Baylee Wroble: Javelin phenomenon - By Colby Whitby

Javelin has always been a big part of Baylee’s life. She has been throwing since her freshman year of high school. “From the first time I grabbed a javelin, I found my true passion in life.” Her inspiration comes from her dad and her aunt. Baylee has always wanted to be like her aunt, who went to the  University of Southern Maine for javelin.  Another person she greatly admired was coach Joey. Coach Joey has been her coach all through high school, and the amount of knowledge and new techniques she has acquired has helped her become the amazing player she is today.  Her other coach, Stuart Allen, has also been a big supporter in her life.  In Baylee's sophomore year of high school, when she qualified for state for Hammer, she had to travel alone with her family because it was in a different region than the other competitors.  Mr. Allen traveled with his family on a Sunday to support Baylee and watch her throw.  Baylee says that she wouldn’t be where she is today without her coaches' support. 

Photo: Metcalf Media (@metcalfmedia_ )

One thing Baylee works really hard on is improving. During her freshman year, she threw a personal record of 102 feet. She was not satisfied with those numbers. Working hard during the off-season, she improved her personal record by roughly 14 feet! However, it didn't end there. In her junior year, she threw 136 feet 9 inches. Coming into her senior year, one thing is in mind for Baylee: getting 1st in state. Unfortunately, she got second in the state in her junior year, only losing by 3 feet. I asked her how she felt after falling short and what she did to ensure that never happened again. “I was very disappointed in my placement, but not my performance. I got my highest PR of the season at state. This made me the second all-time record holder for Richland High School. I went to a throwing camp this summer in Idaho. They have some of the best coaches from all over the United States. They showed me a lot of differences in work and changed my grip on the javelin entirely. I also plan to lift weights and train faster down the runway.”

A huge reason why Baylee enjoys track and field so much is because of the footprint she leaves. “Having such a big impact on the community is one thing that pushes me to be a better athlete and a better person.” Baylee is the second oldest in her family and a role model to her two younger sisters, who also do javelin. “Having them at practice is a great thing. Just to see them following in my footsteps is something that makes my heart happy.” Brooklyn, one of her younger sisters, always tries to make Baylee better by hyping her up and making everything a competition at practice. Some days, when Baylee struggles at practice, Brooklyn motivates her and tries her best to help her in every way possible.

I asked Baylee if she has any superstitions before she throws, and she said she has a million. She mentioned she needs to warm up wearing headphones and sunglasses if it is sunny outside. She said she needs to wear an arm sleeve when she throws and apply a generous amount of tiger balm on her arms. In the off-season, Baylee continues to train and prepare for the competition she will face in this upcoming track season. A few ways she trains are working on plyometrics, approaching work, weight lifting, and attending a summer camp to improve her throwing skills. 

Baylee plans to go to college for javelin. Her goal is to attend Washington State University.  This particular university draws her attention because it is close to home, division 1, and her parents went to Eastern and mentioned Washington State University occasionally.  She has been in contact with the coach, and during her throwing camp this summer, she met one of the current throwers at WSU.  They became good friends, and Baylee says she will enjoy throwing at WSU with her new friend Laura.  She plans to visit the WSU campus soon to meet the coaching staff and see if she belongs there. 

Baylee describes how excited she is for this upcoming track season.  This will be Baylee’s Senior year, so she wants to make the best of it. She plans to have as much fun as possible with her friends this season while improving her skills.  She is very excited about what this season holds for her.  And I wish her the best of luck.