Whether it be shot put or discus, the point of the sport is simple. Give all you can and hope that the energy translates into the throw.
This weekend, junior Dakoda Dement, junior Alec Krippel and senior Courtney Daniel will try to do just that as they compete on the state’s biggest stage at the UIL 5A State Track and Field Championships.
While Daniel is a three-time qualifier, Dement and Krippel put together the best throws of their careers at the regional meet to qualify.
Dement broke his own school shot put record of 54.7 feet by throwing a distance of 58.6 at regionals.
“I was expecting to be at maybe 56, 57 on a really fantastic day,” Dement said. “I was never in my life expecting to throw 58 at regionals.”
Krippel also broke the school discus record with a distance of 152 feet 11 inches at regionals. One of the main things for Krippel going into the competition was his previous performances, which he claimed to be underwhelming. Though he scratched the first two throws at regionals, he still managed to throw his record-breaking distance.
“I was pretty nervous,” Krippel said. “Area and districts, I crapped the bed. I was going into it with the mindset that it was just gonna happen again. But that very last throw was the one that broke the school record. I just put everything into that last throw.”
Daniel is the only thrower who advanced in both the shot put and the discus. She threw a distance of 127-11 on discus, and a throw of 46-04 on shot put. Her shot put throw earned her gold at regionals and gave her the number one seed at state. Daniel credits her performance in both events to her training over the offseason.
“Honestly, I didn’t like my form in either of them,” said Daniel, who is signed to throw at the University of Tennessee in the fall. “There’s definitely parts of it I need to fix and create better habits for. I’m just really thankful for the strength I’ve been able to build up in the past year.”
Daniel has now made it to state three times, giving her an experience boost when it comes to the upcoming competition. As a junior, she took home bronze in the shot put and sixth in the discus. She finished sixth in the shot put as a sophomore.
“I’m very excited for state because I know that that’s like an environment that I personally thrive in,” Daniel said. “I can say with 100% certainty that I’m going to give it my all. Whatever my goal is or whatever God has planned for me is what I’m gonna do.”
Unlike Daniel, this will be the first time for both Dement and Krippel. Both are excited for the competition and hope they can make their mark in their first trip. Dement is seeded sixth going into the meet and Krippel is seeded ninth.
“I didn’t put all my talent in the ring at regionals. I had a lot more in me,” Dement said. “I’m pumped. I know I can hit 68, I just know it.”
The athletes praised their coaches as a main source of encouragement and motivation for them. Krippel said discus coach Luis Morales has really stepped up and helped him get to where he is today.
“He’s a good coach,” Krippel said. “He would always give me lots of words of encouragement before I would go in and throw. He’d help me get out of my head.”
Dement and Daniel both said coach Sean Bright has helped them improve their form and overall approach to each competition. The students both have grown a bond with him and hope to use his teachings in order to perform their best.
“He’s had such a big impact on my high school career. He’s one of the most supportive coaches I have,” Daniel said. “He’s taught me to not just be a better athlete, but a better person.”
In all, the competitors love the sport they play. They hope to use that passion to perform on the biggest stage and win.
“It’s an experience. It’s not just about competing and stuff,” Dement said. “If you want to dedicate your life to one thing, might as well make it fun.”
