Sky Hagy

Hagy reaches skyward on indoor track

Sky Hagy

By: David Cordill

Posted: 1/15/07

UMKC junior Sky Hagy, a business administration major at the Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration, says he would like to leave something memorable behind when he finishes his collegiate track-and-field career. Setting a record in one of the throwing events he competes in would fit the bill.

Hagy is currently preparing for the UMKC indoor track team's upcoming 2007 track-and-field season. The 6-foot-3-inch multi-event weight man from Lutheran South High School in Affton, Mo., competes in the shot put, weight throw, discus, javelin and hammer throw for the Kangaroos.

Of the five events, Hagy prefers throwing the shot best.

"It's so difficult; there's a lot of stuff to learn so it's always interesting," said Hagy. "You can never have a good day. You're always doing something wrong, but it's a lot of fun once you get down to the meets and compete."

His least favorite?

"Probably the hammer," he said. "You get so lightheaded because you turn so many times. Then you have to throw about 15 or 20 a day."

The athletic ability of Hagy is evident when one considers his accomplishments from the 2006 season.

Indoors, Hagy won gold in shot put during the Mid-Continent Conference indoor championships last February, receiving all-conference honors for a toss of 50-8 1/4. That same month at the Kansas State University Open, Hagy's mark of 55 was good enough for fourth place in the weight throw, in addition to a sixth-place finish in the shot put.

Hagy did well outdoors, taking fourth in the shot put at the Emporia State University Twilight Meet last spring. He placed respectably in field events at the Emporia State Relays, Nebraska Invitational, Mule Relays and UMKC Invitational.

Last May at the 2006 Mid-Con Conference outdoor championships in Macomb, Ill., Hagy again received all-conference honors for a third-place finish in the discus.

Heaving a 16-pound shot into the air or hurling a 35-pound weight into the distance does require some muscle, but as Hagy points out, it is not necessarily the most significant factor in the events he participates in.

"Technique is really important," Hagy said. "But strength is also. If you don't have that, you can't throw that far. I think technique is more important but at this level, you need both of them."

When asked which athlete held a major influence over him in his sport, Hagy named former University of Missouri standout, current coach, and world-renowned shot-putter Christian Cantwell.

"He went to Mizzou [and] he's at Mizzou," Hagy said. "Even though he's a competitor since he coaches there, just watching him has been amazing because he's the number one shot-putter in the world. He's local so everyone's seen him. It's kind of rare if you see an elite track athlete because there are so few of them around. Every time I watch him, my mouth is open."

So far, the scholastic experience at UMKC has been positive for Hagy.

"I like the classes and I like the class size," Hagy said. "You get to interact with a lot of kids. It keeps me busy; especially with track. All in all it's pretty fun."

After his education at UMKC is finished, Hagy has a definite agenda: he's going back to school.

"I'm going to try to be a chiropractor," he said. "So that's three more years - assuming that I get in."

dcordill@unews.com