Recent Charger Records
| wdt_ID | Age Group | Event | Name | Record | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F89 | Pole Vault | Quinn Catterson | 4ft 5in | 06/30/2021 |
| 2 | F1415 | 40y | Lydia Detraglia | 5.9 | 01/14/2021 |
| 3 | F1415 | 40y | Lydia Detraglia | 5.8 | 01/28/2021 |
| 4 | F1415 | 300m IH | Lydia Detraglia | 57.73 | 06/30/2021 |
| 5 | M1415 | 300m IH | Matt Squires | 54.84 | 06/30/2021 |
| 6 | M1617 | 40y | Joe Abbott | 4.9 | 01/14/2021 |
| 7 | M1617 | Throws Pentathlon | Oliver Walters | 2109 | 06/30/2021 |
| 8 | F1617 | Hammer (4kg) | Jenna Deep | 93ft 5in | 06/30/2021 |
| 9 | F1617 | Weight Throw (20lb) | Jenna Deep | 37ft 7in | 06/30/2021 |
| 10 | F1617 | Throws Pentathlon | Jenna Deep | 2253 | 06/30/2021 |
| 11 | F1617 | 40y | Jenna Deep | 5.9 | 01/14/2021 |
| 12 | M3539 | Discus (2kg) | Chris Sickler | 138ft 8in | 06/30/2021 |
| 13 | M8084 | Weight Throw(20lb) | Gary Crawford | 22ft 9.5in | 06/30/2021 |
| 14 | F8084 | 5k Road | Estelle Hahn | 48:28:00 | 06/24/2021 |
| 15 | F8084 | 2 Mile Road | Estelle Hahn | 28:28:00 | 07/01/2021 |
There are too many records listed to comment on each one individually so I will limit myself to a few remarks on the curious 40y distance. Since people don’t seem to like reading text anymore, and this is a text-only column, I’ll try to package my remarks in a way that is congenial for the modern reader.
Me: Hey Siri!
Siri: Hmmm…
Me: Why do NFL scouts time people over 40 yards as opposed to some other distance?
Siri: Here’s what I found on the web: 40 yards happens to be the average distance of a punt in the NFL.
At first glance this explanation makes sense. A punt is available to be recovered by the kicking team if they can reach it before it is caught. Thus, a punt team member with sufficient speed to snare the average punt before it lands would be a great asset.
On the other hand, I will submit that the travel time of the average punt is more relevant than the distance since it determines the speed needed to catch up with the ball. If we assume the punt is launched at a 45 degree angle – the angle that maximizes distance – then a little ballistics shows that the average punt will return to earth 2.74 seconds after being kicked. Since the fastest recorded 40y achieved by an NFL player appears to be 4.22 seconds, it is safe to say that the reason for the 40y choice is still up in the air (so to speak.)
Speaking of NFL scouts, we noontime runners used to see a bunch of them once a year, trooping into Manley field house to time SU football prospects. They were invariably male, usually middle aged, and for the most part gave the impression of being themselves unable even to complete the 40y distance. Most striking was the curious pose they would take while timing. Perhaps it is something they teach in scout school: the watch was held in the palm of the hand at arm’s length, with the arm extended rigidly downward and away from the body. Maybe this was so that they could keep one eye on the watch while following the progress of the runner out of the corner of the other. (Why was it necessary to keep an eye on the watch? To make sure it was still running?) This dubious technique nevertheless yielded impressively accurate times, such as 4.67, and those hundredths were important to the students. They might spell the difference between a promising career in the NFL … or Canada.
After the year+ covid hiatus it is great to see new record submissions. Keep ‘em coming!