Credit to Miranda Fabian

Rachel Bruemmer prepares to throw discus during practice with FHC.

Overlooked in track and field is the North throw team. The throw team participates in events like shot put, discus and javelin. Performing in unique vents aligns with the unique circumstances of this team; the team has no coach, and due to construction of the new school, they have practice with rival school Francis Howell Central. Even with tough circumstances, the North throwers refuse to throw in the towel. Instead, they are thriving.

Arguably, a coach is the most important element needed for a team to function and improve. Student leaders can help, but they are not replacements for a coach. The question remains: How does a team function without a coach? Well, ‘no coach’ is not completely the truth, but it is not quite false, either.

“Jasmine Boyer was our coach,” senior Rachel Breummer said. “Her brother Kenny Boyer coached at Central, and she just moved over to Central, so we’ve all still been practicing together.”

The throw team has coaches – the Boyer siblings – but no coach is hired explicitly for North. This throws some Knights under the bus.

“We have no coach just to advocate for what North needs,” junior Kayla Spoors said. “At the beginning of the season, we had some equipment that was misplaced. We had no one to go talk to the other North track coaches for us and say, ‘Hey, we lost some things we need to go grab it and bring it over Central.’ We had to do that ourselves.”

Students can only do so much for themselves. A Student will not be listened to over a coach, so not having an advocate pushes students into situations they might not be qualified to handle – like missing equipment. But not only is there no advocate, there are logistical problems, too.

“There’s so many people with Central it’s hard to find space, like in the weight room,” Breummer said. “It’s also hard to teach all these people between two coaches, especially something you’ve never done before. It’s not natural to spin in a circle and throw something.”

The issues of no coach, no advocate, no teacher and a team practicing with minimal space should negatively affect this team. What is should do is cause a team to collapse. But what it does instead creates an environment that makes the team closer than ever.

“It caused [us] to come closer,” Spoors said. “Not only was like a big group [with central] but as a North team. We’d stick together because we are each other’s support, and even though we don’t get as many reps as we would get practicing at North, we have a good sense of community and sense as a team.”

North and Central are known rivals, and like oil and water, the Knights and Spartans don’t mix. Despite this, the FHN throw team throws a curveball, as Breummer describes no difference in the teams.

“It’s funny because we don’t see them as our rivals,” Bruemmer said. “There’s zero separation between the two teams. They’re just my teammates that happen to be wearing a different color than me.”

For the team, having no rivalry is more motivating.

“I don’t see them as rivals,” Spoors said. “They’re some of my best friends and my biggest competition right now. It’s like a friendly competition; I want them to succeed, as much as I want to succeed.”

As the North construction finalizes, the long-awaited practice fields and athletic facilities will be completed for the Knights. This allows the FHN throwers to go back to practicing at North. The athletes are thrown for a loop, harboring conflicting feelings towards coming back home.

“Honestly, I’m a little upset about moving back,” Spoors said. “I mean, Boyer’s been my coach for three years. It sucks because I want to have that good coach and I want to keep the bonds I have over at Central. But also, eventually, we have to move over here. I’ve been there for all three years and even without a coach, I’d love to stay there.”

Central throwers agree. Senior Demarkus Allison has been throwing with Central since his sophomore year, allowing him to throw with North his entire career. Though Allison is graduating, he puts himself in the perspective of the underclassmen.

“If North goes back to practicing at home, I’d be upset,” Allison said. “North makes the team fun and we are all close. I enjoy having them, and I wouldn’t want them to leave.”