At Neptune HS in NJ, Josh was an outstanding football player and wrestler. He also was the Croup III state champion in the shot put. Josh had a taste of championship track when he participated in the AAU National Junior Olympic Games at the end of his sophomore year as a member of the Northeast All-Stars Track Club. Josh threw 42 feet. He won his flight in the intermediate boys division and thought that would advance him to the finals but soon found out that his was in the lowest flight and only the top eight overall advanced. Josh dedicated himself to the shot put the next year and made the first team All-Shore and third team All-State as a junior throwing consistently in the high fifties. Things got even better in his senior year when he had a personal best of 58’ 2”.
After graduation Josh enrolled in Wagner College because it gave him the best opportunity to both play football and throw the shot. Josh now 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds did both for two years starting at left guard on the football team in the 2001 season. He was the Wagner track MVP his first two years and set the school shot put record of 55ft 5in. He shattered his own record with a throw of 59-4 after his decision to concentrate only on track this year. Josh has been described by his coaches as the most dedicated athlete they have coached. Josh is an outstanding young man and he has been a model student athlete at Wagner and he is an inspiration to our young track and field athletes. Josh is a dedicated member of the Shrewsbury AME Zion Church of Red Band, NJ. His high school and college accomplishments in track and field are chronicled below followed by his personal diary of his journey to the nationals (NCAA).
Neptune HS, NJ (Grad 2000)
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2 time 1st team All-Shore
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1999 3rd team All-State
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2000 Monmouth County Champion
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2000 Group III State Champion
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2000 Personal best 12# SP 58’2”
The following entries were made by me during two of my
meets. The NCAA regional championship
meet in Fairfax, VA at George Mason University. And the NCAA championships @Sacramento State University in
Sacramento, California
5/30/03
3PM
OH how I want to be California-bound. All that runs through my mind is the positions I must hit to acquire victory: “hit the right foot hard, keep it rotating,” as coach Madden, says. He tells me how he knows I’m ready. All I want is a chance to prove to everyone and myself how good I know God can make me. In less than 24 hours I will be competing in the biggest competition of my life. All I have is God and all my training. That should be all I need. With the hopes and prayers of man I want to bring glory to a small school that sits on a hill in Staten Island, New York. I feel as if this is my time that God has given me to exercise the abilities he has endowed me with. After years of hard work through high school and college it is time for me to harness my strength toward victory. Lord, if only I could express to you how grateful I am to you for this great opportunity. All I know to do is to give you everything. Tomorrow around this time I pray you give me the strength to continue what you have me do.
10:45pm
I need to be in the top 5. Only the top five at this meet will be going to nationals. Only the top five from the University of Maine to the University of Miami will go on. I feel like it is now my destiny to do this. Only with the help of God can I do this. If he gives me the ability to do this I will work harder in the next meet to glorify his name even more. “Hit and load up the right leg. Drive hard off of it!” coach Joe would say. I ask for the mental and physical strength to carry out what must be done.
5/31/03
11:31am
There’s nothing more to think about, It is now time to do what I must.
6:19pm
Thank God! God is good. I threw the shot put 18.08m (59’4”), which was a
personal best. I took 4th at regionals. Dorian Scott of Florida State won with a throw of 18.78(61’7”). I’m going to nationals in Sacramento, California. All praise to the lord for coach Madden. I wish I could have kept the two 60 foot throws I had inside and not fouled them.
6/9/03
3:20 pm
It’s over! My last practice of my Junior year in the books forever. I’m not sure what to think. I don’t know if I should think anything. I just want to thank God for the season he gave me. I leave for Sacramento in about 16 hours and I’m not sure what to expect. I think the best thing to me to do is to stick with what I know and go after it. I feel weak and I’m not sure if I’ll get one out there. But I will try. The reality of NCAA’s is hitting me and I’m going to throw as far as I can. Hit positions, hit positions!
6/10/03
8:45pm
In 24 hours I will be taking the circle. I don’t know what to expect. This is the biggest stage I have ever performed on. I think I’m ready. This is for all the months I spent working hard. This is for the summer I spent at school lifting until I thought my muscles would fall off. NCAA’s “the biggest stage on earth”.
6/11/03
4:pm
It’s almost time for me to conclude my Junior year. I don’t know if it will be my last day. I don’t know if I will qualify for finals, but I do know that I’m going to step in that circle tonight for three throws and give it everything I have. All glory to God for that.
6/12/03
8am
It’s the day after. I threw 57’9”, not a bad throw but not good enough to go back to finals which included the top 12 in the nation. I took 17th overall. I can’t say that I have any regrets. But I must say that NCAA’s was the most competitive and intense atmosphere I have ever experienced. The best athletes in America were there. Earlier in the night I sat next to the eventual outdoor shot put champion. Carl Meyerscough. I felt so small next to him. He is 6’10” about 350lbs and solid. I couldn’t believe it. This year came to this meet. Next year with the help of the Lord I will do better at this meet. I’m going to work even harder next year. I will train harder than ever before to get better. I’m going to do whatever it takes to be better next year.