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Midland, Michigan - For many Jessica and stay later to work on drilling.
athletes when you are growing up you Kursinsky A month before they were to go to
dream of playing and competing at the their first meet Marcus Myers was
next level. Come on, you know you This past fall, a couple of hired to be the throws coach. Marcus
wanted to be a Wolverine or a Spartan weeks after school started they were was a recent graduate of Walsh Uni-
playing basketball or football when you hit hard with the news that their coach versity of Ohio and the 2018 DII Na-
were 10 years old, and now with little was leaving to coach at a D1 school. tional Champion in the hammer throw.
league starting you wanted to play for It was hard at first, this squad is From athlete to coach was always a
the Tigers or some other professional young with most of them being in their goal, of Coach Myers. “There was a
team. For some on you, you are still sophomore and freshmen seasons. lot of things that I wanted to include
chasing that dream playing AAU Ball The morale was low, but this was an into my college athletic program but
and traveling teams hoping that your incredibly dedicated group of individu- was unable to because I wasn’t the
hard work and dedication to your sport als and continued to work hard. The coach but merely an athlete. I’ve taken
will pay off with a scholarship offer to Cross Country Coach took a day to a lot from my experience as an athlete
play at college. When you do get that video tape the kids throwing sessions, and from other coaches that I have
offer and have your signing day, life which allowed the kids to focus on a great respect for, which in return is
can not get any better, excitement for their throwing and able to critique their helping mold this program into mine.”
the next chapter builds until you go off technique. When you think of a shot
to school in August. putter or a thrower I am sure the first When I asked what were some of
For Jessica Kursinsky of thing that comes to your mind is BIG the strengths and weaknesses of the
Sandusky, she headed off to Midland and Strong, am I right? Well there is team, Coach Myers responded “Our
to join the Northwood University Tim- so much more to it than that, throwing team is extremely supportive of each
berwolves Track and Field team. She is actually very technical if you want to other at meets which is imperative
participates in the shot put and ham- do it right and if you want to do it well. because a supportive environment is
mer throw. The Northwood’s throws Although muscle helps too. a must when competing in this sport.
team as is the whole track team is Another thing that kids do not I’ve been very happy about that all
small in size. Their season begins realize is that when you play a sport in year long. I’ve received many compli-
in December with the indoor season college it is like a job, A typical week ments from other coaches throughout
where they compete in the shot put for the team is somewhere between the season that they love seeing that
and weight throw and ends the first 15-20 hours a week of training. Train- Northwood is competing with them at
part of May with the outdoor season. ing is defined differently to other event a meet because they know there is
For the track team official practices groups within the sport of Track and going to be a loud and positive envi-
start in September where you spend Field but what it means for athletes in ronment created.
the first month with “Fish” Scott Fisher the throws are event special practices, One weakness that I have
the strength and conditioning coach weight room sessions, and recovery seen is simply that we are young.
and his staff doing conditioning style days. Some athletes come to practice Most of my group were freshman and
workouts and essentially breaking early to work with the Athletic trainers sophomores this year and we still
down the body. Then you become made a lot of noise in the GLIAC. Be-
best friends with John and Casey the ing younger means there hasn’t been
Athletic trainers and ice baths are your a lot of experience in high pressure
favorite past time. This is true for any
athlete, in any sport you play.
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