Junior Alyssa Anderson raises the javelin up near her head, draws her arm back, takes several quick steps and hurls the seven-foot metal spear forward. Anderson is one of two javelin throwers at Hockaday and recently broke the school record with a throw of 99 feet 3 inches, landing her a spot in the top 10 high school javelin throwers in Texas.
Javelin throwing is not an SPC event and was removed from most high school competitions several years ago, but some meets allow the event in an exhibition forum, meaning participants can use these scores for summer or club track. Anderson became interested in throwing javelin while training for a heptathlon last year.
“It definitely required getting used to at first, but javelin has become one of my favorite events,” Anderson said.
She primarily learned how to throw javelin from Adaku Ebeniro, the Throws Coach for Varsity Track and Field. The two usually practice throwing javelin together once a week and recently traveled to the Nick Finnegan Spring Invitational in Houston, where Anderson set the new school record and a personal record.
“She’s been working really hard in the weight room which has a direct correlation with her success in the javelin,” Ebeniro said. “You can tell by her work ethic that she’s resilient and always keeps her goals in mind.”
Anderson also competes in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, shot put, high jump, long jump and various relays for the varsity team and a club team called Primetime Elite in the off-season. She contributed 42.5 out of the team’s 180 points at SPC and medaled in four different events.
“I was out with a hamstring injury for almost all of last season, which made it even more rewarding for me to come back this year and place in so many events and contribute to our win at SPC,” Anderson said.
To help her recovery, Anderson spent four or five mornings a week in the weight room or working on her field technique.
“My favorite thing about track is that it is both an individual and a team sport,” Anderson said. “At the end of the day, it’s not just your own points that matter, it’s also everyone else’s points that add up and allow us to truly win as a team.”
Anderson said she looks forward to next year when she will get to lead the team as one of the captains and the new track will be finished.
“Hopefully, we will be able to win another SPC Championship and really finish our senior year out with a bang,” Anderson said.
Head Track and Field Coach LaBoris Bean expressed similar hopes for next year.
“I’m also looking forward to seeing Alyssa continue improving as an athlete. She is definitely eager to get started and make the best out of next season,” Bean said. “She’s already broken one school record and I could see her having at least three more.”
