Jason Mueller (center) a former javelin coach at Shawnee Mission West, began sharing his passion for the event with his son, Kaleb (left), and his daughter, Briana (right), at a young age. The two have gone on to accomplish great things for the Paola Panthers in high school. Both of his children placed during the Frontier League meet at Spring Hill on Thursday. Jason got to watch Kaleb break the school record in the javelin at the Snowball Relays in Wellsville to open the season March 25. Briana has placed in several meets for the Panthers. Kaleb throws the shot put. Briana’s mother, Marilyn, who threw the shot put and discus in high school, is hopeful her daughter will take up the events next season. (Photo by Gene Morris / gmorris@miconews.com)
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Chips off the old block
Kaleb, Briana Mueller excel in event father introduced them to
By Gene Morris, gmorris@miconews.com
Observe the throwers at a Paola High School track and field meet and it becomes quite apparent that Jason Mueller takes quite an interest in the javelin.
He especially likes to watch Briana and Kaleb Mueller throw.
Jason cheers them on at the meet, wraps his coat around Briana between throws when it’s cold, and always visits with his son and daughter following their attempts.
He looks on with more than the admiration of a loving father.
Jason also has the keen eyes of a coach.
Mueller has coached state placers, his share of state champions and a few throwers who went on to win collegiate titles and be invited to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
He coached football and javelin at Shawnee Mission West High School for 15 years.
It is no wonder that he had Briana and Kaleb throwing the javelin when they were in middle school.
Kaleb opened his senior year in the sport with a bang, throwing the javelin a school record 179 feet 11 inches at the Snowball Relays at Wellsville in the first meet of the season.
The record is one accomplishment he would not have enjoyed had it not been for his dad and Panther coach Frank Perbeck.
“My dad started me out at a young age,” Kaleb said. “He was always been there to coach me and help me improve. It is thanks to him and coach Perbeck that I am enjoying the success I have had.”
It took an adjustment in the beginning to have his father as a coach, Kaleb said.
“At first, we always got into it,” he said. “Now that I am older, I think I listen to him more.”
Perbeck brings a lot to the table for the Panthers, Jason Mueller said. He was a conference champion in the javelin for Kansas State in 1978 with a mark of 259-9. Perbeck was also invited to the Olympic Team Trials for the event.
“He is a great resource for our school,” Jason said. “He does a lot of work with them to make sure they are technically sound.”
Nothing comes easy in the javelin, Mueller said. It is a sport built on repetition, repetition, repetition with a lot of long hours of throwing.
One tweak in the motion, causing a glitch in the throw, might not seem like much, he said, but it could set the thrower back quite a bit.
“You have one bad throw, where just part of it is off, it might take you 15 throws to correct that,” he said.
With all of the time Briana and Kaleb have invested in the sport, one thrill for Jason is seeing both of his children place in the javelin for the Paola Panthers.
“It is a lot of fun,” he said. “I am proud of them.”
Briana was in diapers when she was introduced to the sport, attending regional and state track and field meets with her father.
They were always around the sport. There were always javelins to practice with.
As they got older, Jason began working with them in the javelin.
Both threw while they were in middle school, although the event is not held in junior high track meets.
When they reached the high school level, both began to throw for the track team.
Kaleb is a senior. Briana, a sophomore, is in her second year with the program.
“I hope they are doing it for themselves and not just for me,” Jason said. “They were exposed to it at an early age.
“It is awesome to watch them throw,” he said. “It is great that they are willing to do it and wanted to do it.”
Jason got to the Frontier League meet at Spring Hill late Thursday, missing his daughter throw the javelin.
It made for a long afternoon for Briana, who did not have her father their to coach her through the event.
“He is a comfort to me,” she said. “He is a safety net for me. He watches me throw and tells me what I am doing wrong. My dad is dedicated to me, and he does everything he can to help.”
When she does well and Kaleb does will in the javelin, it is a great day, Briana said.
“It is cool when we both place at meets,” she said.
Kaleb and Briana work together at meets, seeing what the other is doing.
“I like having my sister there to watch me throw,” Kaleb said. “She will even notice the little things in my throw and let me know if something isn’t right.
