How do you know Yucaipa High junior discus-throw and shot-put specialist Benjamin Lingenfelter is a fan of May, aka CIF track and field championships month?
It’s the start of a true grind and he’s all for putting in the time and effort.
“It’s always been fun to compete in what is the most competitive section in the state, maybe the country. It’s always very good competition, it’s intense and exciting,” Lingenfelter said.
The CIF’s Southern Section, California’s largest section, has four division preliminary meets this Saturday, including Division I at Trabuco Hills High in Mission Viejo where Lingenfelter and many other Inland area qualifiers will compete. The section’s division finals and Masters Meet are May 11 and 18, respectively, at Moorpark High, to determine participants in the May 24-25 CIF State Meet at Clovis Buchanan’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.
But Lingenfelter, who has qualified for the CIF divisional prelims all three seasons, has only advanced to division finals last year in discus. He missed doing so in shot put by two inches.
This spring, his personal best in the discus is 183 feet, 9 inches recorded at the recent Arcadia Invitational. That mark ranks third in the state. He went 180-7 in the CBL final for the top qualifying mark among CIF-SS Division I prelim participants. He won the CBL shot put title with a mark of 53-10.5, No. 2 among D-1 qualifiers heading into Saturday’s prelims. That throw is only slightly behind his 54-0.50 PR in a league dual meet with Citrus Valley.
“To me, it’s time to dial it in as an athlete,” he said. “When I was going into the CIF finals last year, I was so focused that everything else faded away.”
His intensity, both mentally and physically, has improved this spring.
“He has such passion for the sport. Physically, he’s stronger than he was last year and he’s been stronger mentally in that he’s not letting bad throws get in his head,” Yucaipa throws coach Jack Rulon said. “He’s one of the most dedicated athletes. It’s a lot of fun to coach a kid who has really bought into it.”
Lingenfelter prides himself on being in peak physical condition. He trains four days a week, maximizes reps instead of lifting heavier weights. He does research, reviewing his throws as well as viewing European throwers’ videos, and talking with high-level athletes and coaches. He’s got a throwing ring in his parents’ backyard. Swimming is used in his training as he went from seeing his older sister compete to incorporating it into offseason freestyle and butterfly sprint workouts, improving explosiveness, endurance and fast-twitch muscle development.
Nutrition is a big deal. Lingenfelter gained 35 pounds since last year but wants to add another 20 to his 6-foot-8, 240-pound frame — “Being a lean 260 is ideal” — so the 16-year-old has a daily diet of 6,000-7,000 calories.
There’s also a Lingenfelter family tradition. His father, Tyson, won the CIF State shot put title in 1993, and was a three-time Southern Section division shot put champion while at Upland. Benjamin also has an uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather who’ve competed.
His father, who later threw at the University of Arizona, is now an assistant principal in the Beaumont Unified School District. He is a volunteer throws coach assisting Rulon with Yucaipa throwers, including his son.
“My parents didn’t force us to follow them, only wanting us to stay active doing things we wanted to do,” Benjamin said. “I remember Dad came home from work to watch the 2016 Olympics and the shot put final. I watched it with him. He told me stories and eventually asked if I’d want to do shot put. I said yes. My interest grew from there.”
Seven years later, Lingenfelter is ready for his spotlight. His first two Yucaipa seasons helped him learn and grow. Junior year is about big gains. He wants to “survive and move on in the CIF gauntlet” in the discus prelims where he’s No. 1 and only trails Warren senior Eman Goodloe’s 57-6.25 in the Division I shot put prelims.
Section prelims and finals require his full attention, but Lingenfelter’s objective is to advance to Masters Meet, win it, and carry top Southern Section billing into his first State Meet appearance.
“I look back on how far I’ve come from my freshman year to now and it’s been quick, but also a long two years,” Lingenfelter said. “I’ve gone from wide-eyed freshman to a sophomore doing kind of good to more serious. I’m trying to maximize it this year. I want to be peaking at the perfect time.”
Lingenfelter is ready to deliver results in May.
