After Jessica Oji of Livingston won the State Group 4 shot put title and threw over 41 feet as a freshman last spring, big things were naturally expected from her in the circle as a sophomore.
To say she blew away all those expectations would be a massive understatement as Oji improved by more than six feet this past winter when she produced one of the greatest seasons for a sophomore in state history.
Oji's indoor season was highlighted by a 47-2.25 bomb at the State Group 4 meet, which placed her No. 6 in the country for the season, is No. 2 in state history indoor history for a sophomore, and is No. 12 in state indoor history. She went on to win the Meet of Champions to finish the season undefeated vs. NJ competition, and she placed fourth at Nike Nationals.
How did Oji hit such big numbers and make such a rapid improvement?
The biggest reason is that she learned to spin, and she combined that technique with a tireless work ethic, and a strong mindset to take her throwing game to a whole other level.
Oji said she's working hard to try to hit 50 feet in the shot this spring, and she has big goals in the discus as well.
NJ MileSplit recently caught up with Oji to get her thoughts on her amazing improvement, how she got started in the sport, her transition from gliding to spinning, the great throwers that she studies, the impressive start to her outdoor season, and a whole lot more.
So lean back in your fancy recliner or grab your favorite spot on the couch and enjoy our latest installment of Feature Friday as we shine the spotlight on Jessica Oji, one of the best throwers in the country.
NJM: You are coming off one of the greatest seasons in NJ history for a sophomore shot put thrower. Your 47-2.25 at the state Group 4 meet placed you No. 6 in the country for the season, is No. 2 in state history indoor history for a sophomore, and is No. 12 in state indoor history.
What's your reaction to how far you threw (your PR had been 41-7 before the season), and the season you had- you were undefeated vs. NJ competition, won the Meet of Champions title, and placed fourth at Nike Nationals?
From where I was last year to where I am right now, the level of growth shown in my performance and confidence has been a surprise to both me and my track team. When I threw 41-7 in my freshmen year, I would have never expected to increase that mark by over 5ft. My season has been everything I wanted and nothing I expected, and that's what really makes me appreciate being part of the LHS track and field community.
I know you started spinning this past indoor season. What made you make the switch to spinning and how much of a difference did that make in reaching such big PR's?
When watching some of the best throwers in the world such as Ryan Crouser, Joe Kovacs, and Chase Ealey, it became apparent that they all had one thing in common: they are spinners. Although there are many great gliders, the spin is the technique most popularly used on both the collegiate and professional level. This is mainly because the spin generates more power due to its ability to allow the thrower to accelerate faster within the circle. I believe this why I started throwing farther this season. Since I am also a discus thrower, I thought that learning the spin in the shot put would also benefit my discus technique.
For those out there who aren't familiar with transitioning from the glide to the spin, tell us how challenging it is to learn the new technique? What makes that transition more difficult than most people think, and how long did it take for you to feel really comfortable spinning?
Transitioning from the glide to the spin was probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my sports career. The sheer amount of time and effort I had to put in, both inside and outside of practice, was immense to say the least. Pretty much any free time I had during the winter season, was spent trying to understand and feel positions in the spin. However, as my coaches Mr. C and GT always tells me, "It takes 10000 reps to master a sport", and I can speak to that.
I know you play goalie for the soccer team, so I'm wondering how much does playing that position help you with your footwork in the circle?
I don't necessarily feel a direct connection between the footwork needed in soccer and the shot put mainly because the rotational movement isn't something I particularly feel on the soccer field. However, in terms of strengthening my ankle stability muscles, and improving my upper to lower body connection, playing soccer has given me the strength and coordination to apply rotational movements without getting hurt.
I saw that you got your outdoor season off to a great start on Wednesday with a huge 100 foot PR and school record of 127-9 in the discus. What are your thoughts on that throw, and what are your goals this season for the shot put and discus?
I entered the competition on Wednesday with the thought that I was going to test the waters in the discus. Prior to the competition, I hadn't gotten a chance to start working on my full spin in the discus because I was preoccupied with my shot put training. My practice throws at the competition didn't look amazing, so it surprised me when my second throw was over 120ft. This throw absolutely blew my mind and also made me realize that with more practice, I could throw even further in the discus. My current goals this season is to throw as far as I possibly can and to contribute to my team's success. I have particularly high hopes for the discus because despite my lack of technique, I was able to perform well. Either way I'm excited to kick off this season and start working hard to achieve my goals of becoming better then I was last season.
