The Colorado High School Activities Association does not offer javelin. Following are thoughts about the scarcity of opportunities to throw the javelin.
Kara Winger, two-time Olympian in javelin and American record holder, resident of Colorado Springs:
“I think it’s a shame that more kids aren’t exposed to my favorite event at a younger age. I consider myself truly lucky to have grown up in Washington. The same safety precautions exist for the discus and shot put as for the javelin. Coaches and athletes just have to pay attention to where other people and their implements are. The infrastructure of the track surfaces doesn’t even have to change: We didn’t even have a runway at my high school, and the high jump apron that we threw off of went downhill and then uphill because of the way it drained.”
Casey Malone, CU throws coach, two-time Olympian in the discus:
“What it comes down to, is the infrastructure there? Are there good coaches? Are there people who can supervise, because you don’t have a net around you. The javelin, it could go off in any direction. That forces you to have a lot of really good supervision. One of the other risks is that throwing the javelin improperly can lead to elbow issues, shoulder issues. If there is good coaching, if there is good supervision, there’s certainly no reason why you can’t have a really successful program. It gives athletes who maybe weren’t previously going to go to college to do a sport — maybe they’re playing softball or baseball — opportunities that some athletes would never even consider. They might even get scholarships.”
John Hancock, longtime Mullen track coach, 2013 national high school coach of the year:
“For 15 years I was in charge of the track and field clinic, and there were three different occasions where I brought in Dana Pounds from the Air Force Academy, the NCAA champion, so that coaches would have the opportunity to be exposed to how to get started with javelin. It’s going to have to come from the coaches wanting this to happen and presenting how it can be done before CHSAA will give them the green light.”
