Announcements and Contacts

AUBREY BAXTER HAS BEEN INVITED TO MAKE UP THE FIELD IN THE WOMEN'S SHOT PUT AT THE 2008 U.S.A. TRACK AND FIELD OLYMPIC TRIALS HELD IN EUGENE OREGON STARTING THIS WEEKEND. AUBREY WILL BE COMPETING IN THE QUALIFYING ROUND OF THE SHOT PUT EVENT ON THURSDAY JULY 3RD AT 9:20 P.M.. SHE WILL BE LEAVING THIS FRIDAY JUNE 27TH AND HER BLACK HILLS STATE UNIVERSITY COACH - TYG LONG WILL BE JOINING HER EARLY NEXT WEEK IN EUGENE AS SHE PREPARES FOR HER COMPETITION ON THURSDAY EVENING.

SARAH STEVENS FROM ARIZONA STATE WILL ALSO BE COMPETING IN THE OLYMPIC TRIALS HAVING QUALIFIED IN 3 EVENTS (SHOT PUT, DISCUS AND HAMMER). ROSS WALKER ANOTHER OF OUR CTC STAFF WILL BE ATTENDING TO TRIALS AS WELL TO CHEER ON SARAH AND AUBREY AS THEY ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE UNITED STATES OLYMPIC TEAM HEADING TO BEJING, CHINA IN AUGUST.

FOR THOSE OF YOU INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING RENEWAL CREDIT HOURS THE CHAMPIONSHIP THROWS CAMP HELD AT SPEARFISH, SD ON THE BLACK HILLS UNIVERSITY CAMPUS WILL BE OFFERING 2 HOURS OF GRADUATE CREDIT FOR $200. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED CONTACT TOM RICE AT: : 605-267-0437 OR 605-323-7346 - Or E-Mail tom.rice@k12.sd.us

WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATIONS WHICH ALL HELPED IN COVERING THE EXPENSES FOR ERIC FLORES' AND AUBREY BAXTER'S TRIP TO CALIFORNIA AND THE U.S.A. LAST CHANCE MEETS HELD OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKENDS. ALTHOUGH BOTH CAME UP A BIT SHORT ON THEIR QUESTS TO EARN AN INVITE TO THE OLYMPIC TRIALS, IT WASN'T FROM LACK OF EFFORT OR FROM LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE THROWS FANS OF THE AREA. WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND FOR YOUR MORAL SUPPORT AS THE CTC STAFF AND ALUMNI CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE. THANKS TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!

Bearden's Canter follows mom's footsteps with discus

Bearden High School's Sarah Canter practices the discus under the watchful eye of her mother, Karen Shotwell, who was an All-American at the University of Tennessee. Canter, who set a school record in the event last week, will compete this week at the state track and field meet.

Sarah Canter's emergence as a state-champion soccer goalkeeper at Bearden High School came out of the blue. She'd never played the sport in her life.

Canter has been a woman for all sports seasons at Bearden. In between soccer and track seasons, she also played basketball. A busy career ends this week at the state track and field meet in Murfreesboro.

"Six more throws in high school and she moves on," said her throws coach, Karen Shotwell, who also happens to be her mother.

Canter will be moving on to a track scholarship at South Florida in Tampa. In doing so, she will be following in mom's footsteps.

Shotwell, then Karen McDonald, grew up in Pierre, S.D. Her high school basketball coach suggested one day she try the discus. It changed her life.

A South Dakota high-school record that still stands led to a track scholarship at the University of Oregon. A lot of rain led to a transfer to Tennessee, where Shotwell earned All-America in 1984.

Children followed, two boys then Sarah. As time passed, Shotwell found herself coaching her children.

"Throwing the discus is not something everybody can do," she said. "You can't just pick it up and do it."

Originally a volunteer coach, Shotwell officially joined the Bearden staff this year. Only after she re-engaged the sport did she appreciate what it had done for her and what it could do for others.

"It took me well into my adult life to realize what I did (in high school) was exceptional," she said. "It gave me the opportunity to see the country, to be part of something bigger, to go to the Olympic trials.

"So now I coach because there may be a child out there that this is what they can do, and they don't know it.

