Catholic High’s Paul Catalanotto named Louisiana Gatorade’s Boys Track Athlete of Year
by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
After a week’s worth of competition in Oregon, Catholic High’s Paul Catalanatto was able to secure a couple of well-deserved days of rest away from the track and field world where he’s made quite a name for himself.
Catalanatto, an LSU signee, qualified for August’s U20 World Championship in the javelin with a second-place finish in the U.S. Championships. Three days later, he won the Nike Outdoor Championships before embarking on a vacation with his family in Alabama.
In between the two competitions Catalanatto became the first track and field athlete in his school’s rich history to receive the Louisiana Gatorade Boys Track Athlete of the Year.
“It’s awesome,” Catalanatto said of the Gatorade award, joining classmate and projected first-round draft choice William Schmidt, the state’s Gatorade baseball winner. “I’m glad about this award. When I get something like this I don’t really like to gloat. I want to stay humble and just keep working.”
Two other components of the Gatorade Award – academics and community service – were also strong characteristics of Catalanotto. He carried a 4.2 GPA and volunteered at both St. Vincent de Paul serving meals to the homeless, along with giving us his time to the Cajun Crushers – an organization that assist amputees in athletic competition.
Catalanatto completed an undefeated showing during the outdoor season in Louisiana until finishing second at the United States’ U20 event on Wednesday with a throw of 209 feet, 1 inch, a mark that trailed good friend Bronson Krainall (210-10) of Pennsylvania.
By virtue of his top-two finish in the event, Catalanatto qualified for the U20 World Championship in Lima, Peru on Aug. 27-31. He also returns to East Stroudsburg, PA. for the 10th Annual American JavFest on July 12-13, an event for the nation’s top javelin throwers to convene, where he placed third in 2022.
“It’s been really fun,” Catalanatto said. “I have two more meets in this season, so I can’t let this get to my head. I can’t wait for these upcoming meets, especially JavFest. I’ll see great competition at both.”
Catalanotto completed a perfect high school outdoor season in May with a winning effort of 209-9 to successfully defend in his Class 5A state javelin championship. A year ago, he won the event as a junior with an effort of 201-9 ¼ which was 28 feet better than second place.
The Bears, who won team state titles in 2022 and ’23, were second to Scotlandville in this year’s team race.
Catalanatto covered plenty of ground in a relatively short amount of time. He didn’t first pick up a javelin until after football, looking to fill an athletic void. He also didn’t make the school’s freshman baseball team, and instead followed up on the suggestion of one of his teachers to give the javelin a try.
“I didn’t throw it far as a freshman, but liked it enough to throw it another year,” Catalanotto said. “My sophomore year is where it all took off. I was third in Nike Outdoor nationals, and I haven’t looked back since.”
Catalanotto surpassed the magic 200-foot mark for the first time at Nike Outdoor nationals and JavFest where he threw between 206-207 feet. He made the javelin his sole focus this past season, leaving the football program after three years.
“It’s worked out really good for me,” he said.
Catalanotto traced his success back to a core group of coaches, both at Catholic High, and privately that unlocked his potential.
Daniel Bordelon, his javelin coach since his freshman year, combined with head coach Sean Brady to provide a solid foundation along with long-time CHS assistant Don Hood. All of the training meshed with personal coaches Robert and John Woosley, to catapult Catalanotto into a national competitor.
“They got me right,” Catalanotto said of his coaches. “I was a little baby in the sport and didn’t know what to do. Coach Brady came in my junior year and was excellent. He really knew his stuff very well and I love coach Bordelon to death. I’ve succeeded because of all of my coaches.”
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Catalanatto learned the value of good technique during the infancy stages of his journey. He’s witnessed varying degrees of success with larger framed competitors and those, like himself, that relied on proven methods through countless repetitions in practice.
“Whenever you’re my height you’ve got to use every inch of your body,” he said. “Your technique has to be on point. The one thing you have to do if you’re a shorter guy, your technique has to be really good. You’ve got to use every inch of your body and get as much power and as much speed out of your body into the stick.”
Following his runner-up showing in the U20 U.S. Championships, Catalanotto felt “more relaxed” and his progression through the Nike Outdoors showed. He was in second place with a throw of 210 before unleashing his final two throws over 220 feet that included his winning effort.
JavFest organizer Barry Krammes provided Catalanotto with a helpful tip involving the landing of feet that helped propel him toward victory.
Catalanotto will follow in the footsteps of former Parkview Baptist standout Tzuriel Pedigo who signed with LSU and captured a pair of NCAA javelin titles. He took official visits to Nebraska, LSU, Notre Dame and Texas A&M and decided to stay home and sign with the Tigers where he’ll major in engineering.
“I’ve been a Tiger fan all of my life, I’m really excited,” Catalanotto. “I decided to take the visits where I could see myself going and succeeding in the classroom and on the track. That was probably the hardest decision. I’m going there for four years and wanted to make the right decision. I feel like I truly made the right decision to go to LSU.”