YORK — Jack Bouchard is quietly confident and rarely talks about his accomplishments.
Those accomplishments, though, have been quite impressive. Bouchard, a York High senior, already is a two-time Class B state champion and three-time Western Maine Conference champion in the javelin. Last year he broke the Class B state record in the javelin with a throw of 200 feet, 6 inches. Then, during the recently completed indoor season, he won the long jump state title as a No. 8 seed.
After he graduates in June, Bouchard will compete at William & Mary on a partial track scholarship.
“It’s pretty legit,” Bouchard said of his track future. “I’m excited for next year, for college. But I’m excited for this year. I’m in way better condition. I plan to do some things.”
While Bouchard won’t speak of it, he isn’t far off the Maine all-time best javelin mark of 210-9 set by Rob Pendergist of Ellsworth in 1989. That throw is considered a retired record by the Maine Principals’ Association because the weight of the javelin has since been redistributed.
Bouchard is used to going after big goals.
At last year’s outdoor state meet, his winning throw topped the previous Class B record of 192-9 set by Nick Danner of Waterville in 2013. Bouchard won the state title by 30 feet.
More impressive has been Bouchard’s improvement since his freshman season, when he placed fifth at the state championships with a throw of 151-4. He improved to 186-8 as a sophomore, then broke the 200-foot mark last year.
Bouchard also showed his versatility during the indoor season, where there is no javelin event. Instead he tried the long jump and went into the state meet ranked eighth with a best mark of 18-7.
Three days before the meet, York jumps coach Al Taplin, knowing Bouchard’s natural strength and speed, took him to the University of Southern Maine field house in Gorham for a one-on-one practice. It was a two-hour round trip for an hour of jumping, but proved invaluable.
Taplin explained to Bouchard how to use his power and speed to propel himself forward. The technique began to click, and in short order Bouchard was flying farther across the sand pit.
“He’s so fast. I just showed him how to get his legs out in front of him and reach. He picked it up quickly,” Taplin said.
After two months of jumping in the 17- and 18-foot range, Bouchard jumped 19-3 at the state meet, then 19-101/4, then 20-1.
When Hunter Smith of Foxcroft Academy surpassed Bouchard’s best mark with a jump of 20-21/2, Bouchard achieved a personal best of 20-10 on his final attempt.
“I told him, ‘I’m going to be yelling at you to reach,’ ” Taplin said. “And Jack said, ‘You can yell all you want, I’ll be in the zone.’
“I’m not surprised he improved like that. He’s a pretty darn good athlete. And he’s just so strong.”
Bouchard said the idea of winning a long jump state title was “pretty ridiculous.”
“I was in the second flight. Then I went into the finals seeded first. It was pretty crazy. But it just all came together and I think it helped I was running full out,” Bouchard said.
He also said he realized the long jump is similar to the javelin: both require explosive movement and the use of the entire body, and the best athletes use speed and power.
For the Wildcats, who have won two outdoor state championships in four years and four indoor titles in five years, having an athlete of Bouchard’s ability helps in their quest for another state championship.
Coach Ted Hutch said what makes Bouchard the perfect team captain is he passes out compliments for everyone else before talking about his own accomplishments.
“He’s a nice kid, but he’s very quiet and very modest. He’s more likely to talk about his teammates than himself,” Hutch said.
“This spring he’ll do the javelin and long jump. And now he’s looking for two other events. He may do the 400 relay, the triple jump, who knows? He’s a natural athlete.”
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