When is your next meet?
My next meet is next Monday and it is a dual meet against Columbia, home to one of the best throwers in the state, Madison Stevens.
The state sophomore outdoor record in the shot put is 51-7.75. What are your thoughts on trying to make a run at 50 feet this season and challenging that record?
The 50 foot mark is one of the most difficult milestones to achieve in the shot put event. That being said, my thoughts on whether I will achieve this are still unknown, as I haven't achieved this mark yet. However, I have trust that my team and family will always support me and help me grow to the highest level possible.
Therefore, by Gods grace, I have confidence that I will improve and hopefully hit that 50 foot mark.
What do you consider your greatest strengths as a thrower? What enables you to be so great at what you do?
I believe my greatest strength is having a growth mindset. This mindset allows me to see the opportunities in my challenges and not the challenges in my opportunities. In addition, my willingness to listen to my coaches, paired with an appreciation for the sport, I believe I'm able to put 100% into my performance for myself and for the team.
What do you love the most about the sport of track and field, and what specifically do you enjoy the most about throwing?
When most people think "track and field", I can bet money they wouldn't expect it to be as team centered as it is. From just 2 seasons of track and field, I've learned to love competing as a team just as much as I do for my myself. The idea of points be collected so everybody can win, regardless of how well they perform, is one of the most important aspects of track and field to me. My most fond memories during the 2022 outdoor season consisted of the girls team winning the Essex County Championship, the Essex County Relays and our Super Essex conference title. But to answer why I like throwing so much; it is as simple as, "I like throwing heavy things". I've always favored using my upper body in sports, and throwing has let me express that interest.
Let's rewind the clock. How and why did you first get involved in track and field? And how and why did you start throwing ? How did this all happen?
When I was in my freshmen year of high school, I didn't have a reason to join the track and field team as I have always played soccer and was then playing for the high school and for a soccer club. I also knew very little about throwing because both my brothers were runners. However, the head coach of our track and field program approached me in my gym class and asked me if I wanted join the track team. He said he thought I would be good at throwing, just from watching me throw the football in gym. I accepted the invitation, convinced my parents to let me join, and 3 week late to the season, I was officially part of the LHS track and field team.
When was your first big breakthrough moment when you realized that you could do some great things in this sport?
I believe the first breakthrough moment I had was at the first meet of the season- Dodger town relays. In practice, I had never thrown 30ft. I was throwing consistent 27s and 29s. However, my first throw of the competition was a 31ft throw. I finished that competition with a throw of 33ft. From there on, our shot put relay team was able to secure 1st place and the girls teams won the meet overall. When I realized that I could contribute to the team and our success, I was motivated to become a better athlete.
How much time do you spend watching videos of pro or college throwers, and who do you watch and what have you learned from watching them?
All the time. If I could tell you in just 3 words how much I obsess over watching shot put/discus/javelin competitions, all the time would be spot on. Watching the best throwers in the world has been one of my best sources of knowledge in this sport(my coach is number 1). For example, I experimented with changing the position of the shot put from the front to the back of my neck mainly because Joe Kovacs keeps the shot put pretty much at the back of his neck. I also like to watch throws university for technically analysis videos. These videos provide key terms used to understand positions in the shot put.
What is the most impressive NJ XC/T&F accomplishment you've ever witnessed, and what made it stand out so much to you?
Joshua Huisman's win at the Meet of Champions with a throw of over 61 feet was one of the most impressive feats I have witnessed thus far. What makes this accomplishment so impressive was the fact that he did this in his junior year and it was a PR by 2 feet.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I will most likely be in medical school as I want to work in the healthcare field. As for my career in track and field, I want to throw for as long as I possibly can, whether it be collegiate or post-collegiate.
What advice would you give to younger throwers who are just starting out in the sport?
For throwers just starting out, I would say getting reps in, listening to your coach and educating yourself on the sport of throwing, can get you throwing further the fastest. I believe that if I didn't drill my technique as much as I did, or spend time learning about the shot put, I wouldn't have made a fast improvement.