Canter finished second in the state last year in the discus. Last week in the regional meet at Johnson City, she had a 7-foot personal-best, hitting 135 feet, 4 inches, to break the Bearden record that had stood since 1979.

"We're really excited about that because now the monkey's off her back," Shotwell said. "She's been thinking about that record a long time."

If Shotwell is proud of her daughter's accomplishments in track, she's a little amazed by her success in soccer.

Coach Eric Turner approached Canter after her sophomore year and asked her to try out for goalkeeper.

"She had never played a day of soccer in her life," Shotwell said, "not even AYSO as a child.''

But when her junior year began, Canter was in goal. She stayed there for two state-champion teams.

"To me," Shotwell said, "Sarah has gone totally under the radar through high school. I feel like she's one of the best athletes to come through Knox County in a long, long time."

Canter was good enough to attract interest from soccer recruiters, but decided against it.

"I'm really ADD and I don't like just standing there," she said. "I want a sport where I'm going to do something."

So she chose a track scholarship at South Florida, where the throws coach is former UT All-American Toby Colyer.

"Track is probably my favorite sport," she said, "because you're not relying on anybody. You can have a good day or a bad day and it's all up to you."

"I wouldn't want anybody else to coach me," Canter said. "She knows what she's talking about."

BILLY HARDCASTLE WINS THE BIG 10 SHOT PUT AND DISCUS THROWS FOR THE BOILERMAKERS.

SARAH STEVENS OF THE CTC LEADS THE ARIZONA STATE WOMEN TO THE 2008 OUTDOOR PAC 10 TITLE.

JENNI MACK AND KRIS SCHAFFER PLACE AT THEIR DIVISION ONE CONFERENCE MEETS THIS WEEKEND.

Above Left: Tim Treick in action at the 1973 State Meet for Rapid City Stevens- Tim threw the shot put 61'11.5" that year and is still on the Boys All Time South Dakota Record Board in both the shot put and the discus (184' 9").

Above Right: Tim Treick (RC Stevens), George Amundson (Aberdeen Central/Iowa State University), and Roger Wardlow (Sioux Falls Washington - shot put all time SD record board - 61'1.5" in 1973) during the summer of 1973 just after competing in an AAU meet held in Aberdeen. Tim attended Black Hills State that fall while Roger headed off to New Mexico State and George was headed for the NFL to play for the Houston Oilers as their no. 1 draft pick.

If you have any pictures of All Time South Dakota Record Board Throwers that you would care to share here on the CTC - please e-mail them to us at: www.tlong@csd.k12.sd.us along with background information regarding those pictures.

Aberdeen (Aberdeen Central High School). Iowa State. On May 17, 1969, at the state Class AA track meet in Rapid City, the 6-2, 200-pound Amundson threw the discus 211 feet, 4 inches, farther than any U.S. high schooler had ever thrown it. No South Dakotan since has come close to that mark. The record was never recognized nationally because later surveying showed an uneven terrain. Amundson also held the state record in the shot put.

In football, he was all-state as a linebacker and quarterback. Also excelled in basketball and baseball.

At Iowa State, as a tailback, he set a single-season rushing record of 1,316 yards and led the Cyclones to the Sun Bowl. In 1972 he was an All-American at quarterback. He set ISU records for total offense in a career, touchdowns scored in a game, season and career and TD passes in a season. Also set ISU record in the discus.

No. 1 draft pick of the Houston Oilers in 1973. The 6-3, 220-pounder played three seasons (1973-75) in the NFL, two with Houston and one with Philadelphia. In his best season (1974 with Houston), he rushed 59 times for 138 yards and caught 18 passes for 152 yards, and scored five touchdowns. For his NFL career, he rushed 74 times for 194 yards and four touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 212 yards and a TD.

* Just a note of interest.............

Karen (McDonald) Shotwell's daughter Sarah won the discus in her regional meet on Saturday throwing a new personal record by 6 feet and breaking the Bearden High School School Record with a toss of 135'4". The previous school record had been 132' and had stood since 1979. Congratulations to Sarah and to her proud Mother Karen!

