An investment in the future Track star's success a distant trek.Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News Colin Veldman didn't have any second thoughts about leaving Utah State and a track and field scholarship last May to attend Moorpark College Moorpark College is a California-state funded community college located on a 134 acre (542,000 m²) property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. . The day after his last final exam Noun 1. final exam - an examination administered at the end of an academic term final examination, final exam, examination, test - a set of questions or exercises evaluating skill or knowledge; "when the test was stolen the professor had to make a new set of at Utah State, Veldman packed his bags and made the 800-mile drive from Logan, Utah Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 42,670, a substantial increase over the 1990 figure of 32,771. The estimated population in 2006 had increased to 47,660. , to Moorpark to begin preparations for the 2005 season. ``It was a journey,'' Veldman said. ``I was moving out of a place that I was comfortable with but I was ready for something new. It was the best thing for me.'' And for Moorpark College. Veldman is the latest hammer prodigy for coach Bob MacKay. The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Veldman is on pace to become Moorpark's fifth consecutive state junior college champion in the event. At the Fullerton Invitational in·vi·ta·tion·al adj. Restricted to invited participants: an invitational golf tournament. n. An event, especially a sports tournament, restricted to invited participants. Adj. 1. last weekend, Veldman won the hammer and discus discus /dis·cus/ (dis´kus) pl. dis´ci [L.] disk. dis·cus n. pl. dis·ci A flat circular surface; a disk. discus pl. disci [L.] 1. with career bests of 204-0 and 182-5 for the state's best junior college mark this season. Veldman has improved nearly 50 feet in hammer and almost 25 feet in the discus. ``You could see the potential to throw 200 feet but I didn't expect it to happen so early,'' MacKay said. ``He is extremely motivated to compete at a high level.'' It hasn't come without sacrifice. In addition to relinquishing his scholarship at Utah State, Veldman has to pay out-of-state tuition of $5,000 to enroll at Moorpark. ``The way I look at it was an opportunity to push for new goals,'' Veldman said. ``I thought it's one year and $5,000. In the next couple of years, it will pay itself off if I can go to school for two more years for free.'' It's practically a done deal after his performance against four-year college competitors at Fullerton. He has made a verbal commitment to attend Oregon but has also attracted interest from Washington, UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX and USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. . Veldman credits MacKay, whose son Lucais MacKay was the 2003 NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association hammer champion and set a national junior college hammer record at Moorpark in 2002, for his success this season. ``I definitely knew I would have some improvements but I didn't think it would be this far,'' Veldman said. A large part of Veldman's improvement has been his transformation from a two-turn spin in the hammer ring to four turns for added momentum on the release of the 16-pound steel ball connected to the end of a cable. Veldman first met MacKay while attending Fort Collins High in his native Colorado at the Iron Wood Throwing Development Camp in Spokane, Wash. ``Coach Mac looks at every thrower individually and learns what works for me,'' said Veldman, who placed fifth in the discus in the Colorado 5A state meet as a high school senior in 2002. ``He is very patient and I think that's one of the reasons why the program is so successful.'' Veldman placed eighth in the discus in the 2003 Big West Conference championships as a Utah State freshman, but he redshirted the 2004 season after having arthroscopic surgery Arthroscopic Surgery Definition Arthroscopic surgery is a procedure to visualize, diagnose, and treat joint problems. The name is derived from the Greek words arthron, which means joint, and skopein, which means to look at. to repair a torn rotator cuff rotator cuff n. A set of muscles and tendons that secures the arm to the shoulder joint and permits rotation of the arm. Also called musculotendinous cuff. and cartilage cartilage (kär`təlĭj), flexible semiopaque connective tissue without blood vessels or nerve cells. It forms part of the skeletal system in humans and in other vertebrates, and is also known as gristle. on the back side of his (right) throwing shoulder. The time away from track gave Veldman an opportunity to contemplate his options for 2005. Moorpark was the logical choice after failing to receive a release from his scholarship at Utah State and insufficient credits to transfer to another four-year university. ``I was a little apprehensive about coming to a junior college in California,'' Veldman said. ``I had a scholarship at a Division I school, but I've known Coach Mac in the past and decided it would be a good fit. This would be the easiest way to get to another school.'' It didn't take long for Veldman to fit in at Moorpark where he shares an apartment with teammate and fellow hammer thrower Tommy Sugishita, who has the No. 2 mark in the state this year. Veldman and Sugishita have helped Moorpark (10-0) extended its dual meet win streak to 77 this season. ``A big part of it is coach Mac and the confidence he has in you,'' Veldman said. ``I keep pushing myself and my teammates push me. The whole team gets a long and works hard that's a big reason why Moorpark does so well.'' The addition of Veldman certainly hasn't hurt. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Colin Veldman has helped Moorpark College extend its dual-meet win streak to 77. Tina Burch/Staff Photographer |
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