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Meet Coach Kalvar

Damien Kalvar spent five years (1998-2003) as the throws coach at the University of Louisville coordinating the throwing events for the men's and women's team producing multiple Conference USA Champions and NCAA Provisional Qualifiers. 

 

Kalvar, who graduated from the U of L School of Business in 1995, was one of the program's most successful all-time throwers and is the only track and field athlete to ever earn team MVP honors four straight years. He was a three-time NCAA Provisional Qualifier in the hammer and earned that status a fourth time indoors in the weight throw. A three-time Metro Conference Champion, he finished among the conference's top-two a record number six times. In his final season, Kalvar's best hammer effort ranked him among the top-35 throwers in the country. In 2007, Kalvar was inducted into the U of L Cardinal Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2020, Kalvar was inducted into the Manual High School Hall of Fame.

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Kalvar and his wife (Audra) started a Throws Club in 2013 at Summit Academy in Louisville, KY.  The club focuses on teaching shot put, discus and modified hammer to kids first grade and older.

 

During the 2014 track season, Kalvar volunteered to be the girl's throws coach at Highland Hills Middle School in Floyd County, IN under Coach Lamb. His experiences working with local youth throwers prompted him to start the Southern Indiana Throws Club to help encourage and develop youth throwers and provide coaching to those athletes who are serious about improving their performance.

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Coach Kalvar participates in the USATF and Team USA's SafeSport program. He has gone through an extensive background check and the SafeSport training program. 

 

Damien Kalvar (circa 1993) throwing the hammer. Coach Kalvar still competes in the USA Track and Field Masters series. In 2016, Kalvar was named an All American Masters athlete in the hammer throw and was the silver medalist in discus at the 2016 USATF Indiana Association Championships.

Coaching Highlights

Successful at every level from USA Track & Field (USATF) Youth to Collegiate athletes to USATF Masters, Coach Damien Kalvar is known for his thorough technical understanding and his ability to teach the throws events - hammer, weight throw, discus, shot put and javelin.

 

University of Louisville 1998-2003

  • Outdoor conference champions in hammer, shot put and javelin (2 times)

  • Indoor conference champions in shot put (2 times) and weight throw (2 times) 

  • 2002 Conference USA Indoor Athlete of the Year 

  • 2001-02 First Team Academic All-American Javelin

 

USATF Youth & Junior Olympics 2013 to Current

  • USATF Junior Olympian who qualified for regionals in hammer, discus and javelin and went on to place at Nationals in 2015. 

  • IESA Sectional Record Holder in Girls Discus 2015. Added nearly 30 feet to her discus throw on her way from 18th to Third in state. 

  • 2016 USATF Junior Olympian silver medalist in the boy's discus throw at the Indiana Association Championships.

  • 2017 USATF Junior Olympian silver medalist in the boy's discus throw at the Indiana Association Championships.

  • 2017 USATF Junior Olympian silver medalist in the boy's discus throw at the Region 7 Championships.

  • 2017 USATF Junior Olympian National Qualifier in the boy's discus throw.

  • 2017 USATF Junior Olympian National Qualifier in the girl's discus, javelin and hammer throw.

  • 2018 USATF Junior Olympian silver medalist in the boy's discus throw at the Indiana Association Championships.

  • 2018 USATF Junior Olympian fourth place medalist in the boy's discus throw at the Region 7 Championships.

  • 2018 USATF Junior Olympian National Qualifier in the boy's discus throw.

  • 2018 USATF Junior Olympian National Qualifier in the girl's javelin.

  • 2019 USATF Junior Olympian fourth place medalist in the boy's discus throw at the Region 7 Championships.

  • 2019 USATF Junior Olympian National Qualifier in the boy's discus throw.

  • 2021 USATF Junior Olympian gold medalist in the boy's hammer throw at the Indiana Association Championships.

  • 2021 USATF Junior Olympian National Qualifier and #1 National Seed in boy's hammer throw age 15-16 division.

  • 2021 USATF Illinois Youth Championships boy's hammer champion.

  • 2021 USATF Illinois Youth Championships boy's discus bronze medalist. 

  • 2021 USATF Junior Olympian gold medalist in the boy's shot put at the Indiana Association Championships.

