Heinz Glad Not to Be Home
by Kirby Lee, Long Beach Press-Telegram
April 2, 2005 Kim Heinz couldn't wait to leave Montana for California after graduating from high school in 2003. After her freshman year at Long Beach State, Heinz couldn't wait to make the 1, 200-mile, 20-hour drive back to family and friends in Florence, Mt.
For now, the sophomore javelin thrower is here to stay in Long Beach. The decision came
only after a last minute change of heart before classes began this fall.
"I didn't do what I wanted to do in the javelin and I was hesitant to come back," Heinz said. "I was afraid that I wasn't going to do anything with my life without going forward with something. Now, I couldn't be happier."
There hasn't been any looking back for Heinz this season. Last month, Heinz opened the season with a school-record toss of 157 feet, 7 inches at the Long Beach Relays to earn Big West Conference Field Athlete of the Week honors.
Heinz followed it with a 157-1 effort to finish second in the Stanford Invitational last Saturday, a mark that also eclipsed the previous record of 155-2 set by Ami Goldhammer last season.
The javelin is among the strongest events for the 49ers, who will play host to the Big West Conference challenge today, with meet record holder Heinz and freshman Samantha Young, who has thrown 154-2.
Heinz, the 2001 and 2003 Montana state javelin champion and a two-time all-state selection in basketball at Carlton High in Florence, was recruited by Long Beach State javelin coach and Montana native Todd Reich.
Heinz jumped at the opportunity to train with Reich, a 1996 and 2000 U.S. Olympian, who grew up in Hot Springs, about an hour drive from Florence. Long Beach seemed like a perfect fit for Heinz, who was born in Downey before moving to Montana at age 6.
"Everybody knows about Todd in Montana," Heinz said. "I wanted to go to a school that showed interest and somewhere where I wouldn't have to be throwing in the snow."
The hectic Southern California lifestyle, though, wasn't exactly as Heinz had envisioned coming from Montana, where everything is an hour apart.
Although she finished eighth in the NCAA West Regional final with then the No. 2 mark in school history at 149-5, Heinz said that going to practice became a grind and she missed her friends in Montana.
Not even the transfer of her boyfriend and javelin thrower Doug Lefler from the University of Montana to Long Beach State at the start of the second semester could raise her spirits.
"I struggled with my marks and hated to go to practice," Heinz said. "I was frustrated. I expected to throw farther and when I didn't, I lost my passion for the javelin. I really didn't connect with some people down here. I wasn't sure that I had made the right choice moving away from friends and family."
It's been a fresh start this year for Heinz both socially and athletically. Heinz now owns a car instead of being restrained to staying on campus. She's also gone a complete overhaul in her javelin technique.
"It was hard for her last year when she didn't throw as far as she wanted to and had been so used to winning all her life," said Lefler, Long Beach State's school record holder in the men's javelin. "I told her the first year will always be the hardest and to give it two years. She has started out well and it's made her whole season. Her confidence is 10 times higher."
Reich believes there's plenty of room for improvement for Heinz, who has yet to throw in a competition with a full 10-step approach.
Reich has been using an abbreviated run up to help Heinz emphasize proper technique. He estimates that Heinz can throw an additional 15 feet with a full run up.
"She can go to the next level and be up there with the top girls," Reich said. "We went through the tons and tons of baby step workouts. It's been like night and day compared to last year. She's been positive since the beginning of the year and wants to be great."
Heinz is already thrown well over the qualifying standard of 141-7 for the NCAA West Regional championships at the University of Oregon on May 27-28 and the provisional standard of 157-6 for the USA Track & Field Championships at the Home Depot Center on June 23-25.
Heinz, though, is reluctant to set any expectations on distance this season.
"I am just trying to do my best and throw long," Heinz said. "It's really exciting that I am throwing this far already. I am a lot more focused on my effort and seeing the results in my throws." |
