Dos Pueblos High School Track and Field has a variety of events for students to choose from, such as hurdles, pole vault, and sprints, but only two of them focus on throwing objects: discus and shot put.
“I started because I had the intention of throwing coming into track, because I was kind of okay at it in middle school, and I wanted to get better,” Alix Hollingsworth (10) said. “I wanted to try and grow muscle, and I don’t like running.”
Bob Taylor (11) said he joined DPHS Track and Field because it fit his preferences.
“Being a football guy, I’m pretty strong, and so [I thought], ‘you know what, I’m gonna give it … a try,’” Taylor said. “I really liked it, and I would consider [throwing] probably the main focal point of my training for track.”
Students join throwing for many reasons, like having past experiences in throwing or fitting their needs in a sport, but Parik Mehta (12) found track and field as a way to fulfill his physical education credits.
“My first year, I was recommended by people to do sports,” Mehta said. “So, it was kind of to get away with my PE credits, but after that, I really fell in love with the sport and just kept doing it over and over again.”
Additionally, several DPHS throwers said they enjoy the freedom they find within the throwing event compared to the other events in track and field.
“[My] favorite part is kind of the freedom of it and how you tend to coach yourself,” Hollingsworth said. “I mean, all of us, we show up and we throw, but a lot of the time, we’re getting feedback from each other, rather than having very structured time, which makes it … a lot more freeing, and it allows you to work on yourself.”
Everett Womack (11) said his favorite part about throwing is improving his skills during track practices and meets.
“My favorite part about throwing is the environment of self-improvement, whittling away at your form, getting better, getting stronger, improving yourself,” Womack said.
However, Eliza Savage (11) said throwing has its own struggles.
“The hardest part about throwing is the technique,” Savage said. “It’s really difficult because, if you put too much strength into a throw that has terrible technique, you’re going to hurt yourself, and it’s not gonna go far at all.”
Many of the throwers find the lack of a coach to be a major struggle, but they also have found themselves adjusted to the environment.
“We haven’t had a coach present for a lot of this season,” Womack said. “But it also definitely can be beneficial because we tend to be able to personalize our practices a bit more to the needs of throwers.”
Mehta said that track and field is much larger than just throwing or a single event, and it “introduces you to so many different people.”
“I’ve gotten more connected with my school because of track and field,” Mehta said. “There’s so many people here I would have never met my entire life if it hadn’t been for track. So, it’s just a huge community.”
