Saints’ Brady Mider determined to go the distance

Track & Field coverage presented by ATT Sports, Inc.

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

The excitement comes out in a whirlwind of sentences. Jokes, praise, anticipation. It’s as if Maurice Lea can’t believe he has another athlete of this caliber to coach.

Lea remembers the first time he saw Brady Mider. Berks Catholic’s throws guru was told the Saints had an up-and-coming freshman. The natural reaction was to not expect much. Some raw power maybe. Something to mold.

“You’re not going to go in there and say, ‘Oh my goodness, he’s technically sound,’ ” Lea said. “But that’s what it was. He was hitting all the buttons.”

From there, higher expectations were born. Mider had the size, strength and technique. That much was obvious. What Lea learned was Mider also had an irrepressible drive. Throwing was his thing. He was going to pour all of his energy into it.

The sophomore decided to stop playing basketball and focus on track and field. He’s delivering marks not often seen at his age.

“I just love throwing,” Mider said. “I love the competition. I love to lift. There’s no cardio. You just kind of get in there and throw as far as you can. Just heave it.”

Mider reached 55-3 in the shot put and 149-9 in the discus at the William H. Firing Meet at Shillington last weekend. He finished second to Wyomissing’s Jven Williams in both events.

Some years Mider would have been the runaway champion in the county, the prohibitive favorite in District 3 Class 2A and a contender for PIAA gold. This spring he happens to be behind Williams, one of Berks’ all-time greats.

As Mider settled into the circle for one of his throws at Firing, an opposing coach said, “There’s next year’s champion.” If Williams — a Penn State football recruit who may enroll early — isn’t around next spring, it’s hard to argue otherwise.

“Hopefully,” Mider said. “It just means the hard work is paying off. People know my name. I’m not lost behind Jven. They know that I’m here and I’m pretty good at throwing.”

Lea had the privilege of coaching Brandon George and Keeley Suzenski three years ago. George was a PIAA silver medalist in the discus. Suzenski set the county shot put record and won state gold.

It figured to be a long time until the next star thrower put on that black and gold uniform. Then came Mider. He was waiting for his turn.

“It’s a blessing,” Lea said. “To get someone like that who wants to come in and really grow, put everything into his throws and work to get better all the time. Without ego. Without his head getting in the way. None of that stuff. He just wants to get better.”

Mider is the No. 2 district qualifier in the shot put behind Williams, who at 61-10 is 8.25 inches off the county record. No one else in the field has even topped 47. Mider ranks third in the district in the discus.

Discovering the throws was a happenstance. Mider went to Garage Strength, where many of the top athletes train, when a competition was taking place. He watched former Kutztown standout Luke Warning at work and chatted with owner and county record holder Dane Miller.

Mider decided to give it a try. He didn’t know it was going to become such a passion. Progress came quickly. He was a two-time district medalist and a state qualifier in the shot put as a freshman. Lea couldn’t stop praising Mider’s effort and attention to detail.

“Every day he’s there,” Lea said. “Every day he’s on. Every day he wants it.”

Mider’s goals keep expanding. He’s trying to reach 60 in the shot put, rarefied air that’s only occupied by four Berks throwers, and 170-plus in the discus. He wants to win state gold. Only Suzenski and former javelin standout Matt Reinhart have done that at Berks Catholic.

All of the ingredients are there. Lea recognized that the first time he watched Mider.

“Brady can do whatever he wants to do in the circle,” Lea said. “Any numbers that are out there. Talent is a beautiful thing to have. If you have no work ethic, it isn’t going to make a bit of a difference. He goes to work every day.”

Gold medals are certain to follow. Next year’s champion is already here.