Olympic expectations

By BRENDAN KUTY • SPECIAL TO THE DAILY RECORD • August 17, 2009

Leah Wis, a shy, blue-eyed 11-year-old from Montville, is a straight-A student who enjoys soccer and basketball. She has two dogs, Bella and Cleo, and hopes to one day become a veterinarian. Advertisement http://www.warnockauto.com/

That is, after she realizes her primary dream.

"For a career, I first want to be an Olympian," Wis said.

Lofty aspirations for a soon-to-be sixth grader, huh? Hold it there, pal.

Alongside her father and coach, Bob Wis, Leah Wis has been one of the nation's most decorated youth athletes for a while. And she's only getting started.

"She's only 11 years old. Trying to only look at what she's doing at a junior or senior in high school. It's hard to set a benchmark or a ceiling for her," said Brian Sammons, a trainer at Parisi Speed School in Morris Plains. "If she continues to lift and train, it's hard to imagine what she's going to do."

Leah Wis has already done plenty.

Two years ago, she made her first trip to the AAU Junior Olympics in Knoxville, Tenn., and flourished, capturing medals in the high jump, long jump, shot put and triathlon. She fared even better her second time around the prestigious summit two weeks ago, trekking this time to Des Moines, Iowa, and earning discus gold with a 76-foot, 4-inch heave.

Bob Wis couldn't contain his half-moon smile while recounting the moments after his daughter was crowned national champion. He said Leah Wis told the officials handing out medals to "wait a second" before racing over and jumping into his arms.

"She bawled her eyes out," he said. "She's been working hard. That's one of the things about her. I'm sure other athletes do, too. But she spends a lot of her time (practicing)."

Leah Wis said she wouldn't change a thing about her time at the AAU Olympics, during which she also took high jump silver and bronze in the long jump and pentathlon. Well, except for one thing.

The budding Morris County star wanted to throw the discus 80 feet. And while she did, her mammoth toss was disqualified due to a circle violation — one of her toes just skimmed the metal barrier.

"I wanted to throw 80 feet bad," she said. "But it's OK. There's always next year."

Leah Wis is already planning her assault on the 2010 AAU Junior Olympics, still using the disappointment of her 2008 season as fuel. Back then she was seeded first in the high jump and expected to take home the crown. But a hyper-extended right knee suffered during gymnastics shoved her out of competition two weeks before the meet.

She immediately quit the sport after the injury and began training at Parisi.

"The biggest thing I've seen form her from the first thing I came was that she is very coachable," Sammons said. "She picked up on things it takes most older girls weeks to pick up on. Her muscle memory and mechanics are way above anybody I've coached at her age."

Which has probably helped Leah Wis in her favorite event, the high jump. Early this spring Leah Wis began leaping off her left leg because of her weakened right knee. Relearning how to jump on her non-dominant leg was an arduous process and, she said, at times unnerving. But now Leah Wis is back to soaring 4 feet, 8 inches over the bar — her personal best and one of the nation's top heights.

"If you don't (work hard), you won't be on top," said the three-time United States of America Track and Field New Jersey Youth Athlete of the Year award-winner. "Each day you have to have a different mindset, not thinking about last practice. "Oh I did this. Oh, I did really bad.' You have to refresh and go on with another day."

And with each day, Leah Wis reminds herself of her Olympic dreams. Sammons believes she could qualify for the 2016 Games in Denmark or the 2020 Games, which don't yet have a home.

"To tell you the truth, I think so," he said. "The biggest reason I think why is she is very self-driven. She's very calm, but almost a fiery calm. You don't have to get her fired up. She pushes herself. You almost have to keep up with her."