University of Kentucky freshman Shelby Wingler demonstrates her form in the weighted throw.
Submitted photo | UK athletics
Shelby Wingler is furthering her academic and athletic pursuits south of the Ohio River, but her college track and field career began on familiar soil.
As is typically the case with the Center Grove graduate, impressive results followed.
Wingler, a freshman at the University of Kentucky, won the shot put competition at the Indiana University Early Bird indoor meet in December, her top distance being 47 feet, 9¼ inches. Wingler’s debut in the weighted throw netted a best toss of 50-6, good for fifth place.
A three-time high school state medalist in the shot put — fourth place last spring, runner-up as a junior and sixth as a 10th-grader — Wingler realizes much work remains for her to find her way onto the awards podium at the Southeastern Conference indoor and outdoor meets in the months ahead.
In the meantime, life in Lexington is good.
“I really do enjoy it here. It definitely is a home away from home,” Wingler said. “On my visit, I was like, ‘This is such a huge campus.’ I have teammates and classmates from different countries, which is so cool.”
The shot put remains Wingler’s preferred event over discus. Only now, she’s learning to incorporate the weighted throw (indoor) and hammer throw (outdoor) into her repertoire as well. Since those aren’t sanctioned events in high school in Indiana, the freshman is relying on UK coaches and teammates to help her assimilate.
“There is definitely a learning curve because they are two new motions I have to learn,” Wingler said. “But my comfort in shot put is like a lot of my teammates, whose comfort level is the weight and hammer.
“Getting to talk with them is just very reassuring and very helpful. Practices are a group effort.”
Presiding over Wildcat throwers is UK assistant track coach Keith McBride, now in his sixth season. He is impressed by Wingler’s work ethic, and encouraged by her potential.
“We’re always looking for kids who can come in and help right away,” McBride said. “It’s a process. In reality, you’re looking at 52 feet (in shot put) where you could (probably) score at the SEC meet. That’s kind of a baseline number.
“Shelby has started off really well, and is in a good spot. Our goal for her is to be in that range this year.”
The Wildcats made the drive to Louisville for the Rod McCravy Memorial indoor meet Jan. 12-13. Wingler finished seventh in the shot put (47-7¼) and ninth in the weighted throw (54-8¾). More recently, she competed at the Vanderbilt Invitational, finishing 14th in the weighted throw with a best of 47-10.
Wingler’s goal for the remainder of her freshman year is to get to 50-plus feet in the shot put and into the upper 160s in discus competition.
Along the way, Wingler gets to measure her skills at some of the country’s premier collegiate track and field facilities, including Arkansas for the SEC Indoor Championships on Feb. 23-24, and the conference outdoor championships at the University of Florida from May 9-11.
Her objective is to medal at both meets.
“Just getting to travel, see these facilities and compete against these athletes from around the country,” Wingler said. “All of my teammates have said great things about Arkansas, which is very spread out (for throwers).”
Room, if you will, to grow.
