It’s a warm and breezy March afternoon as Enloe Track and Field holds its first meet of the season. Spectators are camped out at every point around the track, events are called left and right over the loudspeakers, and the energy is high as athletes prepare to give their all. Amid the blasts of starter guns, the breeze of passing sprinters, and the cheers of parents and students, a group of athletes wait in line to take their shot at answering the question: who will throw the farthest?
“My sport is essentially embodying your inner caveman,” says fourth-year thrower Aaron Ryzoff. He’s right—between Enloe’s two throwing events of shot put (a heavy ball) and discus (a heavy frisbee), the objective is simply to throw the object as far as you possibly can. For most viewers, that’s as much as they need to know to understand the performances, but this simple goal is backed by much more precision than most might realize.
“Form is so key,” says Ryzoff, noting that he began the season teaching and reviewing the basics of proper form. “It’s not a throw, it’s a push. If you throw it, you’re gonna destroy your elbow.” Size and muscle matter, as there are no weight classes in throwing events, but technique reigns supreme in achieving a personal record. Achieving the best glide for shot put or the fastest spin for discus, all while staying within the throwing circle, is a delicate craft that throwers strive to perfect.
“Go, throw, get in line, throw again,” describes junior and first-year thrower Braydon Settles. Although they are part of the track and field team and throwing subdivision, throwers partake in a very methodical, individual sport. “We throw, we get a little bit of instruction about how we’re throwing and how to improve, and it’s up to us to be better and to get higher marks,” says Settles.
Despite the sport being very individual, the throwers have fostered a close-knit community that encourages teamwork and camaraderie. “Throwers are always chill,” says junior and third-year thrower Ethan Hall. “Even though we’re competing, it’s always a chill environment. You know, sprinters, you always hear some trash talk. Throwers, we don’t really do that. Sometimes [opponents] will even help you out.” As he puts it, there’s always an opportunity to get better, and the positive environment of track encourages everyone to do so.
Community is a common theme both within the throwers and throughout the entire track team. “I like the community. It’s the first track meet of the season, we’re all supporting each other and cheering each other on,” says junior and third-year thrower Mackenna Telfaire. In between their events, members from all track subunits come together to cheer on their peers. “It’s just a fun environment to be around, all your friends and your teammates encouraging you to be great, and the competition is great,” says junior and first-year thrower Chandler Telfaire. “I love it.”
For Ryzoff, throwing for the track team has helped him improve physically, but even more so mentally. “In my element, I’ve gotten so much more confident,” he says, going from a small-feeling freshman who was new to the sport to being among Enloe’s best and most well-respected throwers. “It feels good to say I’m good at something,” he says. “Especially when you get those tangible things—I lettered my first year and have gotten a pin every year since. It feels good.”
Some of Ryzoff’s favorite memories include the first time he broke 100 feet throwing discus at a meet, as well as a team-wide cookout at the end of his sophomore year. Others, like Telfaire, point to annual track events like Friday Night Lights as favorites. Ryzoff recalls his first-ever track practice, where he got lost while running a trail around campus. “Coach Kennedy found me in his car, and he stopped his car and walked with me around, just talking.” Coach Kennedy, the head coach of track and field, has done a lot to shape and support his and the entire team’s experience. “It meant the world to me that he stopped and spoke to me as a human being.”
Overall, Enloe’s throwers are an incredibly talented and dedicated team of athletes who are always looking to support each other and improve themselves. “My goal every meet is to PR by a little bit,” concludes Ryzoff, encapsulating the mindset of the throwers. “That’s all I want, just to get a little bit better every time I throw.”
Ryzoff encourages Enloe students to attend the track meets to support their friends and enjoy the spring weather. For him, seeing a familiar face in the crowd can make all the difference. To see the throwers in action, check the meet schedule on Instagram @enloe_track.
