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Author Topic: Wally!!  (Read 48097 times)

Tugg Speedman

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Wally!!
« on: January 17, 2015, 04:42:42 PM »
Wally Ellenson, a transfer from Minnesota who is ineligible to play basketball due to NCAA transfer rules, began his Marquette track and field career in record-setting fashion Saturday at the Wisconsin Open. A two-time NCAA first team All-American, he won the high jump by setting a new school and personal record of 7 feet, 5.75 inches. That jump meets the qualifying standard for world outdoors and is currently the No. 3 jump in the world this season. ...

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/288930091.html

I understand the kid loves bball, but he might consider putting that aside for the 2016 Olympics.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2015, 05:11:25 PM by Heisenberg »

Class71

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2015, 04:53:45 PM »
Agree high jump should be his focus but he likely will want to play with his brother. Anyone's guess what he will do.
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Tugg Speedman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2015, 04:58:13 PM »
His jump today of 7' 5.75" feet is 2.28 meters

That would have also broken the U-Madison school record (2.22).  He just missed the all-time camp Randall record of 2.30 meters (7' 6.5").  

And given this was his first meet in January is all the more amazing.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2015, 05:11:36 PM by Heisenberg »

Class71

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2015, 05:14:19 PM »
It is great to watch talent and dedication in any sport. I wish him success in whatever he decides. To reach his full potential it will require total commitment. I was fortunate to know a number of world class runners and there was complete focus toward one goal. To be the very best is very, very difficult and very, very special.
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Coleman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2015, 05:46:58 PM »
Would love another MU Olympian. Sounds like he has the stuff to get there.

Ellenson Guerrero

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2015, 06:20:46 PM »
http://www.usatf.org/statistics/topMarks/2014/Outdoor-Men.aspx

Looks like that jump would have been in the top 10 in 2014 for American men. 
"What we take for-granted, others pray for..." - Brent Williams 3/30/14

Tugg Speedman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2015, 06:45:43 PM »
http://www.usatf.org/statistics/topMarks/2014/Outdoor-Men.aspx

Looks like that jump would have been in the top 10 in 2014 for American men. 

Actually he is already on the 2014 list.  His best jump last year (2.25, 7'4.5", good for 2nd in NCAA outdoors) was 10th for all Americans.  Today's jump would be 7th on this list.

He also might be the youngest jumper in the top 10 as well.

MUEng92

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2015, 09:23:11 PM »
I am looking at the 8 ft. ceiling in the room I'm in and having a really hard time comprehending how it is humanly possible to jump that high.

Texas Western

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2015, 10:17:20 PM »
I think he feels that basketball is a complimentary training for the high jump. I would hate to see him get injured in basketball though. Lets hope he can win the NCAA this year.

muwarrior69

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2015, 09:09:38 AM »
I am looking at the 8 ft. ceiling in the room I'm in and having a really hard time comprehending how it is humanly possible to jump that high.

Here is the world record set back in 1993.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWde8sMxe1w

Tugg Speedman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2015, 10:30:26 AM »
I think he feels that basketball is a complimentary training for the high jump. I would hate to see him get injured in basketball though. Lets hope he can win the NCAA this year.

It is to a point and he has long crossed that point.  See the pictures below, they are of the top jumpers in the world (the current crop might be the best ever).  

The ideal body is 6' 5" to 6' 7" (which Wally has) and that long skinny lanky look shown below.  To achieve this he has to stop working on upper body bulk and lose weight, a lot of weight.  

Additionally he has to work in increasing his approach speed and explosive take off.  None of these are workouts or goals that Wojo wants if he is going to be an effective bball player. ....

As noted in the post above, Cuba's Javier Sotomayor set the world record in 1993 clearing 2.45m (8' 0.5")  Castro gave him an a/c and new fridge for his Havana apartment as a thank you!