After graduating from Pierre Riggs High School in 1980 Karen headed off to the University of Oregon in Eugene, where she competed for the Ducks as a discus thrower and improved her personal record to 173’ as a PAC 10 thrower.

In 1983 Karen transferred to the University of Tennessee where she had many great successes as a Vol in the throwing arena as well. While competing in the SEC she won the discus championship in 1984 and was an NCAA Division One All American. She was also invited to the Olympic Trials that summer and finished 14th in the entire nation with a throw of 178’.

Karen was married after Olympic Trials and began raising a family and her throwing days were behind her. She now has 3 children of her own (21 year old Matthew, 20 year old Adam and 18 year old Sarah Canter) Karen also has 3 step children and a granddaughter and in her words that makes her a ‘Bonus Grandmother’.

Karen began to do some volunteer coaching when her oldest son reached middle school and continued to coach the throws to all of her children through their middle school track and field experiences. She is now a non faculty paid coach at Bearden High School and lives close to her family today in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Karen currently coaches her daughter Sarah, who was runner-up in the Tennessee State Championships last year in the discus with a toss of 128’ and has also thrown the javelin 126’ during AAU competitions in the summer months. She has also coached two-time Tennessee State Champion in the shot put and discus, Eric Pickle, who is now attending the University of Virginia on a track and field scholarship during her tenure at Bearden High School.

Karen has fully enjoyed sharing in her children’s lives over the years and reconnecting on occasion with her past coaches and friends from South Dakota. She and her former high school throws coach Barb Felderman (who now coaches women’s basketball at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology) have kept in touch periodically over the years.

Karen’s former collegiate coach at the University of Tennessee who lives in Knoxville is trying to convince her to pick up the discus again and train for the Senior Olympics when she turns 50. So it is a real possibility that we may just hear from Karen again in the future regarding the discus record books.

Karen is also considering coming back to South Dakota next spring for the 2009 State Meet to visit old friends and to mark the 30th anniversary year of her discus record throw of 1979. As a throws fan, it would be great to see her back in South Dakota for a visit, but also to pay homage to her as the holder of one of the longest standing track and field records on the books.

Karen is not only one of South Dakota’s finest athletes ever, but she is also a very gracious and successful lady and we of the Championship Throws site are very happy and humbled to have had her contact us this week. It has truly been a pleasure to visit with her. Thanks again Karen for your help and inspiration with this feature and good luck and great successes in all of your future endeavors. We’ll be waiting to see the results of the Senior Olympics in the years to come!

Wouldn't it be cool if, next spring during the 2009 State Track and Field Meet, we could get both Karen (McDonald) Shotwell and George Amundson to attend the meet and honor them for their South Dakota Throwing accomplishments? Karens' South Dakota Girls Discus record will be 30 years old next spring and Georges' South Dakota Boys Discus record will be 40 years old! What a great thing that would be for the Throws community of this state. Just thinking out loud again.(grin)

The USATF/USOC High Performance group will be hosting their fourth annual Emerging Elite Coaches' Throws Coaching Camp this summer from July 12-16 at the Arco U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. The camp is for high school, college, and club level coaches who have coached individual state, national, and/or world champions, outdoor national, and/or world qualifiers. Coaches can expect an intensive course of study and learn by doing application taught by some of USATF and USOC’s top sports scientists and clinicians. Additionally, USATF and USOC will pay for all costs except travel. Coach participant evaluations and follow-ups from the previous USATF/USOC Coaches’ Camps have indicated a significant, professional coaching advancement experience.
You can get more specific details and application information by going to: www.hammerthrow.com or www.hshammer.com
Harold Connolly

* WE OF THE CTC WISH AARON JUNG THE BEST OF LUCK IN HIS QUEST TO BREAK THE SOUTH DAKOTA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL ALL TIME SHOT PUT RECORD.

AARON HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT WITH A COMMITMENT, DEDICATION AND JUST PLAIN OLD HARD WORK, YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS AND REACH YOUR HIGHEST GOALS. AARON IS A CLASS ACT, AND WE ARE POSITIVE THAT THERE IS SOME YOUNGSTER IN SOUTH DAKOTA RIGHT NOW WATCHING HIM AND ASPIRING TO BE JUST LIKE HIM OR MAYBE EVEN BETTER WHEN HE REACHES HIS HIGH SCHOOL CAREER. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT RECORDS ARE FOR AND EXACTLY WHY YOU ATHLETES OF SOUTH DAKOTA SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT AS YOU MOVE THROUGH YOUR HIGH SCHOOL DAYS, SOMEONE IS WATCHING YOU AND WANTING TO BE JUST LIKE YOU.

