Ferris’ Kirk Unland ready to unleash some throws

He may be the little brother but there’s nothing little about Kirk Unland.

Which is exactly why the Ferris senior is built for the throws. Had it not been for a shoulder injury his freshman year, the 6-foot-6 Unland might be doing all the throws, including the javelin.

His brother, Damon, was best suited for the discus and shot put while Kirk is much further along in the hammer. But if recent work pays off in the next three weeks, he could make up some ground in the others.

If it’s as much progress as he’s made in the last two weeks in the hammer Kirk will be challenging for state championships in all the throws.

As it stands, his future is bright. He signed to continue throwing at the University of Wyoming where Damon is throwing.

There’s a benefit to being 6-6. It’s called long levers in throwing vernacular.

They’re especially beneficial in the hammer and discus.

Two weeks ago at the Mooberry Relays, Unland had a big breakthrough in the hammer – an event allowed during the regular season by the WIAA but not offered at the state meet.

Unland threw 180 feet in late March but extended his personal best by 27 feet while setting a meet record at Mooberry.

Then last Saturday at the Strandberg Invitational, he threw a personal best 210-6. He threw one out of bounds that was another 10 feet further.

And he did it while sick. He scratched out of the shot and discus because he was under the weather. His hammer throw ranks him first in the state (13th all time) and fourth in the nation.

Unland said a tweak in his technique over spring break has unleashed his potential.

“I was just practicing alone and it just kind of clicked,” Unland said. “I started to get height out of it. And since then I’ve been getting higher marks.”

Unland will compete in a hammer district meet and then state, which is the day after state track concludes.

He practices with the hammer as much as twice a week and never works with more than two implements a practice. But Unland manages to spend quality time with each.

Damon captured a state title in the discus and finished runner-up in the shot. Kirk is seeking his first trip to state.

He takes pride in the fact that he’s made big strides in a short of amount of time in the hammer.

“Where I’m at now is pretty crazy considering I have just a year and a half of training,” Kirk said. “It’s kind of come a little more natural to me than the shot and discus.”

Unland also likes the progress he’s made in the shot and discus even though it hasn’t translated into the marks he’d like. He switched his technique in the shot this year from a rotation to a glide. Using a rotation technique messed him up in the discus.

“When you’re taller it’s harder to do a full rotation in the shot,” Unland said. “Now I’m very close to getting a big jump in my marks like I did in the hammer. I’m right where I need to be. I expect some good marks in the next few meets.”

His father, Kyle, was an All-American in the hammer at Washington State University, and he coaches his son at Ferris.

Kirk had to back off his workouts in the discus this season because he developed a shin splint in his push off leg.

“It’s very similar to the high jump,” Kyle said. “You have that block foot where you stop your horizontal energy and plant your foot. In the discus and shot, you have the block foot where you stop and translate the energy into the implement.”

The switch to the glide means less torque on Kirk’s block/plant foot.

“He’s getting really close to getting some throws out there,” Kyle said.