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Throwing a family affair for Glasmanns

Christopher Kamrani, The Park Record

The Glasmann family can huck it.

Megan Glasmann, who will be a junior at Park City High School next year, has already shattered boatloads of personal and school records during her two-year stint at the school. She won state individual titles in girls’ javelin and discus in class 3A this year.

She qualified for and participated in the World Youth Track & Field trials in Myrtle Beach, S.C., held June 28 through July 3. She finished third overall in the javelin event, setting a new personal record of 145 feet even. That’s good enough for an all-time record at PCHS.

"I had been looking forward to that since the first time I heard about it a few years back," Megan said.

That same weekend, at the 2011 USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships also held in Myrtle Beach, she won the girls’ 15 to 16 age division in javelin and placed third in the discus.

Chrissy Glasmann, who will be an incoming freshman at PCHS this fall, also competed in the Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships, along with older sister Megan. The younger Glasmann placed fourth in the youth girls’ 13 to 14 javelin competition with a throw of 93 feet, seven inches. Chrissy Glasmann also placed 11th overall in the girls’ discus throw with a toss of 86 feet, six inches.

But neither sibling has yet to accomplish what the matriarch of the family, Niki Glasmann has. An All-American thrower at the University of Texas in her college days, Niki Glasmann was an alternate for the 1988 Olympic Summer Games. Now 45, she still competes against the world’s best.

Last year, Niki won the 40 to 44 age division at the USA Track & Field Masters’ Championships. She was ranked No. 1 overall in the U.S. last season, and is now ranked No. 11 worldwide.

All the while, she finds time to coach her two rising-star daughters.

"It’s definitely interesting," said Chrissy. "My mom, being my coach and my mom at the same time, it’s nice. Sometimes, you need that loving, nurturing side. But as a coach, she’s great at that as well."

Niki said she always hoped her kids would latch on to the idea of throwing, but didn’t want to force them. The laid-back approach seems to have worked out quite well.

"It’s something I felt like I could teach my kids and help them," she said. "There’s just not many javelin coaches out there. It’s an individual sport and we’ve always done it as a family.

"I think my kids are finally getting it now: why mom has spent so much time teaching them. The payoff is now. They’re seeing it."

Megan is a natural competitor and wants to beat the best in order to be the best. She likes to think of herself as a torchbearer for the throwing sports in track & field in Park City-she wants to see the sports sprout.

"For most people, especially in Park City, you usually walk onto the high school team," she said. "Not in track and field. You just walk in and say, ‘I was a slugger for the baseball team or I was the goalie in soccer, and maybe I’ll just try throwing.’

"Park City did not have a thrower before I came in. Now, we’ll definitely have a thrower team."

Megan and Chrissy will lead the girl throwers at PCHS for the next two years, something Chrissy said she is ecstatic about.

"I’ll go to a track meet or even at the track banquet, and other competitors will say, ‘Oh my goodness, there’s another one.’ I’m so excited."

Megan said her younger sister has already flown past the records she set when she was that age.

"It’s really exciting to see my younger sister beating me at this age," she said.

Niki said her children’s love for the sport was what helped her get back into the swing of things.

"It’s motivated me more to start throwing, because my kids are throwing," she said. "It’s a sport you can do until you’re 100. At world masters’ meets, there’s an age division up to 100 years old. It’s a lifelong sport. I just really enjoy it."

A frightening bit of news for fellow throwers in the state of Utah: there are two younger Glasmanns who are learning the tricks of the trade much earlier-an 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy, whom Niki is coaching each day.

And what about the family patriarch, Tommy Glasmann?

"He’s an outdoors guy," Niki Glasmann said. "He grew up surfing, playing in the outdoors. He’s adventurous; this is kind of different from what he did growing up.

"He’s been retrieving javelins and discuses for us. He’s still part of the group."


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