“I watch her throw and support her,” he said. “Having your sister throwing the javelin with you is pretty cool.”
The javelin is a great event, Jason said. Throwers are not only throwing against everyone else, but they also are really competing against themselves for a personal record to get better each time out.
“The tape measure doesn’t lie,” he said. “It is you and the tape measure.”
Kaleb throws the shot put as well.
Marilyn Mueller, their mother, is hopeful Briana might take up the shot and discus next year as well, the two events she threw when she was in high school.
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He especially likes to watch Briana and Kaleb Mueller throw.
Jason cheers them on at the meet, wraps his coat around Briana between throws when it’s cold, and always visits with his son and daughter following their attempts.
He looks on with more than the admiration of a loving father.
Jason also has the keen eyes of a coach.
Mueller has coached state placers, his share of state champions and a few throwers who went on to win collegiate titles and be invited to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
He coached football and javelin at Shawnee Mission West High School for 15 years.
It is no wonder that he had Briana and Kaleb throwing the javelin when they were in middle school.
Kaleb opened his senior year in the sport with a bang, throwing the javelin a school record 179 feet 11 inches at the Snowball Relays at Wellsville in the first meet of the season.
The record is one accomplishment he would not have enjoyed had it not been for his dad and Panther coach Frank Perbeck.
“My dad started me out at a young age,” Kaleb said. “He was always been there to coach me and help me improve. It is thanks to him and coach Perbeck that I am enjoying the success I have had.”
It took an adjustment in the beginning to have his father as a coach, Kaleb said.
“At first, we always got into it,” he said. “Now that I am older, I think I listen to him more.”
Perbeck brings a lot to the table for the Panthers, Jason Mueller said. He was a conference champion in the javelin for Kansas State in 1978 with a mark of 259-9. Perbeck was also invited to the Olympic Team Trials for the event.
“He is a great resource for our school,” Jason said. “He does a lot of work with them to make sure they are technically sound.”
Nothing comes easy in the javelin, Mueller said. It is a sport built on repetition, repetition, repetition with a lot of long hours of throwing.
One tweak in the motion, causing a glitch in the throw, might not seem like much, he said, but it could set the thrower back quite a bit.
“You have one bad throw, where just part of it is off, it might take you 15 throws to correct that,” he said.
With all of the time Briana and Kaleb have invested in the sport, one thrill for Jason is seeing both of his children place in the javelin for the Paola Panthers.
“It is a lot of fun,” he said. “I am proud of them.”
Briana was in diapers when she was introduced to the sport, attending regional and state track and field meets with her father.
They were always around the sport. There were always javelins to practice with.
As they got older, Jason began working with them in the javelin.
Both threw while they were in middle school, although the event is not held in junior high track meets.
When they reached the high school level, both began to throw for the track team.
Kaleb is a senior. Briana, a sophomore, is in her second year with the program.
“I hope they are doing it for themselves and not just for me,” Jason said. “They were exposed to it at an early age.
“It is awesome to watch them throw,” he said. “It is great that they are willing to do it and wanted to do it.”
Jason got to the Frontier League meet at Spring Hill late Thursday, missing his daughter throw the javelin.
It made for a long afternoon for Briana, who did not have her father their to coach her through the event.
“He is a comfort to me,” she said. “He is a safety net for me. He watches me throw and tells me what I am doing wrong. My dad is dedicated to me, and he does everything he can to help.”
When she does well and Kaleb does will in the javelin, it is a great day, Briana said.
“It is cool when we both place at meets,” she said.
Kaleb and Briana work together at meets, seeing what the other is doing.
“I like having my sister there to watch me throw,” Kaleb said. “She will even notice the little things in my throw and let me know if something isn’t right.
“I watch her throw and support her,” he said. “Having your sister throwing the javelin with you is pretty cool.”
The javelin is a great event, Jason said. Throwers are not only throwing against everyone else, but they also are really competing against themselves for a personal record to get better each time out.
“The tape measure doesn’t lie,” he said. “It is you and the tape measure.”
Kaleb throws the shot put as well.
Marilyn Mueller, their mother, is hopeful Briana might take up the shot and discus next year as well, the two events she threw when she was in high school.