Alex Stewart
Aurora
August 19, 2008 09:58 AM
John Cudmore, Staff Writer
Alex Stewart is big on that comfortable homey feeling.
Considering he is soon going to be some distance from his home in Aurora that is a perfectly understandable stance for the 18-year-old.
It was a factor that figured prominently in the reasons the Cardinal Carter Catholic High School graduate opted to accept a track and field scholarship offer from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, located about one hour south of Des Moines and near the Iowa-Missouri border.
Stewart, who won the Central Region high school javelin title with a personal best toss of 53.20 metres in May, will study kinesiology while competing for the Yellow Jackets’ in the Heart of America Athletic Conference in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
Not bad for a kid whose strong arm caught the eye of Cardinal Carter gym teacher Peter Dajia, a former Canadian Olympian, during a dodgeball game in a Grade 9 physical education class and, until less than one year ago, was getting by largely on raw ability.
“He asked me to stay after school and give it a try,” recalled Stewart, an outfielder as a baseball player in the Newmarket and Aurora youth programs. “I guess I just wanted to take a chance with it and found a new love.”
Since joining the University of Toronto Track Club last fall, however, Stewart has improved his performance dramatically.
“Until last year, I just relied on arm strength and a few basics,” he said. “I’ve worked hard on the technical part and it got me an extra 10 metres.”
Graceland coaches approached Stewart following his sixth-place finish in the 24-competitor field at the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association championships in Hamilton in June.
“They said I had the best technique of anyone there but that I’ll have to get my strength up,” said the five-foot, nine-inch, 175-pound Stewart, after signing a letter of intent last week, prior to competing at the Ontario Summer Games in Ottawa. He finished sixth in his first event back from an elbow injury.
A handful of factors swayed Stewart to accept the Graceland offer.
“I was impressed with the coaching and like the fact they recruit a lot of Canadians,” he said. “That makes it more comfortable for me.
“I guess everything is new and that kind of excites me. It’s going to be more like work and I’m excited about that, too.”
He also can earn an Ontario teaching certificate at the school, but he’s also looking forward to seeing how far he can take his abilities.
“The dream is to go to the Olympics,” said Stewart. “But next year I want to be the top guy at nationals or in the top three in the NAIA.”