Thrower Brobeck eyes better day

By Eric Hamilton

With more rest, she hopes to top her discus and shot put throws from last year.

Salem High thrower Sarah Brobeck had just one goal when competing in the 2007 Optimist Meet at Fitch High: stay awake.

After attending her school’s prom and after-prom festivities the night before, she shuffled into the meet after sleeping for less than hour.

“I was tired,” Brobeck said. “I slept like 45 minutes because the after-prom was all night. But I did OK and the meet was fun — from what I can remember of it.”

Brobeck was able to fight off the need for a nap to finish third in the discus and seventh in the shot put.

Come Saturday at Falcons Stadium, she’ll look to top those efforts when she competes in the 2008 Optimist Meet. And this year, Brobeck expects to more rested.

“Prom is still the night before, but I plan on getting more sleep,” said the 2007 state placer in the discus (third) and shot put (eighth). “I asked to come to the Optimist because these big meets are important in preparing for our league meet and districts.

“It will be nice to compete against some of the best athletes around. I usually throw against a lot of the same girls at local meets, so this will be a good challenge.”

Brobeck has proved her mettle in big meets this season, by defeating some the state’s top competition. Last week at the Poland Invitational, she defeated 2007 Division I runner-up Melissa Dodaro to win the discus. Brobeck also finished third in the shot put.

“Physically, she looks very strong,” said Brobeck of Dodaro. “I knew it would come down to how well I threw and how well she threw. It was a good experience.”

Brobeck has already eclipsed the distances she threw at last year’s state meet - 129-10 in discus and 37-9.5 in the shot put. She’s happy with how she’s feeling going into Saturday’s Optimist and the postseason. Her focus this weekend will be improving her numbers in the shot put.

“I really need to PR in the shot on Saturday,” said Brobeck, who signed a letter-of-intent to compete at Wake Forest next year. “I’ve been shaky all season in the shot, but got off some good numbers in the discus. I need to get off a good first throw to take some pressure off.”

Brobeck won’t be the only local competitor facing stiff competition. The Optimist, in its 28th year, is considered to be one of the most competitive in the state. According to the meet’s Web site, the meet has included an average of 10 state champions and 45 state placers.

The field will include Division I, II and III teams from northeast Ohio, including several with returning state placers.

Teams include Badger, Boardman, Canfield, Chaney, Chardon, Copley, Cuyahoga Falls, Crestwood, Girard, Canton GlenOak, North Canton Hoover, Howland, Hudson (girls only), Jackson-Milton, Canton McKinley, Maplewood, Poland, Cleveland Rhodes, Salem (girls only), Shaw, Stow, Streetsboro, Struthers, Twinsburg, Wadsworrth, Crestview, East Palestine, Green, Lordstown, Massillon Perry, St. Thomas Aquinas, Tuslaw (girls only), Ravenna Southeast (girls only), Waterloo, Wooster and Newton Falls.

The meet begins Saturday at 9:15 with field events and running preliminaries. The finals should start at roughly noon.