I hear my name called and the world around me goes silent.
I am focused on my goal, and what I need to do to accomplish it. It’s always the same routine as I prepare to take my turn. I shake my arms out, shrug my shoulders, move my legs to get them warm, tap my feet as I find my place and then get the right feel in my hand. There is one final pause — channeling all of my focus, training and energy to work together for the next few seconds. Then in a flash, I begin my motion, harness all of my strength and power into one destination and let it fly. I get a mere moment to admire what I have done before it’s cleared away for the next attempt.
That is what it was like to be a track and field thrower.
I had no way to know when I picked up a shot put for the first time more than 15 years ago how much it would determine some of my choices in life. It’s strange to think what the differences might have been if I hadn’t wanted to try my hand as a thrower.
When your mom is the junior high track and field coach, you don’t have much choice but to participate. I am not a runner and will never be picked to anchor a sprint relay — well, not one that means anything. I was strong; however, so I knew I could possibly contribute to the team by learning how to throw the shot put and discus.
I knew what the shot put was like. As teachers at Green Mountain-Garwin High School, my parents used to volunteer to work the shot put at the GMG Relays, something they still do to this day. When we were old enough, my sister and I would go along and help in whatever way we could, mainly helping stretch the tape measure and retrieving the shots. I remember watching the Sandquist girls throw for GMG and wanting to be like them.
So as a seventh grader, I finally got my chance. As many times as I had seen it done, I had no clue how to use the proper form. Luckily, the boys and girls high school coaches helped me at least learn how to hold the shot and disc and make a halfway decent attempt at both.
As I got more comfortable with the implements, I was able to learn more and get better with practice. Soon, I was throwing fairly well and even managed to win at track meets. I was hooked and just wanted to keep getting better and better.
I didn’t realize until my senior year how much I might miss by not being involved in the sport. Softball had been and always will be my favorite sport to play; so I always thought if I was going to continue in anything at the college level, it was going to be softball. But the right college coach said the right things at the right time, and I decided to continue my track career at Wartburg College.
I loved being a member of the Wartburg track and field team. I have lots of memories from those four years and continue returning to Waverly for meets and events every year. I learned a lot more about the sport I came to love and improved in both the shot and discus. I also discovered two more throwing events to enjoy with the weight throw during the indoor season and the hammer for outdoor. No, it is not a hammer like you use during construction projects. The hammer throw is fun to do and even more fun to watch. It involves throwing an eight pound ball at the end of a wire after twirling round and round. It combines speed, agility, strength and just a bit of danger in every attempt. What’s not to love?
Even though I am no longer competing in the sport, I have been given the chance to share what I have learned through the years with my dad and mom’s boys and girls junior high track teams. I’m trying to give them a start with some of the basic fundamentals to learn the craft in the same place I started all those years ago. I hope some of these youngsters come to appreciate it as much as I do.
Contact Pam Rodgers at
641-792-3121 ext. 6530
or prodgers@newtondailynews.com