With his arm outstretched above his head, junior Paul Helm holds the 18-kilogram shot in the air before lowering it to his shoulder and sending it flying across the throwing pit toward freshman Kyle Stazi.

The shot hits the sand floor, shaking the ground momentarily. Stazi bends down and picks it up and throws it back across the pit to Helm.

With only four athletes on the roster who compete solely in throwing events, this year’s throwing squad is limited by its number of throwers, but its members are eager to prove themselves and earn points for the team.   

“The good thing about having a small amount of guys is that we can work and actually get more throws,” sophomore Spencer Barry said. “I guess the benefits are that we can get more reps and we’re a tighter group of guys, but it’d be a benefit if we had more guys.”

Returning two athletes from last year’s throws squad, the team welcomes the addition of former Division I thrower Jake Edelman, as co-throws coach with Jennifer McDonnell, bringing with him valuable knowledge of throwing at the collegiate level.

Understanding the capabilities of the athletes on the throws squad, Edelman is focused on each athlete’s proper preparation, acknowledging that success will follow.

“If they keep sticking with the technique and drills it’ll pay off in the long run,” Edelman said. “We can get strong anytime we want to get strong, but we can start by working on technique right now.”

With the young group of throwers, Edelman’s coaching is geared toward the more technical aspects, focusing on balance as an area of concentration for the athletes that may already possess the strength.

“Jake is a lot more hands-on,” Barry said. “Where if we’re working on throwing, [Jake will say] ‘Let’s work on turns and actually doing a lot more of the basics.’ This year is kind of a rebuilding year, so that next year we can come out and do well.”

Much of each individual’s training revolves around the skilled combination of footwork and body control, both of which are key components in setting up a throw to following through on the release.

In practice, while each athlete’s regimen is made up of different drills and exercises to develop his balance and timing, it’s how each element complements the others that results in a successful throw.

“It’s a lot of stuff on our toes and explosive stuff,” junior multi-event athlete Ryan Taylor said. “You’ll crouch down and get on your toes and spin on your toes. It’s a lot of work on your quads and butt to get those muscles used to that.”

Edelman said implementing drills that cater toward a throwers’ balance and form is vital to an athlete’s development in an event where execution is equally as important as strength.

“I just want them to realize that throwing isn’t just a sport you just pick up immediately, and it’s something that takes a lot of training, drilling and technique work,” Edelman said. “You evolve over time, and there’s a lot of patience, especially with the throwers who have never seen it before.”

Balancing their previous experience in competition with the training and preparation, the few upperclassmen that throw help put training in perspective for the younger athletes.

“I’ve become more of a role model in helping [underclassmen] instead of being helped,” Taylor said. “It’s me fitting in those shoes and being somewhat of a guide or mentor to the younger guys, when I was being one of those guys getting mentored last season.”

With the young core of athletes to work with, Edelman said his immediate goal is to have each athlete continually improve while building toward future success.

“Right now the goals are to have the kids improve every week and get better,” Edelman said. “Honestly, this group of kids gets better from meet to meet and as the season progresses. I don’t think I can ask for more than that.”