STATE CHAMP x 2: Rosewood's Kostelecky wins two wheelchair events

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 23, 2017 10:20 AM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Look past the wheelchair.

Take a moment, instead, to gaze into Philip Kostelecky's eyes.

You'll see a competitor, a curly-haired talkative individual who wants to succeed and be the absolute best in any task that he tackles. He's draws inspiration from his teammates and battles with the heart of a lion.

And his internal drive has made him a state champion not once -- but twice.

Kostelecky claimed both the wheelchair shot put and wheelchair discus crowns during the season-ending N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A outdoor track and field championship meet contested at N.C. A&T State University.

"It feels pretty good," Kostelecky said.

The sophomore posted a throw of 9 feet, 1.75 inches in the shot put.

The discus portion was a little more difficult, however. The rulebook states the circle an athlete throws from must be a specific distance in diameter. Each time Kostelecky attempted a throw, it never cleared the white sphere.

"They had to discuss it for a while. The circle was so far back, I couldn't get if off the concrete and kept beating up the disc," Kostelecky lightly chuckled.

He eventually heaved the discus 11 feet, 3 inches.

Kostelecky became the third individual state champ during head coach Robert Britt's tenure and fifth overall in program history. He joins Bob Cooke (2001 -- shot put); Jessica Heitpas (2000-01 -- 800 run); Jamie Hollingsworth (1997 -- 3,200) and Marquail Al-montaser (2015 -- 110 hurdles). The Eagles won back-to-back 1600 relays in 2015 and 2016.

Overall, Rosewood has produced 10 individual state champs in school history. The other five are wrestlers.

Britt and his coaching staff designed a practice regimen for Kostelecky that -- in theory -- was nothing different than the expectations established for his teammates. He was expected to attend daily practices, participate in drills and when he did something wrong, he did the required "dips" in his wheelchair.

Kostelecky took weight lifting this semester. He stretched twice a week and worked out twice a week to strengthen his upper body. Some of his strength came from playing for the now-defunct Carolina Fury power hockey team and a club sled hockey team in Raleigh on the weekends.

"Stronger and faster," Kostelecky said. "My easier event is the shot because you're not using your whole arm, just your shoulder. I had a technique in mind (for states), but it kind of different work so I didn't get the best throws I wanted to get in."

Confident in his ability, Kostelecky showed no nerves during regional competition at Heide Trask. He competed in the 100- and 200-meter wheelchair dashes, the shot put and discus. However, in the dashes he was at a disadvantage since he doesn't have a racing-style wheelchair.

He still had goals to meet in his two field events, and felt like he might have missed the mark in one. He didn't and punched his ticket to compete with his teammates in Greensboro.

"It wasn't like he just showed up to throw and was given a placement," Britt said. "He had to meet qualifying marks and he did so at the regional. I'm tickled to see him become a state champ."

Soon, Kostelecky can wheel through the gymnasium and look up at a banner hanging on the wall that recognizes him for his two accomplishments.

It's a memory that will last forever.