Seymour senior Carly Lucas believes that practice makes perfect.
Lucas, who will throw the shot put and discus for the girls’ track and field team this spring, said that the time put in at practice translates to competition.
“Practice is the most important thing, especially when you’re throwing,” she said. “You can have the oomph, but if you don’t have the technique you might be throwing very low compared to someone who has the technique.”
Because she’s a smaller thrower, Lucas said she needs to keep a positive attitude in meets.
“I have to encourage myself to keep throwing as far as I can and as hard as I can,” Lucas said. “I’d say I’m a little bit like a perfectionist, I like to learn things and perfect on them and work on them. I just try to work on my technique because I don’t have the muscle or weight behind me to get it out there super far, but as long as I perfect my technique and its fine, I’m usually happy with it (the results).
“Coach always tells us, ‘You have to use your hips.’ All the little things that don’t seem like they matter, they matter. He always tells me to get mean because I’m smaller, and I don’t have a ton of aggression, but he’s like ‘you’ve got to get mean. You’ve got to get really aggressive so it will go out there further.’ It takes your whole body to push that round ball out there.”
Lucas joined the track team her freshman year through encouragement of a friend.
“I liked the idea of having a team sport but not having to rely on someone else,” Lucas said. “I’m OK with team sports, and I like the family atmosphere that track has. There are so many of us that we can all relate even though we do different things.”
Her freshman and sophomore years, Lucas threw only the discus, then added shot put last year and is throwing both again this spring.
“We got a new coach my junior year, and he had me try shot,” Lucas said. “Discus used to be my favorite, but this year it’s changed to shot.”
Lucas said that having a proper release point in both events is important and that lifting weights is a key to getting stronger to improve.
“In shot you’ve got to push it out pretty hard,” she said. “It’s less based on technique and more based on how hard you can get it out there. I like the challenge of trying to do it a little more each time.”
The senior’s goal in the shot put is to top 25 feet this season.
“I just have to work harder,” Lucas said of the goal. “I need to start lifting more at home. I need to work on technique, too. I want to spin this year, so when I do turns it will help.
Lucas said she keeps a close watch on her teammates, and on opponents during meets to see how they throw.
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Name: Carly Lucas
Parents: Ron and Karen Lucas
Sibling: Charles
Sports: track and field 4 years
Organizations: National Honor Society, yearbook, 4H
Plans after high school: attend Belmont University
Favorite food: tacos
Favorite TV show: Pretty Little Liars
Favorite musicians: Sam Hunt
Favorite movie: She’s All That
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Q: Do you have a favorite shot put ring?
A: “I like the one closest to the football stadium. I’m a creature of habit. That’s where I started and I just like that one. Usually the guys throw out of the one closest to the street, and the girls throw out of the one closest to the stadium during practice, and in the meets that’s just kind of the ones we gravitate to.
“I love our track. I like the (Columbus) East and North tracks, but ours is my favorite. I love home meets.”
Q: What’s it like attending Seymour high school?
A: “I love SHS. They give you tons of opportunities. I like the challenges in most of my classes, and the people in my classes. I’ve been with them all for four years because we’re all like the AP honors kids so it’s been nice.
Q: What will you miss most about being a student-athelte?
A: “I’ve made great relationships with other students, and coaches and teachers. It’s been an amazing four years. I’ve grown close to so many people throughout the years. I love just being on a team with runners that I normally wouldn’t be friends with. I’ve met so many different people and I really like that.”
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