  • 2021 USATF Junior Olympian National bronze medalist in the boy's shot put.

  • 2022 USATF Junior Olympics Indiana Association Championships - Gold medalists in Men's Hammer (17-18), Men's Hammer (15-16), Boy's Discus (11-12), Boy's Discus (13-14), Boy's Shot Put (11-12), Boy's Shot Put (13-14); Silver medalists in Boy's Discus (15-16); Bronze medalists in Boy's Shot Put (13-14), Boy's Discus (13-14)

  • 2022 USATF Junior Olympics Region 7 Championships - Gold medalists in Men's Hammer Throw (17-8), Men's Hammer (15-16), Boy's Discus (11-12), Boy's Discus (13-14), Boy's Shot Put (11-12), Boy's Shot Put (13-14)

  • 2022 USATF Junior Olympics National Championships - All American Boy's (13-14) Discus & Shot Put

  • 2023 USATF National Youth Indoor Championships - Men's (17-18) Weight Throw National Champion

  • 2023 USATF National Youth Indoor Championships - Boy's (11-12) Shot Put National Champion

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Highland Hills Middle School - Throws Coach - Girl’s Team 2014

  • School record holder in discus throw. Team went undefeated.

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Southern Indiana Throws Club 2014 to Current

  • Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) State Championship qualifier in girl’s shot put (2014)

  • Added 9 meters (29'6") to women’s NCAA Div.I hammer throw (2015)

  • Added nearly 36 feet to boy’s high school discus throw (2016)

  • Added nearly 40 feet to girl's middle school discus throw (2016)

  • Added 8.16 meters (26'9") to women's NCAA Div.I hammer throw (2016)

  • Added over 34 feet to boy's middle school discus throw (2017)

  • Eastern Relays Indiana Division boy's high school discus champion (2017)

  • Eastern Relays Indiana Division boy's high school shot put champion (2017)

  • Provisional qualifier for the NCAA Div. II Outdoor Championships in women's discus throw (2017)

  • Illinois High School Association (IHSA) LOV Conference Champion in girl's high school discus (2017 & 2018)

  • IHSA Sectional Runner Up and State Championship 1A qualifier in girl's discus throw (2017)

  • IHSA State Championship 1A 10th place finalist in girl's discus throw (2018)

  • IHSAA Sectional Champion in girl's discus throw and State Championship qualifier in girl's discus throw (2017)

  • IHSAA Sectional Champion and Record Holder in girl's shot put (2017)

  • IHSAA Sectional Champion and State Championship qualifier in boy's shot put (2017)

  • National AAU Championship Qualifier for boy's discus (2017)

  • GLVC All Conference men's weight throw (2018) 

  • NCAA Div. I East Preliminary Outdoor Championships in women's discus throw (2018)

  • Bluegrass State Games boy's discus bronze medalist (2018)

  • Bluegrass State Games men's hammer champion (2019)

  • IYTA Midwest Youth Championships boy's discus champion (2019)

  • NCAA Div. 1 University Women's Record Holder in weight throw and hammer throw (2021)

  • ASUN Conference Outdoor Championships women's discus bronze medalist (2021)

  • ASUN Conference Outdoor Championships women's hammer fourth place (2021)

  • Western Ohio Track Officials High School Indoor Elite Meet silver medalist boy's weight throw (2022)

  • Louisville Urban League Invite silver medalist boy's weight throw (2022)

  • Coach O Louisville TF Invitational gold medalist 13-14 boy's shot put (2022)

  • University of Kentucky USATF High School Invitational silver medalist boy's weight throw (2022)

  • Zaxby's Bullskin Relays bronze medalist boy's discus throw (2022)

  • Tyson & Trinity Gay Invitational gold medalist boy's discus throw (2022)

  • Louisville Urban League Men's Weight Throw Champion (2023)

  • Southeast Showdown Men's Weight Throw Champion (2023)

  • KTCCA President's Day Weekend Invite Men's Weight Throw Champion (2023)

  • Eastern Indoors Men's Weight Throw Champion & Meet Record Holder (2023)

  • KHSAA Men's State Weight Throw Record Holder

  • Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center Facility Record Holder for High School Men's Weight Throw (2023)

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