Garfield's Edith Svonavec - Well Prepared and Determined to Compete at All Levels

Edith Svonavec

Garfield  2015

Discus  139-5

  • 126-0 3rd  2014 OHSAA State Track and Field Championship      

Shot Put  47-6

  • 45-0.25     6th    2014          New Balance Outdoor Nationals         
  • 45-6.75     1st     2014         OHSAA State Track and Field Championship        
  • 46-2.75     5th     2014         New Balance Nationals Indoor  
  • 44-7.25     1st     2014         OATCCC Indoor State Championship   
  • 43-4          12th   2013         New Balance Outdoor Nationals              
  • 45-9.5       2nd    2013         OHSAA State Track and Field Championship        
  • 42-6.5       2nd    2013         OATCCC Indoor State Championship 
  • 41-2.25     4th     2012         OHSAA State Track and Field Championship

OhioMileSplit:  You currently stand atop the National MileSplit rankings for all Indoor Shot Put returners  with your 5th place throw last year at the NBNI Championships.  Your recent throw of 42-7.75 at the early Tiffin meet has you ranked 7th Nationally in this early Indoor season.  You are Ohio’s current D2 State Champion in the shot, both indoors and outdoors.  As a Senior this year, how do you view yourself as the leading returner, not only in D2, but in the State?  Is there any additional pressure on you to perform?

Edie:   I view myself as well-prepared, determined and hopeful to compete on all levels. Yes, there is a lot more pressure on me this year because its the whole Nation watching me, not just the state of Ohio.

OhioMileSplit:  As I look at your career thus far, your concentration is on the Shot Put.  You were third in the State last year in the D2 Discus with a throw of 126-0, and you do not participate in the Indoor Weight throw.  Why is the Shot Put your favorite?

Edie:   The shot put has always been my favorite event because it is the event I started out with first in eighth grade and also because two of my siblings (Jesse and Eliza) both threw shot put in high school. Also, throwing the shot put gives me a better feeling and I am better at the technique for some reason. Discus is not my favorite because I do not think I have the best body type for it. My technique is different when I switch to a lighter implement because I am a bigger girl.

OhioMileSplit:  When did you first start to throw the shot?  Did you throw in Middle School?  

Edie:   I started throwing the shot in 8th grade. I threw both shot put and discus, but I did not start to really learn discus until freshman year.

OhioMileSplit:  You use the spin technique in the ring becoming a rotational thrower, rather than the glide technique.  Have you always used this technique? What difficulties did you encounter in learning this technique?  Where do you position the shot?  How important is shot position?

Edie:   I have not always used the technique. Eighth grade year I used the glide technique. The whole technique is very difficult to master. Mainly mastering the balance and the use of your lower body is the hardest thing to learn. I position the shot on the right side of my neck and I also place the shot on my fingers and that helps me get a good flick on the shot put. The positioning of the shot put is very important because it causes the shot to come off of your hand in a good flicking motion which helps propel the implement.

OhioMileSplit:  What is your starting stance in the ring?

Edie:   Since I am a rotational thrower, I start my stance in the back of the ring. Facing the back of the ring with my feet shoulder width apart.

OhioMileSplit:  Movement, balance, and tempo are very important as a rotational thrower.  Probably more so than just power and position.  How do you control the rhythm of your spin?

Edie:   I control the rhythm of my spin by practicing a lot! We do a lot of drills everyday that help me with my balance and torque. My tempo starts out slow to fast. Slow out of the back, and fast and explosive when I hit the middle.

OhioMileSplit:  What type of drills do you use to establish moving balance in your movement?

Edie:  We do 360 drills for balance out of the back of the ring. For balance over the right leg in the middle of the ring, we do wheel drills. Then we add it all together and I do a drill that we call the pause drill, this drill is where I stand at the back of the ring, wind, pause over my left leg, sweep my right leg/hip around to the middle of the ring and snap it down (wrap and snap) and then in my power position, I grind through the ring with my right leg and clear and block into my throw.

OhioMileSplit:  You mentioned that you do 360 degree drills to help develop your balanced rotation positions.  Do you do 180 degree drill as well?

Edie:    We normally do 360 drills to warm up with and then we do our other drills after the 360 drills. We do not do the 180 drills anymore because my coach Jim Pfleger does not find it necessary.

OhioMileSplit: Let’s talk some about your workouts throughout the season.  What are your preseason workouts?

Edie:  Preseason workouts include a lot of Westside barbell and German volume training. We do a lot of Louie Simmons lifting plans because he is a very skilled lifter and my coach and I are big fans of him. We also add in things in the weight room that help improve my throws, for example: Reverse Hyperextensions, Jammer machine, and plate twists.  (More on Louie Simmons & West Side Barbell)

OhioMileSplit: What are your competitive season workouts?  Take us through a typical week with a competition on Saturday.

Edie:  Competitive season workouts still consist of Louie Simmons workouts. We just do more reactive workouts to stay explosive throughout the season. Sets go down, while reps increase. When we have a competition on a Saturday, the week before we take it easy, but we still drill hard and we still lift reactively.

OhioMileSplit: Do you do any running or cardio workouts?

Edie:  We don't really run, for cardio we lift and do ab workouts. 

OhioMileSplit:  Do you visualize your throws?

Edie:  Yes, a lot of the time visualizing my throws and technique is the best way for me to focus on what I need to do and to help me do it. It makes a huge difference in competition if I visualize my throws the night before.

OhioMileSplit:  How much time do you spend on each event during a typical weeks practice?

Edie:  I spend anywhere from 2-4 hours everyday practicing my sport. We leave time for drills, throws and lifting everyday.

OhioMileSplit: What are your goals for this Indoor Season and Outdoor Season, including the Post Season?

Edie:  My goals for both indoor and outdoor is to win the State Championship, and to win the National Championship in the shot put. Post season goals are to keep my throws up and go big in the weight room to get ready to become a Miami Hurricane after graduation.

OhioMileSplit:  Thanks so much for your time Edie.  We will look forward to watching you throw this indoor season and outdoors.