By Tim Parry

If you looked over from the shot put area Sunday at Danbury High School, towards the lights at the Federal Correctional Institute, you could see an unpleasant sky approaching. What appeared to be a funnel cloud was possibly heading towards the Nutmeg State Games and its track and field meet.

And then came the voice from the press box, asking all spectators and athletes to exit the stadium slowly, in an orderly fashion, and seek shelter.

Though it was about 4 p.m., the skies soon darkened as if it were five hours later, and dumped inches of rain on the area.

The rain eventually stopped, but meet officials decided to postpone the remaining events until this Sunday, August 3.

About half the events had been completed at the time of the evacuation, but results will not be posted until the official completion of the meet.

By Thomas Michael

Running late for football practice after an interview with a local newspaper, former New Canaan lineman Steve Johnson acquired the nickname “Hollywood” from several teammates in his final season as a Rams.

Although Johnson won’t be traveling to the west coast, track and field fame may be in his future as he heads to the University of Connecticut this fall.

“I’m very excited,” Johnson said. “I’m totally undecided on what I want to do. I know that I want to help people. I’m leaning towards pre-med or pre-kinesiology.”

Academics aside, Johnson also plans to continue in track and shot-put. Setting a record for himself in shot-put of 52-feet, 9-inches in the State Open, Johnson placed second in the state and fifth in New England. Yet, he has always felt that he could improve his game.

“In college I’m going to work on getting mentally focused,” he said. “It’s going to take a majority of the time at UConn so I probably won’t do any club sports.”

Still, Johnson has played a variety of sports throughout his athletic career.

“I played soccer and baseball when I was a kid and I tried lacrosse but didn’t like it,” he said. “When I was in ninth grade I did track and hurdles. I was awful.”

Johnson also did wrestling and played football in high school but found his niche throwing the shot-put.

“What makes a good shot-putter is long arms. If you’re lanky it’s better,” Johnson said. “Sophomore year I didn’t do bad but I wasn’t that good. And then I kept on lifting. Junior year I really came out of my shell and I got sixth in FCIAC. Then I kept on lifting and here I am today.”

Johnson received the coveted Sikorsky Award at the senior athletics picnic this past spring for his accomplishments.

“I felt really honored to get it because it was such a great payoff,” Johnson said. “It’s a really prestigious award.”

Selected to play for the Fairfield County All-Star football team, Johnson dropped out in order to avoid injury before heading off to do Division I track in college.

In the meantime before setting off to school, Johnson works out for about 90 minutes each day in between working at the Waveny Park Pool snack bar and spending time with his friends. He also plans on shot-putting with several athletes from Danbury.

“I’m just trying to be focused on staying close to my friends and trying to make some good memories before I go [to school],” Johnson said.