AUBREY BAXTER OF BLACK HILLS STATE UNIVERSITY BROKE THE ALL TIME SOUTH DAKOTA COLLEGIATE HAMMER RECORD AGAIN THIS PAST WEEKEND IN FORT COLLINS AT THE JACK CHRISTIANSEN OPEN MEET WITH A TOSS OF 60.92 M - 199'10". AUBREY PLACED SECOND IN THE HAMMER WHILE WINNING BOTH THE SHOT PUT AND DISCUS FOR ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND PERFORMANCE.

JENNI MACK OF SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY COMPETING AT THE U.C. SAN DIEGO MEET THREW THE HAMMER 54'21 - 177'10" SMASHING THE S.D.S.U. SCHOOL RECORD AND ALSO HAD A NICE TOSS OF 45.15 - 148'2" IN THE DISCUS EVENT.

LOOKS LIKE THE LADIES OF THE CTC STAFF ARE GEARING UP FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL MEETS.

SARAH STEVENS OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY HAS AN OLYMPIC TRIAL B STANDARD THROW IN THE SHOT PUT SO FAR THIS SEASON AND IS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR IN BOTH THE HAMMER AND DISCUS AS WELL. WE WISH HER GREAT LUCK AND SUCCESS AS SHE CONTINUES HER QUEST TO BE AN OLYMPIAN!

JANE SWENSON OF BRANDON VALLEY ALSO HAD A SOUTH DAKOTA ALL TIME TOP TEN DISCUS THROW ON TUESDAY AT THE ALL CITY MEET IN SIOUX FALLS. JANE HEAVED THE PLATTER 149'4" TO PLACE HER 5TH ON THE ALL TIME LIST. CONGRATULATIONS JANE!

THE FIRST ALL TIME SOUTH DAKOTA TOP TEN THROW OF THE SEASON WAS MADE YESTERDAY AT THE BERESFORD INVITATIONAL MEET BY TRAVIS KROGER OF CANTON WHO THREW THE DISCUS 184'7" TO JUMP INTO THE 10TH SPOT ON THE ALL TIME LIST. CONGRATULATIONS TRAVIS!

Director and Lead Clinician: Tyg Long – Throws Coach at Black Hills State University

Tyg is a former high school All - American in the shot put and has also received N.A.I.A. All American Honors in the shot put and weight throw as a collegiate thrower. He has had his hand in helping to coach several of his B.H.S.U. team-mates to N.A.I.A. All American status as well. Currently five of the B.H.S.U. throwers, including Tyg, have qualified for the N.A.I.A. National Meet in at least 2 throwing events for this outdoor season. Two of the throwers that he currently coaches are ranked in the top 30 U.S.A. Track and Field throwers in the entire nation. He was also honored by the U.S.A. Track and Field Association and the United States Olympic Committee with an invitation to attend the 2007 Emerging Elite Throws Coaches Camp held at the Olympic Training Center in Chulta Vista, CA last summer.

HAVE YOUR OWN CLINIC FOR YOUR SCHOOLS' THROWERS AND COACHES AT YOUR OWN HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL

Expert and highly qualified coaching of the shot put, discus, hammer and weight throw. We provide individual attention along with instant visual or demonstrated feedback for each thrower. We have printed handouts of each of the implements' progressions and drills available for future reference. We will help your throwers and coaches with the development of training programs to help each thrower attain their personal goals. We can also do video analysis of your individual throwers via the internet at later dates for a contracted fee in order to aid in the continued progress and development of your throwers. We are also able to instruct and aid in the development of those throwers interested in learning the techniques of hammer or weight throwing for future collegiate throwing careers.

Plus expenses: travel mileage @ $0.505 per mile, meals @ $10 per, lodging (if applicable) will vary depending upon arrangements.