March 27, 2003
By Dan Tomlin
Sports Editor

Going into the March 2-3 weekend most students were worried about spring break and their plans for the week long hiatus.  Not St. Ambrose University track standout Rob Firrell.  Firrell was traveling to Johnson City, TN where he was to compete in the NAIA National Championships. 

Firrell who placed third in the weight throw last season, earning All-American honors as a junior, came into the competition ranked sixth, but after all was said and done, he’d be leaving as number one.

Firrell, a graduate from Davenport West High in Davenport, transferred from Southern Illinois University where he had been on the track team until his junior year.  In his first season of St. Ambrose track and field Firrell gained All-American status indoor, as well as coming up one place short of All-American in the outdoor season.

“I knew Rob would be an All-American when he transferred,” St. Ambrose University head track coach Ryan Saddler said.  “But, I didn’t know he’d be a national champion.”

This year, Firrell was selected as a team captain for his overall commitment to excellence and to the track program.

“He’s a great guy and that’s why he’s a team captain because he has his head on striaght,” Coach Saddler said.  “He’s a big guy and he’s a nice guy to be a part of the Ambrose family.”

With a winning throw of 17.99 meters, or about 59 feet, with a 35-pound weight, Firrell eclipsed his previous season high by almost one and a half meters.

“I just had the best three throws of my life,” Firrell said of the throws to win him a national title.  “I guess I picked a pretty good time to do it.”

The repercussions of his national championship are already being felt, and in the two weeks that have passed since Firrell became a national champion. St. Ambrose has already signed two track recruits.

Firrell had a hard time adjusting to a smaller school atmosphere and the athletic facilities.  To train for the weight throw the throwers had to use the raquetball courts for the first four weeks of the season until a deal could be worked out with the former Marycrest Univerity to use their facility.

“Until we get better facilities St. Ambrose is never going to have a great program,” Firrell said.  “There’s just nowhere for us to practice and get better."

As the outdoor season goes, I want to qualify in hammer and in shot put.  Hopefully I’ll be able to continue what I have going here and win another championship.”

After the first outdoor meet of the season at Augustana College on March 22, Firrell has automatically qualified in the hammer throw for the national championships to be held in Olathe, KS on May 29-30, where he hopes to leave as the most decortaed athlete in school history.