Plum’s Owen Proskin looks to contend for WPIAL medals in multiple events

By: Michael Love
Saturday, May 4, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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During a high school track and field meet this season, Owen Proskin can be seen anywhere from the track to the jumps and to the throws.

The versatile 6-foot-5 Plum sophomore is making his mark in several events and producing points, top place finishes, and creating positive vibes toward what he hopes is an impactful WPIAL Class 3A championship meet May 15 at Slippery Rock University.

“There were discussions with the coaches about what events to put me in at each (dual) meet to give me the best chance to score points for my team,” said Proskin, who also has competed in the multi-event triathlon, pentathlon and decathlon at USATF youth meets.

The decathlon is an endurance test for an athlete who competes in the 100 meters, 400 meters, 1,500 meters, 110 hurdles, long jump, high jump, pole vault, discus, javelin and shot put.

“Once I got to the decathlon, I was trying it out to see how I would do in all of those events,” Proskin said.

“Two years ago was when I really started to train for it and take it seriously.”

Proskin said his fifth-place performance indoors in the pentathlon (five events) at Adidas Track Nationals March 15-17 in Virginia Beach was an additional boost for the outdoor season.

He scored a combined 3,284 points in the 60 hurdles, long jump, shot put, high jump and 1,000 meters.

“It gave me so much confidence to continue what I have been doing,” he said. “It prepared me so much mentally and physically.”

Proskin, who mixed training and performing at indoor track events this past winter with practices and games for the Plum boys basketball team, placed seventh in the 60 hurdles (8.73) at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association championships on Feb. 17 at Edinboro.

“With basketball, I wasn’t doing anything too strenuous on the track, just the 60 hurdles and the shot,” he said.

“Then I would go to most practices when I could to keep with the flow of what was going on.”

Proskin said his 110 high and 300 hurdles are his strongest events in outdoor right now, and he is pleased to see what he’s been able to do in the high jump.

He hit personal records in all three earlier in the season with what he hopes are even better marks to come.

Proskin competed at the Norwin 9-10 meet last Thursday and the Pine-Richland Invitational on Friday.

His high school best marks entering those meets were 15.50 seconds in the 100 hurdles set against Woodland Hills on April 8, a 41.85 in the 300 hurdles at Plum on April 22, and 6 feet, 3 inches in the high jump against Woodland Hills.

Proskin went 6-3¼ in the high jump last summer while competing in the decathlon at summer nationals. He said he just missed 6-5, the school record, in his third attempt at Woodland Hills.

“I am pretty confident that I can get 6-5,” he said. “I am hoping that I can get that by the end of this season.”

Proskin led the Plum boys with four finishes 13th or better at the prestigious Butler Invitational on April 19.

He was seventh in the high jump (6-1), ninth in the 100 hurdles (15.69), ninth in the discus (125-6) and 13th in the 300 (42.05).

“Owen had a pretty good meet at Butler,” Plum coach Matt Proskin said.

“He’s sitting pretty good looking ahead to WPIALs. He’s in the top 24 in four events, the high jump, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles and the discus. It is always subject to change because those numbers can move. A couple of those, he’s sitting pretty securely.

“For him, it’s just a matter of him continuing to training like he always does and doing everything he can to be ready for WPIALs and see if he can push to get to that next level.”

Proskin placed 14th at WPIALs last year in the 110 hurdles (16.16). He was one of just three freshmen in that event. He also was 21st in the high jump (5-9) and again was one of just three freshmen to compete.

With an eye on WPIALs, Proskin and a number of his Plum teammates hope to improve times, heights and distances at the Norwin Last Ditch Invitational on Thursday.

“We hope to get a good 4-by-1 team together and strive for WPIALs at that meet,” Proskin said.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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