Dadz: I was forced into into throwing. I was mainly a jumper and fast sprinter in high school until my senior year. I 1st pick-up the discus in 2000. My first year I threw the 1,6kg around 48m (157' 5") and improved to 59m (193' 7") in my 2nd season. I also threw the 12 lb. shot 11m (36') in 2001 and just short of 18m (59') in 2002.
Zylstra: I've read German Lars Riedel and Hungarian Attila Horváth were also jumpers before they became world class throwers. How did that work for you?
Dadz: In my early teens I did a lot of high jumping, clearing 1,75 (5' 8¾") as a 13-year old and 1,85m (6' 0¾") at 14. On the track I was a 190 lb. sprinter, running my 100m and 200m personal bests as a 16-year old (PB 11.10 and 22.21 in 1999) along with the very popular relays, including a leg on a record breaking medley relay.
After that season I gained 25 lbs. and could not shed the weight when fall training began. So my friend, Maurice Smith (World Championship decathlon silver medalist), forced me into throwing. I was going to quit track & field all together because I thought it would be hard for a me, as a well known sprinter, to be throwing the discus and shot put the next season. I did not know what people would say and I was young and that sometimes matters to young people.
Zylstra: Maurice Smith got after you to make the switch?
Dadz: Yes! I thank God Maurice pressured me to become thrower, because I only then would I be the great Jason "Dadz" Morgan for Jamaican throwers [laughter]. I love my destiny. I started training for the throws in January 2000. I went to a few track meets and realize that girls liked big strong guys [laughter]. I surprised myself with bronze medal at the Jamaican Boys and Girls Championships that same year. I threw around 49m with the 1,6k but didn't make it out the shot put preliminaries with my 11.22m.
Zylstra: Can you tell the story of your 1st throwing shoes?
Dadz: My first throwing shoes in high school were the old school green and black Reeboks.
Zylstra: What do you keep in your throwing bag?
Dadz: I usually have two disc, throwing shoes, chalk and tape, a towel, my iPod and Beats headphones.
Zylstra: Do you have a favorite brand of discus?
Dadz: My favorite disc is Denfi's white Jürgen Schult Ultimate Spin or the red 1st Place discus.
Zylstra: What discus did you throw in the London Games?
Dadz: I threw the Jürgen Schult Ultimate Spin discus they had on the rack.
Zylstra: When did you start seeing results from your early training?
Dadz: My 2nd season throwing I trained hard. My high school coach Noel White helped me to develop into one of Jamaica's best high school throwers. At the 2001 Boys and Girls Championships in 2001 I won both shot and discus–17,99m (59' 0¼") and 59,61m (195' 7"). It still amazes me today that coach and I were able to improve so much in one year.
Zylstra: What did you do after high school?
Dadz: The next year I threw the 2k 49,34m (161' 10") and was offered a scholarship to Central Arizona College, a community college in Coolidge. While there I earned All-American awards in both the shot and discus. I improved to 17,01m (55' 9") and 54,45m (178' 7"). From there I accepted a scholarship to Louisiana Tech University and graduated in 2007 with a Psychology degree. I won the Conference USA and NCAA Regional titles with a 57,41m (188' 4") and 57,67m (189' 2") respectively. During my last year at La Tech I broke the six-year old Jamaican discus record with 62,92m (206' 5"). I'm the only Jamaican to qualify for three World Championships in the discus.
Zylstra: Can you tell me about the 2008 Olympic Games situation?
Dadz: My travel documents didn't come back in time for me to travel for the 2008 Games in China; it's all good, that's okay. I was determine to do two more Olympics after Beijing and then retire from the sport. So after Rio 2016 that's it for me.
Zylstra: ... and London Games?
Dadz: My worst competition ever; and yet the best experience ever.
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Zylstra: How did things go in between Olympiads?
Dadz: 2009 and 2010 were transition years. I had to support myself and was working to fund my travel to meets. The hardest part was not having a coach. By 2011 I was figuring things out; I broke my Jamaican discus record in with a 64,11m (210' 4") and went to the World Championships in Korea. Leading up to the London Games I improved to 65,65m (215' 4") in 2012 and then 67,15m (220' 3"). I did all this with little support and no coach; I'm blessed and thank God daily for giving me the gift of drive and self-motivation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ5kZNUwoAc
Zylstra: When did you begin growing the monster beard?
