Placer High School’s junior varsity and varsity Track and Field throwing teams have had a successful season so far and share a passion for their unique sport.

The team has 11 JV members and 11 varsity members and is coached by Shelby Crider, a former Placer thrower herself.

The throwing team practices shot put and discus. Shot put is the sport of throwing a very heavy round ball far as possible and discus is throwing a heavy disk as far as possible.

Teyah Karde, a senior who has participated at the varsity level since she was a freshman describes the experience, “my team feels like a family, we have a lot of fun but we also treat our meets and practices as a place to truly better ourselves.”

Placer senior and varsity throw member Gus Orlando agreed, stating, “you make a lot of valuable memories and we joke around and have a lot of fun but we do take things seriously when it comes down to it.”

The team practices Monday through Friday from 4 pm to 6 pm and team members with free fifth periods can come to practice early for one on one time with their coach. 

“It gives me a purpose and it’s an opportunity for me to be a part of a community. My favorite thing about it is challenging myself every day,” stated Karde.

Track and field meets happen once or twice a week with occasional invitational meets, which are meets only certain team members participate in. 

“I’m obviously always making my best attempt to win, and when I’m not competing or I’m on deck waiting to throw I’m cheering on my teammates,” stated Karde, “it’s nerve-wracking sometimes, like I’m building up anticipation but that gives me the adrenaline to throw really well which makes the meet fun.”

Orlando added, “meets are exciting but at the same time you have to keep your composure and if you get too ahead of yourself you can make silly mistakes.”

At the 84th Lefbvere relays held on March 3rd, the girl’s varsity teams placed first overall in both shot put and discus and the boy’s varsity team placed fourth in shot put and third in discus. 

Karde said, “I love knowing it was a team effort to get first, it doesn’t matter if your teammate threw farther than you but that both of you threw well.”

In practice, the team is doing excellent and predicts first-place wins going into future meets.