Among the current crop of jumpers:

Ukraine's Bohdan Bondarenko cleared 2.42m (7' 11.25") in a meet last June in NYC



Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim cleared the same height 2.42m (7' 11.25") at the same June meet in NYC



Russia's Ivan Ukhov cleared 2.41 (7' 11") last May in Ad-Dawhah (but he is 29 and may be on the backside of his career.



Canada's Derek Drouin  ... 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist, 2013 Big 10 and NCAA champ IU (Wally finished second in the B1G and 8th in the NCAA to him that year) cleared 2.40 (7' 10.5") last year





« Last Edit: January 18, 2015, 10:50:30 AM by Heisenberg »

GGGG

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2015, 10:34:37 AM »
Agree high jump should be his focus but he likely will want to play with his brother. Anyone's guess what he will do.


He has repeatedly said that he wants to play basketball.  If he wanted to focus on high jump, he wouldn't have transferred to Marquette.

Tugg Speedman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #12 on: January 18, 2015, 10:43:52 AM »

He has repeatedly said that he wants to play basketball.  If he wanted to focus on high jump, he wouldn't have transferred to Marquette.

Correct but he keeps getting better and better in jumping.  It's is getting hard to ignore his extraordinary talent at it.

Yesterday jump hit the Olympic A standard, qualified him for this summer outdoor world championships and is currently number 3 in the world (this number will go down as the track season unfolds).  Let me put this in prospective.  MU has never produce a basketball player as good as Wally is in jumping.  Not Wade, not Butch Lee, not Lucas. 

Only about half-a-dozen jumpers in the US are capable of these levels.   He might be the only "part-time" jumper hitting these standards.

At what point do re-consider your goals when you have a gift that only a handful of people on the planet have, but tens of millions would like?

GGGG

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2015, 10:53:02 AM »
Maybe he'd rather play basketball.

Dr. Blackheart

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2015, 10:54:05 AM »
His jump height yesterday would have put him on the USA Olympic team in 2012 (3 make it) to put that in perspective, if not being the winner of the trials.

http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2012/U-S--Olympic-Team-Trials-TF/Results.aspx
« Last Edit: January 18, 2015, 10:59:47 AM by Dr. Blackheart »

Coleman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #15 on: January 18, 2015, 11:00:42 AM »
Correct but he keeps getting better and better in jumping.  It's is getting hard to ignore his extraordinary talent at it.

Yesterday jump hit the Olympic A standard, qualified him for this summer outdoor world championships and is currently number 3 in the world (this number will go down as the track season unfolds).  Let me put this in prospective.  MU has never produce a basketball player as good as Wally is in jumping.  Not Wade, not Butch Lee, not Lucas.  

Only about half-a-dozen jumpers in the US are capable of these levels.   He might be the only "part-time" jumper hitting these standards.

At what point do re-consider your goals when you have a gift that only a handful of people on the planet have, but tens of millions would like?

I don't dispute any of your points, but your question is something only Wally can answer. Transferring to MU seems to have been for the very reason that he still has the option to pursue both sports. Other schools might not have given him that choice, and told him to only focus on track, ultimately the school can do that because they hold all power with the scholarships.

MU has promised Wally he could play both. MU should and will honor that. Wally could be the #1 high jumper in the world, and at MU it will still be his choice as to whether or not he wants to play basketball. That is his choice. And I support him having the ability to choose. Should he reconsider and choose to only pursue track, MU should also support that choice. Whatever way he chooses, I wish him the best in both sports.



By the way, does anyone know when the qualifiers are for the 2016 Olympics?
« Last Edit: January 18, 2015, 11:12:22 AM by Bleuteaux »

jsglow

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #16 on: January 18, 2015, 11:11:57 AM »
It'll be interesting to see what Wally decides to do.  Perhaps he is talented enough to make the US Olympic team in 2016 being a two sport athlete but not talented (or unilaterally committed enough) to be a medal contender were he to choose Track & Field only.  Only he can decide what he wants.  All I can do is marvel at the kid's hops. Awesome.

Serious question.  Is Wally the NCAA national championship favorite this year?  Was our last national champion Ralph Metcalfe?

