On March 9, junior Heather Michalski competed at the NCAA Division III National Indoor Track and Field Championship in Virginia Beach, Va. Michalski placed 20th overall in the nation for shot put. For Michalski, the hard work she has been putting in as well as the support from her teammates and coaches has paid off in her ability to compete at the national level for the first time.
“I’ve been staying for double practices and also doing more lifting than a lot of my other teammates,” Michalski said. “A lot of it is just being dedicated to your sport, and the way throwing means so much to me is why I’m able to just spend hours doing it.”
Before competing at nationals, she said she’d wanted to improve her mental mindset so she could compete at her best ability. She has been working hard not only on the physical side of the sport but also on the mental side of it. With track, it is just one person out there on the field—getting to nationals means overcoming those obstacles.
“I really want to try to come out of nationals with a better mindset for the outdoor season,” Michalski said. “If you just do your best, your best is good enough. It’s just do your best, be a good competitor and be a good teammate.”
As this was her first time at this high-stakes competition, her coaches were there with her by her side every step of the way, supporting her no matter the outcome. With her throughout her nationals journey was Coach Taylor Hurry, who looked to make this a positive experience for Michalski.
“It is her trip, too,” Hurry said. “We want to make this as easy as possible for her and that kind of transition. Kind of taking what would normally be a very structured and serious thing and trying to keep making it fun as we’re down there can be a big part of it.”
Along with her coach’s support, she also had support back at school, with the whole track team behind her. Senior Haley Wills has watched Michalski’s journey since she first joined the team.
“She has grown leaps and bounds since her freshman year,” Wills said. “She’s gotten the courage to do what she is doing and to work hard. I just have seen the passion grow.”