Solon’s Ben Kampman motivated to win a track and field state title in discus
Solon’s Ben Kampman knows what it takes to compete on the big stage in high school sports.
The fourth-year Spartan has competed in Class 3A state football, the Drake Relays and the state boys track and field meet.
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Kampman now has his sights on clinching his first state title as a discus thrower at this week’s state track and field meet. His relentless dedication is a driving force behind his success.
“As long as you have the mentality of, ‘You get out what you put in,’ I feel like it’s pretty easy to work hard,” Kampman said. “There’s a direct correlation between putting in a lot of work and getting great success.”
Ben Kampman poses for a portrait at Solon High School in Solon, Iowa.
Kampman competes in the discus throw for Solon boys track and field, an event that first sparked his interest as a freshman.
Kampman initially wasn’t interested in competing in high school due to football and wrestling commitments. While in the weight room, he was approached by Solon track and football coach Brad Wymer, who urged him to give throwing a chance.
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Kampman, a former middle-school hurdler, had never competed in a throwing event before his freshman year. He admitted that he didn’t have many expectations, but it quickly blossomed from an unknown sport into a passion.
“Competing with other people is fun, just seeing it go far. I like practicing it; it’s something I can do for the rest of my life, I feel like, because it’s not super taxing on your body,” Kampman said. “I feel like it’s kind of relaxing, working on the same thing over and over again.”
Ben Kampman poses for a portrait at Solon High School in Solon, Iowa.
Kampman grew up surrounded by competition. He’s the son of Aaron Kampman, a former Hawkeye football and NFL player. His brothers also competed for Solon.
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“I’ve definitely had some competitive spirit instilled in me by my family,” Kampman said.
The two-time all-state football player (2022 and 2023) is carving his own path to success, and he’s looking to make a statement at this week’s state track and field meet in Des Moines.
In 2023, Kampman placed third in discus as a junior in Class 3A with a throw of 178 feet, 5 inches. In the offseason, he added to his routine by investing more time on his footwork and studying more film.
He hit a new personal-record of 200 feet, 4 inches at the North Cedar Boys Invitational on April 23. Wymer said Kampman’s work ethic and attention to detail have been difference-makers.
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“He’s definitely doing the things he needs to do to reach his goals,” Wymer said. “He knows he’s putting in the work and the discipline. He’s watched video on his own time and analyzing his own techniques.”
Ben Kampman poses for a portrait at Solon High School in Solon, Iowa.
Kampman’s hard work extends to his leadership with the Solon throwing group, where he guides his younger teammates and sets a strong example through his commitment to his craft.
Kampman’s senior teammate, Mason Scott, believes Kampman’s leadership is pivotal for the team’s success.
“I would say overall, Ben is a very good friend, teammate and role model. He’s a very big important part of our team and he plays tremendous roles,” Scott said. “He’s going to pick the whole team up and help us be successful and win.”
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Kampman, a Duke track and field commit, hopes to add his name to the history books this week at Drake Stadium.
“I don’t really have a set goal for … how far I want to throw, but I definitely want to win state in discus, that’s my goal,” Kampman said. “There’s going to be some good competition so it should be fun.”
Kampman is the No. 1 seed heading into the Class 3A discus event at the state meet.
Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at MARay@gannett.com, and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Solon discus thrower Ben Kampman looking to win first state title
