She’s also started toying with the hammer throw. The exception of the group is Kajsa, who has been throwing regularly since sixth grade with good reason. In the meantime, most of them are still playing club something or other at the same time. There is a build-up necessary, a retraining of sorts which must take place. That makes it hard for any of them to expect to pick up a discus and nail down their top throw from the season prior in the first couple of practices. Throwing the discus well requires muscle memory and the ability to repeat the perfect form time and time again. You’re working on yourself with somebody there to push you all the time.” You’re used to it, and it helps you to really improve. “When you have an individual to push yourself in practice, it makes it easier to compete in a competition. “It’s really nice to have Em there to really help me focus in and get out of my own head and get back into the zone, take a deep breath and throw the disc. Our competitive natures really allow us to be focused, and not only to beat ourselves but beat each other in a healthy manner,” Berry said. “I feel like we rely on each other a lot to push each other. They almost know the way the other throws as well as they do their own motions and keys. They cheer each other on, and they can correct each other’s mistakes. It’s nice to test yourself against others in competition, but that takes place every day at practice for them. Then I try to connect the two in order to carry what I learn here, like footwork, into softball and vice versa.”īerry and Cavey have enjoyed success the past two years, and they are quick to credit each other for their rise. “Here, I have to come back and I have to start from scratch and learn something completely different, which is awesome. “In softball, I feel I’ve mastered some of the skills,” Gerhard said. All of them are naturally athletic in their chosen sport.
The body control necessary for Cavey or Kajsa on a basketball court, or Berry in volleyball. Watching Gerhard or Basart swing a bat, dig in the back foot and swing through with the hips. If you watch, you can see the carry over. The shot put has all the same rhythm requirements, but it doesn’t go anywhere until you add the strength behind it.” If you’re a natural athlete, you’re going to pick up the discus and have success earlier at this level, because it doesn’t require the raw power. “The way I see it, discus requires less strength and more rhythm. In 4A, Mountain View’s RaLeigh Basart has the sixth-best throw in her classification after placing eighth at state a year ago, and Thompson Valley has a couple of throwers - McKenna Crews and Kate Gentrup - coach Matt Norton feels have a promising future. Gerhard has a throw that has her in state-qualifying position, and her freshman teammate, Kajsa Borrman, has the best throw in 5A, third best overall in the state. Teammate Emily Cavey, who was second at state, sits fifth. Berry, who was third at the 3A state meet last year, has the third best throw in the classification in the early going.
The area is dotted with girls who aren’t just throwing the discus, but doing so rather well. Up the road at Loveland, Elana Gerhard likes the idea of getting back, starting from scratch and building herself back up again.
Kailey Berry says when it’s Berthoud track season, spending time with a discus in her hand feels pretty good. Yet when it comes to spring time, the circle feels pretty good. Just getting to practices can be a chore and a drain on the gas tank, let alone travel for competitions. They all spend the rest of the year engaged in other pursuits.
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