Leader of the pack

Othello's Kirkwood wants chance to become three-time state javelin champion

OTHELLO — When you boil down the high school career of Othello's Courtney Kirkwood, there's one figure that emerges from the rest — 11 feet, 10 inches.

That's the distance separating Kirkwood from a chance at Washington state track and field immortality next spring when she'll likely compete for her third straight 2A javelin championship. The junior successfully defended her title at the May 25-26 2A meet in Tacoma, capping two seasons of near perfection in the event.

One opponent, and a distance of less than four yards, will keep Kirkwood from claiming an extraordinary distinction — four-time state champ. As a freshman in the spring of 2005, Kirkwood finished second in the javelin behind Cassandra Merkley of Leavenworth's Cascade High School. Merkley, now a collegiate athlete at Idaho State, tossed a new meet record mark of 144 feet, 7 inches, besting Kirkwood's more-than-respectable showing of 132-09.

Kirkwood exacted her revenge the following year, shattering Merkley's short-lived record with a toss of 152-11. Twelve months later, Kirkwood defended her 2A title with a monstrous heave of 158-10, more than 30 feet beyond her nearest competitor.

A three-year run like that in one event is a career and then some for most athletes. But Kirkwood's story only begins with the javelin. She's also a three-time state medalist in the 100-meter hurdles and a two-time medalist in the long jump. In the latter event, she completed a run to the state title this spring, soaring 16 feet, 10 inches to edge Burlington-Edison junior Danielle Nordlund.

"I added about 20 feet to my approach, which helped me get more speed into my impulse," Kirkwood said of the adjustments she made to win the long jump.

Oh yeah, she's also a sprinter, having been a part of three consecutive Lady Huskie relay teams at state, the last two in the 800-meter event. Kirkwood has been with the same three teammates — Kelsey Peterson, Allison Walker and Ashley Walker — over that time, and while the foursome didn't qualify for the state finals this spring, they were fifth-place medalists in 2006.

"I enjoy doing relay teams because I play basketball with the other three girls and I play soccer with one of girls," Kirkwood said. "It's fun competing with other people and succeeding with them, as well as failing."

With her record of all-around excellence, it isn't surprising to learn that Kirkwood's pondering a collegiate career in the heptathlon, a two-day gauntlet of tests in strength, speed and agility that truly measures the best athletes.

Javelin and long jump are on par with each other as Kirkwood's favorite event, though she says without hesitation that javelin is the tougher event.

"There's more technique into throwing the javelin," she noted.

While her second straight javelin title proved to be anticlimactic, it wasn't so last season. Connell's Becca Lee uncorked a 144-foot, 2-inch toss to take the lead late in the day. With only one throw remaining, the pressure was on Kirkwood, and she responded with her meet-record distance. That, in her mind, made last year's title more satisfying.

Kirkwood's inspiration comes from her parents, Don and Angie, and five siblings. Her approach to staying in shape is simple — "I just do whatever the coaches tell me" — and made easier by the fact that she's a year-round athlete who also plays for the Othello soccer and basketball squads.

She's quick to accept a challenge given to most seniors, particularly star athletes, in providing a leadership example for her younger teammates.

"I think my coaches expect me to do that as well because I've been to the top level," Kirkwood said.

After scoring 25 of the Lady Huskies' 28 points at state this spring, Kirkwood hopes to repeat that type of performance for the final time in May 2008. How will she do it?

"Make sure I go out there every day and give 100 percent," she said. "And always be ready to improve and learn new things."