Being part of Track and Field team is one of the greatest experiences where your teammates become your second family. The throwers are arguably the best people on the team, but I may be a little bias as I, myself, am a thrower. Coach may never admit, but we are definitely the favorites. We work hard and constantly enjoying ourselves. There are perks and downfalls to throwing and if you have ever been a thrower, here are 10 things you know to be true.
1. Food is your BFF.
Have you ever seen a thrower turn down food? Lifting and throwing heavy objects is hard work and you’re almost guaranteed to work up an appetite
.2. The runners are jealous of you because you can eat whenever you want.
The sprinters and distance folk got to be careful of what they eat before their events, but us throwers? Don’t be surprised if we are sneaking a snack before throws!
3. You are always sore.
Between lifting and throwing practice, your body is aching. Nothing is worse than stairs after leg day, like can someone just carry me? Please?
4. Calluses.
You dread the thought of someone holding your hand because they are so rough and callused from all your practicing.
5. A PR is one of the greatest feelings.
After a PR, or a new personal record, you can just feel the hours of practicing and lifting pay off. It gives you a sense of pride and you feel pretty darn good.
6. Scratch is one of the worst words to hear at a meet.
Especially when you know it would have been your best throw.
7. It is so easy to psych yourself out.
Track, in general, is such a mental sport, so when you are throwing it is so easy to get inside your own head which leads to you messing up. It's the worst, especially during a meet.
8. You have to constantly explain to people what you do.
You are always saying things like: “I pretty much throw things as far as I can”,“No discus is not like a Frisbee”, and “I promise I am not throwing a real hammer.”
9. Throwing isn't as easy as people think.
We don’t just go in the ring and throw as hard as we can. Sure there are people who just go out and use brute force, but really there’s more to it than that. We have to learn the technique and do constant drills to ensure we are doing it right.
10. Even though it may be tiring, you love what you do.
Between early morning lifts, afternoon practices, and meets that run late plus the stress of school is exhausting, but it’s all worth it, in the end, to be able to do what you love and to share it with such a great group of people who are practically like your family!
