The Day's All-Area Boys' Track & Field Athlete of the Year: NFA's Chris Amy

A member of the Norwich Free Academy family shook his head and caught a wry grin one day in late winter, lamenting the story of junior Chris Amy, whose relative anonymity belied his accomplishments.

“Look at this,” the NFA loyalist said. “That kid might be one of the top 20 shot putters in the nation and nobody knows who he is.”

The reason: Amy found himself second often to East Lyme’s Tommy Matlock, even as late as March. Matlock won the New England indoor championship with a throw of 62 feet in the finals at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston. Amy finished second with a personal best of 60-2.75, an NFA record, giving the Eastern Connecticut Conference an unprecedented 1-2 finish.

Great for the league, sure. But another second-place finish.

Ah, but then came the spring, when Amy bloomed right there as nature always does. He won the boys’ shot put (60 feet, 3 inches) and discus (159-9) at the CIAC Outdoor Track & Field State Open in New Britain, following triumphs in the Class LL and ECC championships.

“It was,” Amy said, responding to a question as to whether defeating Matlock was a motivating factor for him. “Tommy is excellent at what he does. He beat me most of the indoor season, even though I had some personal bests in there. Being able to beat him is a huge accomplishment.”

Amy was named The Day’s 2024 All-Area Boys’ Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

His “rivalry” with Matlock does not check the same boxes as many other rivalries do. They encourage each other and root for each other, two unicorns in a village of trash talkers.

“One of the reasons I like track is the camaraderie. This isn’t like football.,” Matlock said during the season. “Chris and I want each other to always get better.”

They both have.

“As a sophomore, I admit, I didn’t think I’d ever get this good,” Amy said. “But the support I’ve gotten from my friends, family and coaches has been incredible.”

Amy, built stoutly, picked up the sport in his freshman year at NFA. That was the time teammate Jordan Ribeiro won the Class LL state championships in the shot and discus.

“I was forced into it,” Amy said with a grin. “Jordan said I’d be a loser if I didn’t try it. I was a freshman, so I couldn’t afford to be a loser.”

Now he can’t stop winning.

“It might seem like a stretch, but my goal for senior year is to set a state record in the shot both indoor (around 64 feet) and outdoor (66),” Amy said.

His personal bests are 60-2.75 (indoor) and 61-10.5 (outdoor), leaving him with much work left.

“I have to get stronger,” he said. “Most of the indoor season, I wasn’t lifting. My strength wasn’t where I wanted it to be. But it’s getting there.”

That’s because Amy is part of the NFA football team’s summer lifting program. Good luck to opposing linemen attempting to move him next fall. He’s built low to the ground.

“Football’s been great,” Amy said, alluding to the enthusiasm in the program with new coach Dylan Schroth. “He greets everybody every day as they show up. Very positive. You can really see a change.”

m.dimauro@theday.com

The Day’s 2024 All-Area Boys’ Track and Field Team

Player of the Year - Chris Amy (NFA)

100, 200 meters - Jacob Volkerts (Old Lyme)

400 - Finian Gates (East Lyme)

800 - Ryan Dunning (Fitch)

1,600, 3,200 - Sean McCauley (East Lyme)

110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, triple jump - Elliot Childs (Waterford)

4x100 relay - Ledyard (Jamel Kearse, Roan Fothergill, Mateo Viviano, AJ Adamick)

4x400 relay - Bacon Academy (Kaden Treat, Ethan Fleurose, Douglas Howard, Aaron Fidrych)

4x800 relay - East Lyme (Jilali Benjdid, Maddox Grillo-Smith, Finian Gates, Kai Ritz)

High jump - Christian Wiltshire (Ledyard)

Pole vault - Luca Viviano (Ledyard)

Long jump - Zayshawn Griffin (Fitch)

Shot put - Tommy Matlock (East Lyme)

Discus - Liam Sweeney (Bacon Academy)

Javelin - Sae’Vion Melendez (St. Bernard)

Utility - Joal Barros (NFA), Tycen LaBelle (Griswold), Sam Leone (East Lyme)