Geist leaves world, state and meet marks in the dust
Jordan Geist has set six state records, one world record and more meet records than even he can count.
He has nicknames, too. Lots of nicknames. His reputation as a prodigious thrower of the shot put, discus, hammer and weight follows the 18-year-old Cabot native and Knoch graduate everywhere he goes — even to California at the USA Track and Field Championships, where former Olympians knew his name.
He's quirky, just as apt to crack a joke while wearing a Taylor Swift T-shirt than heave a shot put 70-plus feet.
When he's not setting records and building a resume that more seasoned throwers would clamor for, he retreats to the solace of his room to “play with my phone” to get a respite from the attention.
However, when it comes time to compete, a steely glare comes over Geist's face. When the adrenaline kicks in, sometimes no throwing sector can hold him.
One would think Geist would have a legion of coaches and an entourage to help him prepare for meets, like the biggest one of his burgeoning career that will take place in Peru at the Pan American Junior Games later this month.
But on this warm June afternoon, it's just him, his mother and throwing coach Judy Geist, three shot puts and his own devices.
He heaves one with a grunt and makes the slow walk through the gravel of the sector to retrieve it.
It's in those quiet moments when he makes his way from the throwing circle to where the shot put has landed, sometimes as far as 70 feet away, that he contemplates what he has accomplished so far in the sport and what he still wants to accomplish in the future.
Between throws, Geist talked about a wide range of topics — even singer Taylor Swift.
QUESTION: Everywhere you throw now you get big crowds. How do you deal with that kind of atmosphere?ANSWER: It's really a cool feeling, especially once you learn how to embrace it. It's just a really cool thing.QUESTION: Does a big crowd pump you up, give your throws a little extra life?ANSWER: I think so, yeah. We kind of feed off each other. We were down in South Carolina and the crowd wasn't really that into it. I had a pretty good throw and they started getting more and more into it and they just kept building each round. On my final throw I had a pretty good throw. Just the better I do, the better they do.QUESTION: Those people who watch you throw have no idea how much work goes into this, do they?ANSWER: (Chuckling) So much work.QUESTION: Both of your parents (Jim Geist and Judy Whalen-Geist) were throwers in college. How did they help you?ANSWER: They knew all the right drills to do. It ended up being a good thing in the long run.QUESTION: When did you start?ANSWER: When I was 8, but at that age it just seemed boring and made me want to quit because they made me do drills before I could throw. But looking back on it, it couldn't have been any better, really. We built a very good foundation early on.Your mom and dad were very good throwers (both inducted into the Slippery Rock University Hall of Fame). Did you realize how good they actually were when you were growing up?I knew that they threw in college, but I didn't know what All-American standard was, how good they actually were until I got into high school. My dad always said he was a four-time All-American and I was like, “Oh, big deal.” Once I got to the high school level and realized how hard it is to do that, I kind of appreciated it more.What's the best advice they have given you?Pretty much to just trust what you're doing and in the long run it'll work out. It's a very frustrating thing to do, especially this season because every week I wanted to throw far, wanted to throw over 80 feet.What does it mean to you to know you'll be representing USA in the Pan Am Junior Games?That's really cool, something I've always wanted to do. I tried out the past two years as well and unfortunately I wasn't able to make it. But this year, finally, I was able to make the team. I'm really looking forward to being able to represent the country.How did you feel when you realized you had made the U.S. team?It was pretty much the monkey-off-my-back kind of thing. I was really close last year — they take the top two and I was third. Once I threw my big throw in the fifth round that got me on the team, it was just a big sigh of relief and I was able to enjoy the competition more.Coming so close last year must have been tough. How did that motivate you this time around?It was my main motivation. That and losing at Nationals by 2 1/2 inches. I just remembered what it was like to not make the team and didn't want to feel that again.When you are getting ready to throw, what's going through you mind?I try to not think about anything. I try to keep my mind clear.That must be a challenge.It's really tough, especially this last week. It was my fifth throw and I wasn't on the team. There was so much going through my head like the thought of not making the team again. Thankfully I was able to clear my mind and make the team this year.What was it like mingling with former Olympic throwers in Sacramento last weekend? Talk to any of them?I got to talk to quite a few of them. They were all very supportive. They were like, “Hey, you have nothing to lose today. Go after it. Do your best. Have fun with it.” I was able to have fun with it, even though I didn't do my best.You've had such a steady climb to your career. How did you handle that setback (finishing 16th with the 16-pound shot at the USATF Outdoor Nationals)?It's like I said before, I have to trust the process. I only had a week to throw the 16-pound (shot put) before the competition. Once we get into college (University of Arizona), it'll be all about trying to improve how I throw the 16-pound ball.What's the best advice the former Olympians gave you?I'm too young to be worried about making these teams now, especially as a high schooler. It was a lot of good advice and I appreciated it.What's something no one would ever know about a thrower?(Shows hands, right much bigger than the left). Can you tell what I hand I throw with? These are thrower hands.Anything you want to say to Taylor Swift?(Laughing) Nothing. She's been bad luck for me so far and hasn't given me a shout-out. I don't know, Taylor, your days are numbered.Is the Taylor Swift shirt retired then?(Laughing) Until she hits me up, I think so.
