CITRUS PARK — Paul “Tre” Zancara III decided to take up yoga.
It wasn’t for relaxation, but to get deep stretches in, strengthen his core and, eventually, improve his javelin throws.
And through downward dogs and warrior poses, yoga did just that — so well that Zancara went undefeated this season and reset the school record six times.
“I love yoga now,” the Sickles High senior said. “At first, I was like, this is awful. Everything hurt afterward, but now I look forward to it. … The really tough move, but which has helped a lot, is Crescent Warrior because you lean back and it’s a lot like a throw, so it’s helped with strength and core and everything.”
Hard to argue with the results. Zancara scored 128 points and took first in every meet he entered this season. On March 21 at the Raven Invitational at nearby Alonso High, he set his personal record — for now — with a 54.14-meter throw (177 feet, 7 inches), shattering the mark on the school’s record board by nearly 10 feet.
Zancara said yoga, and shortening his throwing mechanics, were the key to adding “about 6-7 javelin lengths, so I’m pretty happy about that.
“I think that will do pretty well at states. I just want to get on the podium to finish out this year,” he added.
In 2025, Zancara made the Class 4A state meet but finished 13th out of 18 throwers with a mark of 47.29 meters (155 feet, 9 inches). Fast forward to now, and through all those yoga classes, Zancara is ranked seventh in Class 4A, well up from 23rd entering states last year. At last year’s meet, where the top eight medal, seventh place was 50 meters — and Zancara’s current best would have placed him sixth.
“It was a huge accomplishment to make states as a junior,” he said. “Now, with these improved numbers, I’m looking to get in the top five or three — I’d really like to get ahold of one, but it’ll be tough. There are a lot of really, really good throwers this year compared to last year and maybe two or three 60-meter throwers in the fray when last year there was only one.”
Zancara’s coach, Gary Jones, knows his thrower is already putting up state-level numbers consistently.
“Every throw he’s had this season has been in the 50s — that’s state level,” Jones said. “But a lot of times, at the Class 4A level, it’s dominated by seniors, so the fact that he was able to go there as a junior, get that experience, and now going as a senior, he’ll be better suited and won’t go there like, ‘Oh, this is states.’ He’s been there already and now knows what to expect.”
Zancara also threw discus and shot put all season for the Gryphons, but Jones said Zancara wanted to focus solely on javelin in the run-up to states, so he won’t compete in the other two events at districts or regionals. Jones knows all three events are a strain on Zancara’s body, so he’s glad to see him scale back.
And use yoga to stretch out any kinks and pain.
“It really helped his body,” Jones said. “He would tell me all the time he felt better after meets, so it was great that he found something that really helped his form, his throws and, of course, his body.”
Zancara is ready, and well aware, of the competition. He understands the district and regional meets come first, but he also can’t ignore his numbers.
Even when he’s doing a yoga pose.
“Yoga is fun. I miss it if I can’t go,” Zancara said. “I feel like every year, the competition gets harder and harder. But that’s kind of good because this year I am competing against a couple of sophomores that are throwing really well, too. … And I think only four or five kids hit 60 meters last year in the whole state. My 54 is pretty good in those terms, but if I hit 60, I’d be very happy.”
If you go
FHSAA Track & Field State Championships
When: May 6-9
Where: Jax Track at Hodges Stadium, University of North Florida, Jacksonville
For more information, visit https://fhsaa.com/sports/track