Massapequa sophomore Alyssa LeBron a champ in Nassau girls weight throw

One year ago, Alyssa LeBron spent most of her afternoons at home, concentrating on school work and not much else. This year, she spends most of her afternoons meticulously mastering the weight throw.

Monday night, LeBron became a champion. The Massapequa sophomore, a relatively new convert to the life of an indoor track and field athlete, won the Nassau girls Class A weight throw championship with a 40-foot, 7 1/4-inch throw at St. Anthony’s High School.

“I guess I’m good on my feet and getting used to new stuff,” she said. “I’m a quick learner.”

LeBron, who played basketball in middle school, acted on a recommendation from a friend to join the team, and she’s certainly glad she did.

“He said it was going to be good for me,” LeBron said. “So, I decided to try it out.”

Lebron was the best of 11 county championship qualifiers Monday. All 11 threw a 20-pound weight three times in the trials. The top seven advanced to the finals, where they got three more throws each. LeBron’s winning throw came on her fifth attempt.

“I just muscle it through most of the time,” she said. “I kind of just chuck it, because I’m still getting my turns down.”

LeBron said that turning in the circle was the hardest part of learning the event. She began her throws with her back facing the landing area and the weight swinging to her side. LeBron then spins the weight over her head, spins toward the front of the circle, and lets it fly.

“I couldn’t keep my balance,” LeBron said of learning to spin. “I kept trying and I kept falling over . . . I started practicing and doing multiple turns at a time . . .”

Syosset’s Jacob Fishler won the boys Class A competition with a toss of 56-4 ¾, thrown on his sixth attempt. The boys weight is 25 pounds.

“. . . I was really working on having smooth technique,” Fishler said. “It’s all about technique in the weight throw . . . I think I was going faster. How fast you’re going really determines how fast that thing is going to go.”

Hewlett’s Kayley Ragazzini won the girls Class B championship with a toss of 51-¾.