My journey into throwing was never part of the plan. In high school and middle school, I was a dedicated basketball player and boxer. However, as I entered high school and began to feel fatigued from basketball, my mom encouraged me to try something different for conditioning. Little did I know that this decision would lead me to a sport that would change my life.
At first, I was hesitant about track and field. I joined the team with some friends and started off doing sprints, but the coach quickly noticed my muscular build and suggested I try throwing. I was taken aback by this comment. I mean, what eighth-grader wants to hear that, but I decided to go along with it. However, there was one major problem: there was no coach for the throwers.
It was just a group of older kids trying to teach me. Despite the lack of coaching, I gave it a shot and even won my first middle school meet in both shot put and discus. I started to see potential in myself and got more involved in high school meets, consistently placing in the top ten. Without a coach, my friend Nailah and I turned to YouTube to learn different techniques. We recorded ourselves, critiqued our throws, and kept pushing each other to improve. It was an unconventional way of training, but it worked.
We started winning meets and even qualified for state championships. However, deep down, I knew there was so much more I could achieve with proper coaching. During my senior year, everything changed when I received a text from Coach Chumbley at Western Kentucky University. He believed in my potential and offered me a spot on the team. It was a dream come true, but he warned me that college would be tough. The practices, the lifts, the competition; it would all be challenging. However, he promised that if I gave it my all for just one year, I would become coachable and be ready to take on anything.
Coach was right. My freshman year was filled with tears and frustration as I had to break old habits and learn new techniques. I pushed through because I finally had someone who believed in me. I had teammates who shared the same passion and dedication. I had a coach who saw my potential and pushed me to be better.
Unfortunately, my sophomore year took an unexpected turn. I suffered a severe head injury that led to a brain bleed and multiple hemorrhagic strokes, causing a few seizures. It was a terrifying and painful experience, and it felt like my world was falling apart, but I refused to give up. With the support of my family, trainers, and teammates, I started the long and difficult process of recovery. I spent hours in the training room, relearning basic skills, including relearning left and right, and working on my overall strength. It was a slow and frustrating journey, but I was determined to make a full recovery.
During my recovery, I also had to deal with the loss of Coach Chumbley. His sudden passing was devastating for our team, and we had to find a way to continue without him. We used his memory as motivation, pushing ourselves to be better and achieve the goals he had set for us. It was a challenging season, but we came together as a team and accomplished things we never thought possible. Through it all, I realized the impact I could have on others.
Coach Chumbley always believed in me and encouraged me to share my story and inspire others. With his support, I started building a presence on social media, sharing my journey and connecting with other athletes. I wanted to show them that with determination and hard work, anything is possible. Today, I stand as a collegiate thrower, grateful for the opportunities and challenges that have shaped me. I continue to push myself, knowing that I have a team, a coach, and a community that believes in me. I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to never give up on their dreams and to always believe in themselves.
