Mason Finley, a recent graduate of Buena Vista High School and the high school national record holder in the discus, was at his job at the video rental store Tuesday when he returned my call. “Pretty hard work,” he said, dryly.
I was wondering about how Finley, who moved to Salida with his family when he was 4 years old, felt about last week’s firing of UCLA track coach Art Venegas.
When I visited Finley and his family this spring in Buena Vista, Mason and his parents, Jared and Lisa, who both work at the state’s Buena Vista Corrections Complex, raved about Venegas.
It was apparent that their respect for Venegas, regarded as one of the top throwers coaches in the nation, was crucial in Mason’s decision to sign a national letter of intent with UCLA — and to risk culture shock in the move from small-town Salida to Los Angeles.
I wasn’t at all shocked that Finley was upset about Venegas’ firing, but I was a bit surprised that he had decided to head to the University of Kansas instead.
“That’s the coach I wanted to go with, but now that they’ve fired him, I don’t see myself going to that school anymore,” Finley said, adding that Venegas called him the day he was fired and told him about it.
Finley said he first called UCLA athletic officials to talk about the firing and say it was giving him second thoughts about heading to Westwood.
“They said that they would want me to wait to see who the next coach was going to be,” he said. “I didn’t think I really wanted to be coached by anyone else except the KU coach.”
Venegas declined an offer to remain on the staff as throwers coach, the role he filled for 18 years before becoming head coach in for the 2000 season. “I didn’t ask why he chose not to do that,” Finley said. “I guess it’s for personal reasons.”
So Finley faxed his request for a release from his letter of intent, and he received the return fax Monday, confirming his release. Although nothing has been formalized, he now hopes and plans to head for Kansas and compete for assistant coach Andy Kokhanovsky.
“He’s excited, and I’m excited,” Finley said with a laugh. “He’s a really great coach, so I can’t wait.”
Next, Finley will head to Trinidad and Tobago for the Junior Pan Am Games. “I’m going to try to win the shot,” he said. “I’ve been practicing really well lately. My form’s been off in the discus, and it’s actually pretty severe, but we’re working on it and hopefully get that straightened out.”
Terry Frei: 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com
