Healthy Thrower

Reflection on My first high school track practice, and my freshmen season

At Age 14 I was in love with the sport of javelin and committed to it fully. Someone asked me recently what made me choose javelin. After a few thoughts I came back to my incredible training partners Britlyn Garrett and Bradly Stevens. They are the reason i wanted it all. I saw what this sport could do, and i wanted every bit of it I could get. I grew up training with a national champion, who continues to be my role mode. Brit showed me what it means to be a teammate, an athlete, and a mature growing women. She took me to get my nails done after 8th grade graduation, and cheered me on all the way through every single high school meet. She drove all the way to see me throw all these years later in college. She is my one-phone-call-away sister. Seeing how important hard work was to her it made it important to me too. Her care for me never wavered based on a workout or a meets outcome, she ALWAYS has my back. Brad won his state championship, broke our school record, and then came back from surgery in 9 months just to win it all again. I watched him grind late, late after the practice was long over to get his body back. I watched him earn his success with every freaking drip of sweat and blood. He never ever gave up, and he never let me either. He never treated me like “coaches daughter.” He still takes care of me like a sister. Seeing what he could fight through showed me what dreams are worth. Growing up with them leading the way, I chose this journey. Still i look to them as I get to keep growing in this sport of javelin. Seeing everything they gave, everything they got back, it answers every reason.

My earliest track memory and what made me know i wanted to be a part of this special sport