Tugg Speedman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #17 on: January 18, 2015, 11:12:20 AM »
By the way, does anyone know when the qualifiers are for the 2016 Olympics?

July 1-10, 2016 in Eugene (U of Oregon) Hayward field.  It at this location almost every-time.

Coleman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #18 on: January 18, 2015, 11:15:26 AM »
Was our last national champion Ralph Metcalfe?

There was some team that won a national championship in 1977, but besides that yes  ;)


(I know you meant in track...but I had to...)

warriorchick

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #19 on: January 18, 2015, 11:21:27 AM »
Have some patience, FFS.

Coleman

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #20 on: January 18, 2015, 11:26:05 AM »
Just thought of something....

When I was at MU (2004-2008) there were some track guys living on my floor at McCormick. I thought it strange they were not housed with other athletes in Humphrey. I also remember them telling me MU only offered partial scholarships for track and field, not full rides. My freshman year RA was also on the track team, and was an RA to pay for his housing, which his scholarship did not cover.

I have no idea if this is still the case but could Wally possibly be playing basketball to stay on full scholarship and retain the other benefits of being on the basketball team?

That might not be the case, but if true, it would really be a shame that a potential Olympic track and field athlete had to play basketball in order to get a full ride to Marquette. Let's hope that's not the case and he is playing basketball simply because he wants to play.

jsglow

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #21 on: January 18, 2015, 11:29:55 AM »
There was some team that won a national championship in 1977, but besides that yes  ;)


(I know you meant in track...but I had to...)

Yeah, yeah.  The difference Bleu is that I know exactly where I was and what I was watching that wonderful Monday night in 1977.  Young pup.   ;D

Texas Western

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #22 on: January 18, 2015, 03:17:46 PM »
Correct but he keeps getting better and better in jumping.  It's is getting hard to ignore his extraordinary talent at it.

Yesterday jump hit the Olympic A standard, qualified him for this summer outdoor world championships and is currently number 3 in the world (this number will go down as the track season unfolds).  Let me put this in prospective.  MU has never produce a basketball player as good as Wally is in jumping.  Not Wade, not Butch Lee, not Lucas. 

Only about half-a-dozen jumpers in the US are capable of these levels.   He might be the only "part-time" jumper hitting these standards.

At what point do re-consider your goals when you have a gift that only a handful of people on the planet have, but tens of millions would like?
Your point about the body type requires for high jump is a good one. One thing I have learned with multi sport kids is they have to do the sport they love. I think Wally focuses by season , but the stakes are very high in 2016 with the Olympics. Will be interesting to see what he opts to do.

brewcity77

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #23 on: January 18, 2015, 03:23:57 PM »
I honestly don't know the answer to this, but how old are the elite jumpers? Maybe Wally feels he can pursue high jump for the next 10-15 years but feels his window for basketball, especially with his brother, is only 2-3 years. If that's the case, I completely understand him wanting to pursue both.

Do what you love now, and if it costs him 2016, maybe he feels he can still compete in 2020, 2024, and beyond.
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warriorchick

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Re: Wally!!
« Reply #24 on: January 18, 2015, 04:32:50 PM »
I honestly don't know the answer to this, but how old are the elite jumpers? Maybe Wally feels he can pursue high jump for the next 10-15 years but feels his window for basketball, especially with his brother, is only 2-3 years. If that's the case, I completely understand him wanting to pursue both.

Do what you love now, and if it costs him 2016, maybe he feels he can still compete in 2020, 2024, and beyond.

Maybe he believes he can legitimately do both next year. Look, yesterday he had a world-class jump and a PB, despite the fact that his dedicated high jump practice in the last few months has been a fraction of what it would have been if he wasn't playing hoops. 

If the Olympic trials are in July, he has a a good 3-4 months after the basketball season is over to focus on his jumping.  It's a sport where conditioning isn't a huge factor (as opposed to being, for example, a 10,000 meter guy), so maybe he figures a few months is enough to properly prepare.
Have some patience, FFS.