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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Lancer thrower has drive to win

Mike Boyle Correspondent

When success in a sport comes relatively quickly to an athlete, it’s often said they are a natural at it. When it comes to throwing the javelin, Liberty High School’s Chelsea Crosby had a little help from the family.

“I actually didn’t start throwing the javelin until my sophomore year,” said the senior. “My mom threw in high school and she told me I’d probably be good at it. I asked my coach if I could try it. As I started to throw, I started to get better and really enjoy it. (coach) Heath (Voise) told me I’d be good at it and told me to stay with it, so I kept throwing. I have just progressed so much from when I first started throwing.”

As a beginner two years ago, Crosby was able to make her way to the state meet, but failed to place. It was an experience that set in motion her rapid improvement her junior year.

“She made it her sophomore year to state and did not have a good outing,” said Voise, the Lancer coach. “In (the) Bi-County (meet) going into state she was good. I don’t know if it was nerves. It wasn’t an ideal weather day, but that’s part of track. From sophomore year and not placing, it was one thing she wanted to make sure didn’t happen in her junior year. She placed in that (junior year). I think she’s become more mentally mature on how to handle things and how not to be nervous and push hard at the state level.”

Last season, Crosby was part of a second-place Lancer team and contributed with her first state placing.

“I didn’t place in javelin my sophomore year and I was pretty upset,” Crosby said. “I didn’t know what to expect. It was my first year throwing. To get to state my first year was pretty wonderful though. To place my second year, my junior year, it was great. I didn’t throw my best, but to place fourth at state, that’s awesome. It’s really a great feeling.”

It was a remarkable progress in just two years of throwing for Crosby, but it wasn’t just natural ability that landed her toward the top of the state.

“She works hard,” said Voise, who enters his second year as the Lancer head coach after being an assistant for one year previous. “She gets pretty frustrated when she’s not doing well, so she works harder to correct her errors. It really helps her with the javelin. It’s not a natural throwing motion, like it is in baseball or football. It’s a little different. You have to incorporate a lot of legwork and hips and all of that type of stuff into it.” Having an experienced thrower like Voise has enabled Crosby to be considered one of the favorites to take the state crown this May.

“He’s a wonderful thrower and a really good coach,” Crosby sid. “He knows how to throw and how to coach it. I’m thankful I have him.”

While many javelin throwers at the collegiate level and beyond are usually 5-foot-10 or taller, Crosby is all of 5-5, but uses her competitiveness born of leading Liberty’s volleyball and basketball teams to success on the track.

“It’s probably her biggest asset,” said Voise. “She’s not the tallest girl out there. She’s not the fastest. There’s better, purer athletes in the league if you looked at them individually, but she does not like to lose and she doesn’t take losing very well, so she puts the time in to make sure she’s not on the losing side of things.”

Crosby will guide a young Liberty squad in which she is the only senior. She hopes to lead on and off the track with her best performances in her Lancer career.

“Last year, the top three girls at state were seniors,” said Crosby. “They’ve graduated, so that leaves me. I’m hoping for a first at state, but it’s going to be hard. I have to work all season long. I’ve come along fine. I remember the beginning of last year; I threw 100-105 feet the first meet. This year, I threw 109 feet, so I threw at a higher level. I’m hoping to pass my personal level of 120 feet this year.”