I have several passions in my life, yet Track and Field is
at the top of the list. Over the last 15
years of my life I have grown to love this sport. I have worked hard learning it, and making it
a top importance when deciding my career options.
When I was in elementary school my first passion was basketball. I loved basketball (still do...college basketball is still one of my favorite things to watch), and my dream was to be a college women's basketball coach; I decided this in 6th grade...cheesy I know. I started playing basketball in 3rd grade, and I felt making the high school team was one step to my cheesy dream in elementary school.
Along with basketball, I decided to go out for Track and
Field my freshman year, since my older sister previously did and was very
successful in the sport; my mom said, "hey you should throw...not many
girls throw and there might be a future in it." I had never thrown before and I was excited
to try something new. I did well, not
outstanding, but well for a freshman and I was learning to love the event; yet
my passion was still basketball.
My sophomore year I made the basketball team again. I did not move up to JV but started all
quarters for the sophomore team and was a high scorer...this led me to believe
that I would do well at tryouts and make the JV team my junior year. I jumped the gun on that. During my junior year playing basketball
ended; this event would also alter my dream.
My focus became Track and Field.
Track and field is unique because you focus on individual events. Each person has their own personal record (PR), their own goals, and only themselves to blame for a poor performance. On the other hand you are also working to accomplish these goals for your team overall; track is based on a point system and if you land in the top nine, eight, six, three, or however a meet is scored that day, you score points for the team. Team work and working hard for your team is important for a coach to establish in the sport, even though it is still individually driven as well.
The next two years in high school I had an amazing time on the Track and Field team. My coach was very supportive ( I still see my coaches at meets today, great feeling) and taught me everything she knew and I had many successful meets. Towards the end of my junior season I knew that I wanted to continue with the sport...I just needed to find a way how.
Now I said I loved the sport, not that I was a superstar. I was not having colleges sending me mail or knocking on my door to come throw for them. This was okay with me because I wanted something different. I wanted to attend a small university, and being able to participate at the NAIA level would be very doable. I had a few universities in mind, yet in the end Baker stood out and would become my university, track and field team, sisterhood, and my alum mater. It was the best decision I ever made.
I had coaches that worked with us every day (Mallinder and Mackie), pushed us,
showed us their passion, and introduced me to the hammer. Not many people are aware of the hammer
unless they are a track junkie. It is a
wonderful instrument and it became my passion in college. This new passion allowed my other throwing
events to falter, but I was able to excel at a decent level with the hammer.
Spring Break...New Orleans
I went to college to become a high school teacher, and the main drive to be at the high school level was the ability to coach. Coaching Track and Field was important to me and I expressed this to my college coach, Coach Mallinder. He did everything to insure that I knew how to coach the throws and would eventually place me in the position to help the throwers after I graduated. I owe a lot to Coach Mallinder. He gave me the beginning tools of my coaching career, and I miss him dearly.
Since college I have continued to coach...I have coached the
javelin and sprints/relays the past five years.
I have not missed a State track meet yet, and I have earned my Level 1
Track and Field certificate. The steps
are falling into place...someday I will be a head Track and Field coach, or
work at the colligate level. It is just
a matter of time.
In college there were moments I could have worked harder (being the crazy college student I was), yet Track and Field has brought me friends and hardships, yet the best part of Track is the passion it has sparked in me. Basketball will never be able to fill its shoes. I watch basketball, but Track and Field makes me run back and forth on the field, jump and scream when an athlete makes State, get sun-burnt :), and physically see the growth of an athlete over the four years in high school or the four years in college. It is the best sport out there and my life will always have Track and Field incorporated in its journey.
I really wrote this blog because the State meet is this weekend and I feel I need to honor the sport I love so much. It is strange because 15 years ago I had no idea that Track and Field would mean this much to me. Maybe I needed the college experience or the last six years of coaching to fuel my passion further. I am excited for the many more years to come of Track and Field.
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