Valley, 19-2.
John Cummings of Canyon threw a one-hit shutout Friday with 11 strikeouts as the Comanches defeated Villa Park, 8-0.
David Reedus of Westminster won the 100- and 200-yard events and also anchored the Lions’ 440-yard relay team, which finished first at the Beach Cities meet.
Kaleaph Carter
Edison High School
Position: shotput, discus, 120-yard high hurdles.
Height, Weight, Class: 6-0, 210, Sr.
Last Week: Carter won the shotput in the Beach Cities meet with a throw of 61-feet 10 1/2-inches, finished second in the 120 high hurdles and fourth in the discus.
Season: Carter has placed first in the shotput in all five meets he has competed in this year.
