Hayley Thomas has thrown shot put and discus all four years she has been a member of Brownstown Central’s girls track team.

Thomas, who began throwing in the sixth grade, prefers the discus because it feels more natural.

“Everything starts at your feet and it goes up, so you want your hips before your chest, or your throws just won’t come out right,” Thomas said. “You get more momentum and more strength on the discus.”

She threw 93 feet, 5 1/2 inches, in her first meet of the season Tuesday at Austin.

Thomas said in preparing for a meet, “I do two power throws, which is like a warm up. You stand and throw it. Then I do a half (spin) where you start in the middle, and then I do one full throw and then I’m ready. Normally I look at trees when I start and when I end there is a certain roof I look at.”

Thomas said some meets she may have her best throw on her first throw and on other days her best throw may be her second or third throw.

“I like the bigger meets because you have more pressure on you,” Thomas said. “I feel like you perform better when there is more competition. Having better competition just makes you better.”

Thomas said the release is important, and wind can be a big factor in the discus, and that she wants to improve her shot put this season.

“I want to get at get at least 35 feet this year,” Thomas said of the shot. “I’m about three or four feet off this year. I throw about 30 to 31.The release is a lot of it. It’s just making sure you have all your power going forward and that you are not falling back or anything like that.”

The senior spends a lot of time working on both throws.

“It’s just repetition. Getting muscle memory is really important,” Thomas said. “If you don’t do a lot of reps and make sure you actually go through with everything right you won’t be able to well in the meets.”

Thomas lifts weights on a regular basis and holds school records for girls in squat, bench and power clean.

She says she wears a brace on her shoulder to avoid any further injuries.

Thomas, who was a football manger, said lifting, “has helped me a bunch with everything. It keeps me in shape year around.”

Thomas said it is important to keep a positive outlook in all sports.

“I do a lot of over thinking and mental things, and I think I have to beat her,” she said. “I have the will to do it. You have to have confidence in yourself.”

Her No. 1 goal is to qualify for regional in the discus, and she said she has enjoyed attending BCHS.

“I like the community,” Thomas said. “Everyone is so supportive of everything. At all sporting events we have a big crowd there and all the teachers are always asking how your day is going and you sports and everything. I have a big group of friends, and I’ve had a lot of fun here and I always have something to do.”

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Name: Hayley Thomas

High school: Brownstown Central

Parent: Pam Thomas

Siblings: Raven, Jared

Sports: track and field 4 years, basketball 3 years, football manager 4 years

Athletic highlights: holds school records in squat, bench and power clean

Organizations: letterman’s club, booster club, 4H

Plans after high school: attend college, study to be strength and conditioning coach

Favorite food: fried chicken

Favorite TV show: Grey’s Anatomy

Favorite team: Indiana Hoosiers

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