It was just a few days after the prep track and field season ended and Bellaire soon-to-be senior Megan Green had just earned all-Ohio accolades in the shot put.

She was ready for a short break and anxious to enjoy her summer before starting volleyball preparations, which began early last week.

Well, her mom caught wind of the Junior Olympic competition and convinced her daughter to enter.

It was a decision that was well-worth it.

Green recently made the trip to Detroit to part in the AAU Junior Olympic Nationals and finished eighth in the shot put, launching the iron ball to a mark of 40-ft-10, which was a personal best.

The reason for Green’s reason to enter was simple.

“I was excited to do it because it was a chance to see some different competition, and I didn’t think anyone else from around here would be taking part,” Green said. “

The Lady Big Reds’ ace also took part in the discus competition at the national level and settled for a 17th place finish.

To become an all-American, Green had to go through three levels of competition. The first round was held at Solon High School near Cleveland. She then had go through Canton before heading off to Michigan.

“I really didn’t even practice for it,” Green said. “I think maybe once for the shot put, and I threw discus a couple of times.”

There were 37 competitors in the national shot put competition, but when the event was in the district level there were some 350 competitors vying for a spot.

“I am taking some time off track and doing volleyball now,” Green said.

While the focus is on spikes and serves now for Green, she is already thinking about spring 2009 when she competes in track and field once again.

“I am hoping to set some records,” Green said. “I would like to throw in the 43’s, and I think it’s attainable, but in the discus I will have to work even harder.”

After volleyball, Green is still debating on whether or not she’ll enter any indoor track meets to help prepare herself for the rigors of the outdoor season.

“I might go to a few meets down at Marietta,” Green said. “I will do a lot of lifting and just train for the season.”

While excelling in both the discus and shot put, Green admits that she likes the shot put better.

“I feel like I am better at shot put, and I don’t get as nervous throwing the shot put as I do the discus,” Green offered.

As for her post-high school plans, Green hopes to be able to continue her track and field career at the collegiate level.

MORE HONORS

FOR MORGAN

Name the award and Stephanie Morgan has captured it. She was named to the USA Today All-USA Track and Field Team recently. She’s listed in the 1500 meter run with a time of 4:21.52 and in the mile at 4:41.22.

She was also named Ohio High’s Female Track Athlete of the Year in the recent edition of the Ohio prep sports magazine.

JUNIOR HIGH

STANDOUT

Cody Frey – a freshman to be at Bridgeport High School – received the honor of Division III Ohio Track and Field Male Athlete of the Year at the junior high level. He received his award at the Middle School State Track and Field Championships at Pickerington North.

NEW OVAC

TRACK FORMAT

While it’s a little less than two years away and still has to receive clearance of hurdles, the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference is exploring changing the format for the conference track and field championship.

The conference is looking at crowning a true OVAC champion among the four classes in all 18 events. How they will go about that is compete as normal at Shadyside and Bellaire, but the meets will be on Monday and Wednesday and Tuesday and Thursday. The top four finishers in each event by class will then advance to Saturday’s championship round.

During the Saturday meet, all 16 places will be scored, which will still be the method to determine the class team champions. There will be two heat finals of the races seeded on times from the two days at the smaller sites.

That’s the basic logistic of the format, which was designed by Shadyside resident Butch Joseph, who’s long been one of the staples of Ohio Valley Track and Field. There’s been a committee formed, which meets to tweak the format and look further into the event.

The idea will be officially presented to the track coaches during their March mandatory meeting.

Personally, as a track and field aficiando this could develop into one of the conference’s best events. Just thinking about some of the events and matchups that could come from this makes you want to skip the fall and winter and jump right into track and field.

The track and field community is a tight-knit group and hopefully this gets done because it’s got a legitimate chance to be something very, very special.

CROSS COUNTRY

The Times Leader’s annual Cross Country preview will be published Aug. 24 and will contain previews on all local cross country teams.

Staskey can be reached at sstaskey@timesleaderonline.com