Perhaps you’ve attended a Scottish festival and watched the athletic events. You think, “I could do that!” One of the most fascinating things about the Highland Games is that nearly anyone can learn to throw. So, you do a little digging on Facebook and find a local group to meet for practice. So far so good.
Then, you pick up the implements. You try the footwork. You attempt to handle the whittled tree they call a ‘caber’. After a few falls and some disappointingly short distances, the first thought is clear: this is harder than it looks. Some may decide it was a nice try, but spectating is the way to go. The rest of us think, “I’m going to get better at this!”
The 2013 Master’s World Champion Kerry Overfelt, a Games participant since 1998, came from a background in high school and college football with teen bodybuilding sprinkled in. Within the Highland Games, he holds multiple North American Champion titles and a National Champion title on top of his Master’s World Champion title. Five-time Women’s World Champion, Adriane Wilson, who has been in the sport eleven years, began throwing shot put and discus in the 7th grade. This eventually led to a collegiate career that ended with Wilson earning a NCAA Division II All American not once, but thirteen times. She continued training professionally in field events and went on to compete in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympic trials. Aside from winning her first World Championship in 2010, she credits one of her most cherished Highland accomplishments as being the first athlete (professional man or woman) to throw the heavyweight over 50 feet.
So how would Overfelt and Wilson encourage the average person to get better at this sport?
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