On April 4, Issaquah Girls’ Varsity Track and Field won 81-68 against Mount Si High School. Within the field event, shot put athletes pushed themselves further than ever before. Individual scores for shot put typically ranged from 14 feet to 23 feet, with one athlete scoring in the low 30s. Each athlete gave an impressive performance, many of them achieving new personal records throughout the evening.  

The event began with warm-ups. The athletes lined up behind two shot put circles for warm up, stagnating their practice throws. The athletes bubbled with excitement as their names were called up for the event. Freshman Sophie Im comments, “Before the match we have a set of things, usually we just do skips, jumps, or just jog for about five minutes.” Each player performed phenomenally, many carving out new personal bests. Assistant coach Nyle Wattmans explains, “We coach that the only opponents the girls have are themselves…we want them on a path of continuous improvement. So, if one thing we worked on in practice we can get in a meet, that is a win. If you threw a personal best, that is definitely a win.” This philosophy results in a higher emphasis on expanding one’s own abilities, rather than comparing someone to a competitor. Each meet becomes an extension of practice, rather than an all-stakes test of strength.  

Freshman Carrie Callans states, “I thought this meet was okay. I did good in [one of my other events], but not shot put.” The placement on self allows for players to critically examine their performance in comparison to themselves and pushes athletes to further improve. Im comments, “I did a new step-in for shotput that I practiced, so I think that helped me with the match.” Being able to identify weaknesses and strengths is a huge part of improving, and the environment of the track team truly fosters these emotions. Callans mentions the friendly atmosphere of track, explaining how one of the reasons she joined was for the friends. The feeling of being on a team is something special, and it highlights the unique camaraderie that runs through the Issaquah Track and Field team. 

The high pace energy, great environment, implementation of practice, and players’ ability to improve made this match a great one. Regardless of the outcome, each girl came to the match with a purpose, and they were able to successfully showcase their hard work and dedication through their throws.