Moser’s Arm Could Take Him Far in the Discus, Shotput

What happens when the defending state discus champion teams with one of the best discus and shotput coaches in the area?

You see success in ridiculous proportions.

Just look at what Huntington Beach senior Scott Moser has accomplished this season.

Saturday, Moser dominated the field at the Trabuco Hills Track and Field Invitational, winning with a throw of 198 feet 6 inches, more than 10 feet ahead of his nearest competitor.

And that wasn’t even his best effort this season.

Moser posted a monstrous mark of 206-2 in a Sunset League dual meet March 27 against Edison. That throw is second only to Capistrano Valley’s Brian Blutreich, a 1992 Olympian who threw 210-8 in 1985, still a state and county record.

And Moser, who is 6 feet 3, 220 pounds, should only get better.

“I’m working on trying to be more consistent,” Moser said. “I don’t want that [206-foot throw] to be a one-shot deal.”

That shouldn’t be a problem considering he gets to work daily with Huntington Beach assistant track coach Tony Ciarelli, who is considered to be one of Orange County’s top shotput and discus coaches.

Ciarelli left Newport Harbor, where he was an assistant football and track coach for nine years, to accept the head football coaching job and help with the track team at Huntington Beach, his alma mater.

At Huntington Beach last season without Ciarelli, Moser still won the state discus championship with a throw of 185-7. But Ciarelli can claim some of the credit.

“I went to his throwing clinics my sophomore and junior years,” Moser said.

And that began a relationship and unusual teaching arrangement.

Ciarelli’s wife, Stephanie, works as the strength coach at Huntington Beach. On a few occasions, she videotaped Moser throwing the discus during practice and brought the tapes home to her husband.

He then analyzed Moser’s throws, then sent coaching pointers with his wife back to Moser.

“Now, it’s great having him right there to point out everything and how I can improve,” Moser said. “It was the best possible thing that could happen.”

After topping out around 186 feet at the end of last season, Moser now routinely throws 195 feet in practice.

And his early successes have Ciarelli surprised and excited.

“You don’t expect anyone to go out and set their [personal record] by over 20 feet,” Ciarelli said. “And that throw came so early in the season when we’ve really been working the kids hard in the weight room and on the track, so they should be pretty fatigued.”

Ciarelli added that Moser’s performance should peak at the end of the season when he’ll be better rested and the top competition will challenge him in the top meets.

“A state record is well within reach for Scott,” Ciarelli said. “And if everything goes right, he might have a shot at the national record too.”

But Ciarelli pointed out that they’ll also need a little luck.

“In the discus, if you’re throwing into a good head wind, it holds the discus up and you can get 5% more distance,” Ciarelli said. “And for a record-breaking throw, everything would have to be perfect.”

Everything has been near-perfect so far this season.

Moser also has enjoyed newfound success in the shotput as well. He recently set his PR in the shotput, 56-3, besting his old mark by four feet.

“I never really concentrated much on the shotput before,” Moser said. But with Ciarelli’s guidance, Moser is showing 60-foot potential in the shotput and 200-plus potential in the discus.

Those abilities have recruiters drooling, and Moser said he is considering North Carolina, Georgia, UCLA and California among others.

But for now, Moser is focusing on his senior season and adapting to Ciarelli’s teaching style. Moser said Ciarelli wants him to emulate Kamy Keshmiri, the high school national record-holder. Reno (Nev.) High’s Keshmiri set the record of 225-2 in 1987.

“Coach made a videotape with these great throwers making the same throw, 20 times in a row. The tape is about 10 minutes long and I’m supposed to watch it every night before I go to sleep. Coach just tells me, ‘Be like Kamy, be like Kamy.’

“I don’t really think about how far I am going to throw the discus anymore. I just know now that he’s going to help me throw as far as I possibly can.”