Mellana Soars to National Championships

It takes about four seconds from start to finish. Start, as the javelin thrower begins his takeoff, runs toward the scratch line, and takes a few cross-steps to prepare for the upcoming throw. Stop, as the thrower unleashes his javelin, sends it flying through the air, and stands hopeful yet helpless as the javelin soars further and further away.

These four seconds have had an impact on the life of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School senior javelin thrower Frankie Mellana unlike any other.

Mellana's javelin career started innocuously enough. He started throwing only two years ago. And at last spring's sectional tournament, he threw a reasonable, but not exceptional, 147 feet, five inches.

This season, however, is much different. Mellana clinched individual titles at the Union County Championships on May 15, the East Coast Relays on May 17, and the North 2, Group III NJSIAA Sectional Championships on May 22. And perhaps most notably, Mellana qualified for and will participate in the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. on Friday.

As impressive as Mellana's achievements are as a thrower, it is his individual turnaround that has illuminated his character as a person. "I didn't really care about school and I didn't try hard," he said, "but then, I just found something I was good at."

"He had all this energy, but he couldn't channel it," said Joe Lee, 36, Mellana's personal throwing coach and the assistant throwing coach at Ramapo College of New Jersey, where Mellana will be attending next spring. "Now, with javelin in his life, he can."

And he certainly has. The 5-foot-8-inch, 200-pound Mellana spends three hours every day working out at the gym, an activity that he said he "couldn't go without." It's no wonder that a picture of Mellana will soon hang on a wall in the Muscle Maker Grill, the small eatery at the RWJ Rahway Fitness and Wellness Center in Scotch Plains.

"Last year, he wasn't half as strong as he is now," said SPFHS junior Michael Tufaro, who paired with Mellana to take first place in the relay event at the East Coast Relays.

Yet, hitting the gym has not only been about physical improvement. "Javelin has given him the direction to want to better himself and his personal appearance," said his mother, Nancy, 45. "Now, when he puts his mind to things, he accomplishes them."

It's no surprise that the no-nonsense Mellana, who said that he "absolutely hates making excuses," is quick to brush off his exhausting workout regimen. "You can be the strongest man in the world, but if you don't have the right [throwing] technique, you won't get anywhere."

Mellana's father, Frank, 47, understands his son's mentality. "He's really pleased with the success, but he still wants something extra," he said. "He puts a lot of demands on himself because he wants to throw that much further."

Though Mellana's personal record of 199 feet, five inches is more than fifty feet further than the next-best Raider thrower's mark, Mellana and his coaches are unwilling to settle for less than the best. "My form is still way off," Mellana said, "but athletes in the Olympics are still working on their form, too."

"[Frankie's] advantage is that he's one of the biggest kids out there; he's jacked and he's got explosiveness," said Kaleb Zuidema, a junior javelin thrower at Midland Park High School and, with a personal record of 224 feet, 1 inch, the state champion in javelin. "If he works on his technique, he'll put up great numbers next year at Ramapo."

"Last year, he had one technique. This year, he has another," said SPFHS throwing coach Ken Hernandez, 36. "He's really still in his infancy as a javelin thrower. He's still fine-tuning things like grip, delivery, and approach. And for a kid like Frankie, when things start clicking…he can [improve] by leaps and bounds."

Lee agreed. He said he is especially impressed by Mellana's mentality toward the sport. "He wants to be great, and he's opened up his mind to it. He has educated himself as to how to become a javelin thrower," he said. "He's become a real student of it."

Yet, the student is also quick to act as a teacher to his teammates. "I can honestly say that I have learned everything I know about javelin from Frank," Tufaro said. "He's just a great teacher and so passionate about it."

"His dedication to the javelin was contagious," Hernandez said. "He makes it look so easy, so it made everyone else believe that they could do it."

Mellana acknowledged his role as a leader on the team. "I go out there every day and practice. Hopefully, [my teammates] can see that I'm determined and get something out of it."

At this point, however, Mellana is the only team member whose season has not concluded, as he prepares for the national competition, which takes place in two days. He eclipsed the 170-foot mark needed to qualify early in the season. "I'm most happy about just getting there, getting to throw with the best guys in a big stadium. It's really an honor," he said.

Both Hernandez and Lee believe that Mellana has the ability to break his boundaries in the upcoming championships. "If he's hitting on all cylinders, he can definitely break 200," Hernandez said.

Lee feels that the rubber surface, as opposed to a grass surface, can help Mellana get off to a "faster and more efficient run-up" and throw even further. "If he gets used to the rubber and it's a great day, he'll go over 210," he said.

The top six throwers will be honored as All-Americans, and Lee believes that with positive conditions, Mellana can place in the top five.

While the results may be variable, some things will remain certain. Before he throws, Mellana will remain isolated from the other throwers with his iPod headphones in his ears, blasting music from Metallica, Disturbed and, his favorite band, Killswitch Engage. "He separates himself physically to prepare himself mentally. He gets himself into a moment of intensity right before he throws," Hernandez said.

Second, Mellana will be wearing a specific pair of black socks, black shorts, and a Phiten-brand armband. "Javelin throwers are very superstitious," he said.

And third, while Mellana's father will be accompanying him at the national championships, Nancy will remain home. "[Frank] might not admit it, but the reason his mother doesn't come to the meets is because it makes Frank nervous," Lee said.

"Sometimes, family members can distract. If you make a mistake and then look up and see a parent, it makes you think, 'Oh my God, how could I have done that?' I completely understand that," Nancy said. But even an understanding parent can't always resist the urge to see his or her child succeed; Nancy successfully found a hiding place with a clear view of the throwers at the sectional meet and managed to remain unseen by Mellana.

While success at the New Balance Nationals would be a monumental achievement for Mellana, his future looks bright regardless of the results. Next spring, he will permanently transfer from Union County College, which will attend in the fall, to Ramapo College, where he will compete on the track and field team under Lee.

And, when the topic of the future arises, so too does the possibility of qualifying for Olympic Trials, which requires a throw of 230 feet. "If he's in the right environment—which he will be at Ramapo—he can do it," Lee said.

Based on Mellana's turnaround, his determination, and his will power, "he can do it" seems the dominant theme for Mellana's future.

"Javelin gave him the boost of self-worth, which he did not know. It gave him the ability to be his own person—a sense that he can achieve anything," Nancy said.

Frank Sr. agreed. "I think Frank has seen and now understands how hard work, determination, and perseverance are so important in life, and I know that's come from the javelin."