As a 6-4 and 280 pound lineman, and playing in the rough-and-tumble Peninsula District, David Anderson has received many opportunities to transcend his football career from Kecoughtan High in Hampton to the next level.
He took a good one. Anderson will be heading to Duke.
A visit to Durham, NC sealed the deal.
Anderson loved Duke from the get-go. “They had offered me in January last year. Coach Zohn (line coach) came up to my school and offered me.” On the visit, “It was beautiful. The facilities were very nice as well as the school and the area. I had a lot of fun. I feel like the coaches understand me and we get along well.”
As Anderson waits to continue his football career, there is still some business to handle in his other sport --- track. Last weekend, the Warrior thrower won his third consecutive Class 5 shotput state championship. His toss of 59-2 was over eight feet longer than the runner-up.
Ironically, it was Jeff Super, the head football coach at Kecoughtan, that gave Anderson the idea to start throwing the shot and discus.
Super approached his young lineman in 2021 as COVID was still showing its presence. Knowing that the prospect of fall football was still sketchy, Coach Super presented Anderson with an idea. He should stay involved in athletics, and perhaps try something different. Why not throw the shot and discus for the track team?
“He’s always pushing me to do better,” said Anderson, of Super. “He’s never satisfied.”
Tossing the eight-pound ball for the outdoor track team did not come naturally for the young thrower; however, he did win three district meets with a best throw of 43-11.
Nine months later, he had improved by almost ten feet and claimed his first state championship at 53-6.5. A week later, he would tack on another foot at the Adidas Nationals.
An outdoor title would follow, as would a new best of 57-11.5. And now, Anderson has added on a third crown, and at 59-2, another foot and change. For the record, he won by over eight feet.
And as Anderson prepares for this season’s indoor Adidas Nationals, the new goal is predictable.
“I’d like to get 60 (feet),” said Anderson, who has also added almost 50 feet to his discus (best of 150-10) in less than two years. “If I get there, I’ll aim to keep improving.”
Now, the future Blue Devil has a choice to make. Unlike some other Division I schools, and many larger ones, Duke is willing to let their recruit play football and throw for the track team.
The thought of pulling double duty is being taken into consideration.
Said Anderson, “I’m still thinking about it. My schedule will probably be a lot different in college. But I did talk to the throws coach and the football coaches, and they said I would be able to do both.”
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