2022 Notre Dame QB Target Steve Angeli Chases Goals While Staying Present

It’s not a glamour contest, at least not for quarterbacks, but it was important to Steve Angeli‍.

Over the winter, the 2022 New Jersey quarterback was training hard to participate at the Elite 11 New Jersey Regional. The event ended up getting cancelled because of COVID-19, but a tiny peek inside of Angeli’s training reveals a lot about the Bergen Catholic High School standout.

The combine portion of the event includes the kneeling power ball throw, typically an event linemen shine in, where participants have to kneel on the ground with a six-pound ball and then thrust it forward more than actually throwing it before landing in the push-up position.

Angeli had a number in mind. He knew former New Jersey and Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush registered a toss of 45 feet when he was in high school.

When Angeli started training for the event, he was at 36.

“I said, ‘You’ve got a long way to catch Brandon,’” Angeli’s personal quarterback coach at EliteQB Matt Bastari remembers.

“He was kind of laughing and said, ‘Coach, I’m going to get there.’”

Angeli recognized the importance of the drill even as a quarterback.

“Having strong legs and a strong base is definitely important in delivering a tight ball down the field,” he says. “Being accurate and being on time with your throws is something you have to have great technique with and have that power within you to get that ball out there.”

But it’s also obvious Angeli simply had a thirst to accomplish a tangible goal.

“He’s an interesting kid in that he’s driven by metrics,” says Bastardi.

Angeli agrees.

“I’m always trying to chase goals while living in the present by winning every day, winning every rep, winning every minute,” he says, noting he had several other goals for the 40, the broad jump and simply winning the entire event.

So, he kept working at the power ball toss and slowly made progress.

Nine feet is an awfully large distance to make up in a relatively short period of time, but eventually, he was able to surpass Wimbush’s 45-foot mark.

“It was pretty amazing to watch,” says Bastardi.

Even more amazing when you consider the last little tidbit Angeli adds.

“I was using a ball that was about a half-pound heavier.”