Nine days after winning the discus at the New Jersey Meet of Champions, Sam Mattis was ready to take on the best the rest of the country had to offer.
The East Brunswick High junior did just fine.
Mattis won the discus while competing at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina on June 18. His throw of 197' 4" was over 14 feet further than anyone else in the competition. Kyle Long of Pennsylvania placed second with a distance of 182' 9".
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"It was one of my best throws, probably in the top ten," Mattis noted. "It was not my greatest, but it was good. I'm satisfied."
Mattis' best throw was the 207' 2" he recorded while winnng The Meet of Champions on June 9. Mattis will go into his senior year at East Brunswick in September as a two-time state champion. Now, he can add National champion as well.
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"Being a National champion is weird," Mattis said. "I don't know quite how to explain it. It's a mixture of pride, happiness and a sense of satisfaction."
Mattis had planned to continue his season into this weekend when he was supposed to take part in the World Youth Track and Field Trials in South Carolina. Mattis was looking to earn a spot on the United States team that will be competing in France in July.
"I was going to go, but they want me to stay in South Carolina for two and a half weeks and then go to France," Mattis noted. "That's probably not going to happen. It's just too much time and money."
Just this past weekend, Mattis had to be driven the 18-hour round trip to North Carolina by his mother. There were gas, food and hotel costs.
For Mattis to be able to go to South Carolina, he'd probably need a phone call and a check from Donald Trump.
"Yeah, that's about right," Mattis laughed. "Unless Donald Trump calls, my season is over."
But what a year it was.
"I won it (the National championship) as a junior," Mattis noted. "I think that's a good way to end my season."
Then again, the way Mattis sees it, his season is never quite over. Every fraction of an inch Mattis threw the discus farther than anyone else was earned with sweat in July, August, September . . .
"I might take a little time off, but I'll be training in the summer and fall to get ready for the winter and spring track seasons," Mattis said.
"My dad always says all the work is done in the off-season. The season is just when you get a chance to show all of that hard work."
