By Rich Winter

605 Sports

PHILIP — Philip’s Evan Kroetch lives for the throwing events.

Class B’s top returner in the discus (160-9) spends his spare time pouring over video details, breaking down every phase of the discus and shot put.

“Last summer I’d turn on the lights at the football field and just go throw,” Kroetch said. “During school if I have some spare time I’ll go to the gym and just work on my technique.”

Kroetch, a senior, has been throwing since the eighth grade and entered the 2024 season with lifetime bests in the discus (135-07) and in the shot put (41-03).

Midway through the 2024 high school season all of Kroetch’s hard work started paying off. 

At the Lyman meet on April 25, Kroetch broke his personal best in the discus by 14 feet with a throw of 149-00. A week later, at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays Kroetch set another personal best of 156-01.

A week later Kroetch’s throws coach at Philip, Jerry Rhodes was leaving on a bear hunting trip and joked with Kroetch that he wasn’t going to break Rhodes’ school record. 

“I went to the Western Great Plains track meet and it was a great day to throw the discus,” he said. “That was the day Lincoln Koehn (of Kadoka Area) threw 184-02 and I set my personal best of 167-07.” 

After working hard at his craft for several years Kroetch said he can’t identify just one thing that led to an improvement of over 30 feet in the discus.

“To be completely honest something just clicked,” he said. “I’ve always had the hunger to get better and I think it helps put things in perspective that if you want something you really have to work for it.” 

Kroetch pointed to Rhodes as a significant factor in his improvement. When Rhodes isn’t coaching in person Kroetch records videos of his throws, sends them to his coach and the pair meticulously go over every detail. 

Kroetch said he often goes to his coach’s house to lift weights and called Rhodes a father figure that has helped him grow outside of sports.

Kroetch finished sixth in the shot put (45-10) at the 2024 Class B state track meet and enters his senior season with a personal best of 47-05. 

“I feel like I’ll be able to get into the mid 50’s,” he said. “I just switched to the spin technique and I’ve been working on that a lot and should get better later in the season.” 

In each of the last three summers Kroetch attended the 307 Throwers Camp in Buffalo, Wyoming. He calls that experience invaluable with dozens of college coaches in attendance offering feedback and different perspectives.

With Philip expected to be one of the top Class B teams this year Kroetch hopes to do his part in a sport he cherishes.

“I love this sport because it’s an individual event and you have no one else to count on,” he said. “There is never a perfect throw and always something to work on.”