Rising senior among state’s top throwers

By Chris Villani

Eben Consigli has for years dreamed of competing in sports at the division I collegiate level. Heading into his final season at Nipmuc High, he has an opportunity to do just that. But he admits he never thought track and field would be his ticket.

Under the tutelage of his father, Brian, Consigli completed a junior season with the Warriors that saw him eclipse 170 feet in the discus en route to a divisional state championship, and fifth place finishes at the Massachusetts Meet of Champions and the New England regional competition.

Not bad, considering the year started with a bit of a “slump.” Consigli broke out of it with a personal best during a meet against Douglas.

“I just felt really good that day,” Consigli said. “Winning states had always been a goal of mine and placing fifth in New Englands kind of opened my eyes that this isn’t normal for people to be throwing the discus 170 feet. It’s hard to do that.”

Although he grew up playing baseball in the spring, Consigli gravitated toward track and field in high school as a way to stay in shape for football season. At Nipmuc, he is coached by his father, a former All-American collegiate thrower.

“It’s been good,” the younger Consigli said. “There are some ups and downs but, even when we are not at practice, we can watch videos of my throws and go over them and see what I need to work on.”

Brian Consigli acknowledged that coaching a child — he previously coached his daughter at Nipmuc — can be a “tricky dynamic.”

“It’s difficult because you have to make sure you coach everybody the same,” Brian Consigli said. “I think I am a lot tougher on my kids because I don’t want anybody to say that I treated my kid better than anyone else, they tend to get the other end of the stick.”

Stepping back a bit from his coaching role, Brian said it has been a pleasure to watch Eben rise among a talented group of throwers at Nipmuc. “I couldn’t be prouder,” he said. “He works harder than anybody.”

Eben said he has lofty goals for next season, including pushing his personal best up over 190 feet.

“I need to make sure I am getting stronger and that my technique is perfect,” he said. He has already been talking to college coaches.

“I’ve always wanted to compete at the D1 level, I didn’t know what sport, but I didn’t think it would be track,” he said. “It’s amazing to realize that could be me in two years.”