Indiana University Athletics
Throwing for a Championship
2/3/2016 10:32:00 AM | Track and Field
By: Tori Ziege | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Nakel McClinton steps into the throwing circle.
Between her hands is a 20-pound weight, attached by two chain links to a triangular handle. She swings the weight by its handle to gain momentum, readying it to spin. She takes one turn, two turns, getting faster each time.
On the third turn, she lets it fly. The weight lands 20.72 meters away — a new school record in the women's weight throw.
McClinton is disappointed.
"It's not about the record for me," she said. "Someone's going to break it again one day."
For McClinton, what it's about is breaking 21 meters, the mark — throws coach Cory Martin estimates — it will take to qualify for this year's national meet. Martin tells the throwers that in order to win big, they need to think big.
And a school record, for what McClinton has planned, isn't thinking nearly big enough.
"I was proud because she wasn't satisfied," Martin said. "That's the one thing you want to see from a good athlete is they're not satisfied with the performance because they know they can always do a little bit better."
Since 2009, IU women's track and field has had eight shot put conference champions, and 22 overall. It's the winningest event in the history of the program, dating back to 1982.
In the weight throw? Just one title, captured by Faith Sherrill in 2010.
"She's probably the best thrower in IU history," McClinton said.
It's that strong throwing tradition that attracted McClinton to IU, a tradition she hopes to improve upon by starting a championship run in the weight throw to rival that of shot put.
To keep on pace with the Big Ten, where she currently sits at third, and the NCAA, where she sits at 11th, McClinton will have to do more than break the school record.
She'll have to obliterate it.
At the Indiana Relays on Saturday, her program-best distance was actually an improvement on her throw from three weeks ago, when she set the school record for the first time this season.
The previous record-holder? Sherrill, who was on hand at the Indiana Relays to give McClinton pointers immediately following her record-setting toss.
"We've never really had a true weight-thrower here," McClinton said. "It's time."
As a redshirt junior, McClinton has made an 8-foot improvement in the weight throw since Martin began working with her a year ago.
That growth is a product of McClinton's training efforts, which Martin said have set an example for the women's throwing group.
When Martin tells her to rest, McClinton says no.
She wants to keep going.
"They constantly see her getting better at practice," Martin said. "They see her putting in the work day in and day out, and even though she's tired, even though she may want to pack it in, she keeps going farther and farther."
McClinton didn't compete in the weight throw in high school — the event wasn't offered.
She was a dual-athlete, lettering three years in soccer and qualifying for state all four years in track and field, where she finished as the runner-up in the discus in 2011.
McClinton would get a one-week layover between the state meet and soccer conditioning. When soccer ended, she went straight back to track and field and practicing to gain the attention of college scouts, who recruited her from across the country, from Duke to Stanford to Cornell — and of course, IU.
Martin didn't recruit her, but he soon recognized her talent.
"I thought she was very natural with the hammer and the weight, and I knew I had something good going there," he said. "She's one of those throwers that a lot of throws coaches look for. She can do everything."
It's because of those abilities, and because of McClinton's commitment to plan her championship aspirations long before season got underway, that Martin believes that she will get those goals accomplished.
"That's something we talked about even last year," he said. "She's got that never satisfied, never-say-die attitude, and that's paying off big time."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Nakel McClinton steps into the throwing circle.
Between her hands is a 20-pound weight, attached by two chain links to a triangular handle. She swings the weight by its handle to gain momentum, readying it to spin. She takes one turn, two turns, getting faster each time.
On the third turn, she lets it fly. The weight lands 20.72 meters away — a new school record in the women's weight throw.
McClinton is disappointed.
"It's not about the record for me," she said. "Someone's going to break it again one day."
For McClinton, what it's about is breaking 21 meters, the mark — throws coach Cory Martin estimates — it will take to qualify for this year's national meet. Martin tells the throwers that in order to win big, they need to think big.
And a school record, for what McClinton has planned, isn't thinking nearly big enough.
"I was proud because she wasn't satisfied," Martin said. "That's the one thing you want to see from a good athlete is they're not satisfied with the performance because they know they can always do a little bit better."
Since 2009, IU women's track and field has had eight shot put conference champions, and 22 overall. It's the winningest event in the history of the program, dating back to 1982.
In the weight throw? Just one title, captured by Faith Sherrill in 2010.
"She's probably the best thrower in IU history," McClinton said.
It's that strong throwing tradition that attracted McClinton to IU, a tradition she hopes to improve upon by starting a championship run in the weight throw to rival that of shot put.
To keep on pace with the Big Ten, where she currently sits at third, and the NCAA, where she sits at 11th, McClinton will have to do more than break the school record.
She'll have to obliterate it.
At the Indiana Relays on Saturday, her program-best distance was actually an improvement on her throw from three weeks ago, when she set the school record for the first time this season.
The previous record-holder? Sherrill, who was on hand at the Indiana Relays to give McClinton pointers immediately following her record-setting toss.
"We've never really had a true weight-thrower here," McClinton said. "It's time."
As a redshirt junior, McClinton has made an 8-foot improvement in the weight throw since Martin began working with her a year ago.
That growth is a product of McClinton's training efforts, which Martin said have set an example for the women's throwing group.
When Martin tells her to rest, McClinton says no.
She wants to keep going.
"They constantly see her getting better at practice," Martin said. "They see her putting in the work day in and day out, and even though she's tired, even though she may want to pack it in, she keeps going farther and farther."
McClinton didn't compete in the weight throw in high school — the event wasn't offered.
She was a dual-athlete, lettering three years in soccer and qualifying for state all four years in track and field, where she finished as the runner-up in the discus in 2011.
McClinton would get a one-week layover between the state meet and soccer conditioning. When soccer ended, she went straight back to track and field and practicing to gain the attention of college scouts, who recruited her from across the country, from Duke to Stanford to Cornell — and of course, IU.
Martin didn't recruit her, but he soon recognized her talent.
"I thought she was very natural with the hammer and the weight, and I knew I had something good going there," he said. "She's one of those throwers that a lot of throws coaches look for. She can do everything."
It's because of those abilities, and because of McClinton's commitment to plan her championship aspirations long before season got underway, that Martin believes that she will get those goals accomplished.
"That's something we talked about even last year," he said. "She's got that never satisfied, never-say-die attitude, and that's paying off big time."
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Track and FieldFB: Nico Radicic - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Thursday, April 16