Dadz: I started in 2012, four months before the Olympic Games. I thought I'd change my style a little bit. I shaved it off February, 2013 and start growing it back in March. I decided to give the @big boss look for 2013 [laughter].
Zylstra: Any big changes in 2013?
Dadz: My biggest transition was getting back with a coach. For seven years I was self-coached. I would ask strangers exercising in the area to record me with my phone. Then I would go home, study the day's videos, come back the next day and try to correct my technique. I used to write my own workouts and lifting. Now I don't have to do all that. I can focus on the performance and leave the rest for my coach, Rob Gire. He also coach at la tech university. We have a great relationship. He been doing some amazing things with me. My lifts and throws and technique have improved bounds.
Zylstra: How did your throwing go?
Dadz: As far as being in the ring, 2013 was fairly good; I was pleased with it. I went 65,96m (216' 5"), the 12th best throw in the world and was consistently over 64m. My biggest stressor was I didn't receive my travel documents in time to go home for Jamaican Championships; they arrived after to me after the World's Trials. I am the only one who throw the qualifying standard but not compete in Moscow. But as always; it's all good, I'm past that.
Zylstra: Training in the south allows to to be outside year around. What has training been like?
Dadz: I train eight times per week. I throw four times and lift four times. Coach Gire added throwing heavy implements to my training schedule two months ago. We don't throw any light implements. For years I just threw competition weight 2k.
Zylstra: What's next?
Dadz: I can finally say 2014 and beyond is going to be special for me. Now I feel like a professional discus thrower. I work a full time job with young people and I continue train in Ruston at my alma mater Louisiana Tech. I'm hoping for consistent success in the ring and I am definitely planning on going to Commonwealth Games to match throws with the Aussies, Indians and Brits. That should be a great time.
Keep tabs on Dadz on the entire Throwholics platform and...
web page: JASON DADZ MORGAN Believe in yourself and trust God
twitter: @jasondadzmorgan
YouTube: bigthrowing
Replies 10
norm
@jason dadz morgan
and Coach @Rob Gire will answer questions you post in this thread.
Sandy Preto
Are you styling the beard in 2014?
Phil Bilkins
@jason dadz morgan I thought I read somewhere you are, or were pursuing American citizenship.
- Would you be duel citizen?
- With few, if any, Americans throwing the discus "A" standard have you thought about throwing on the USA team?
Wu Tao
@Phil Bilkins I humbly assume @jason dadz morgan will be continuing to wear the Jamaican vest if he plans to throw at the Commonwealth Games this summer.
@jason dadz morgan my question for you is how will Jamaica choose their international squad for the Commonwealth Games?
Thank you
Jackson Bushop
Do you throw fixed-feet in training?
Do you do any drills? If so, which ones?
Jason Dadz Morgan
I will be rocking the big beard. Its been giving me strength and wen i am speedy thru the circle. I feel the wind blowing thru it. Lol. But i am training and throwing really well. I knw commonwealth is on my mind and also 68-70m. It feels good to finally have a coach who is there with me every step of my throws and lifts. Drilling and non-reversal have become my good friends.
Sam Fillious
@jason dadz morgan have you trained with Travis Smikle?
Wu Tao
Coach @Rob Gire what is the weight training schedule consist of?
What exercises do you schedule for @jason dadz morgan ?
How do you balance throwing volume and weight room work?
Thank you.
@jason dadz morgan how will Jamaica choose their international squad for the Commonwealth Games?
Thank you
Rob Gire
Jason is a class act and a pleasure to work with. An incredible athlete with the drive to be the best. Right now we are just working on keeping his left arm long in the middle and keep him relaxed out of the back with his upper body. He has had some very good non reverse throws in the past training sessions. Looking forward to it getting warmer out and us getting closer to the competition time
Sandy Preto
Are you throwing outside in January?