Jacy Quade has been competing in track and field events for the last 10 years and on Friday, she will be making her second consecutive trip to the Class 5A state track and field meet at Cessna Stadium in Wichita to represent Great Bend High School in the discus and the shot put.
Quade took first place at the regional meet at Friends University in Wichita in the discus event with a throw of 127 feet, 10 inches. She qualified for state in the event last year as a sophomore, finishing in eighth place.
Quade also advanced to the state meet in shot put with a distance of 36-10 1/2, a goal she said she set for herself because of the absence of Class 5A state shot put champion Alex Hartig, who graduated last year.
“This is probably the biggest goal,” Quade said. “I never really thought I’d make it here, but I’m really glad I have. It is a huge accomplishment for me.
“I find (the discus) more fun. It’s easier for me, but more complex at the same time. With Hartig leaving, I had to keep the tradition living. So I knew I had to get in there in both (discus and shot put).”
Quade said that the state meet was one of her dreams competing as a kid.
“I love track,” Quade said. “I started when I was six years old, and I’ve bene throwing ever since. It’s a dream come true for me. I’ve been waiting for this moment, this weekend.”
Quade said she started as a runner, but stumbled on her talents as a thrower.
“Actually, I didn’t get started throwing until that summer,” Quade said. “I was running, and I found out I wasn’t quite good enough. I picked up a shot, I chucked it and my dad (Doug) was like, ‘hey, you got an arm on you. Let’s put you in the ring.’ I stuck with it ever since.”
Quade said that she has seen her competition this year and that she expects a tough fight for first place.
“It’ll be tough,” Quade said. “There is myself and a couple of seniors that we’ve all been battling around the same position over and over this year. We’re pretty tight compared in distance. It’ll be tough. We’ll see who comes out on top.”