From Major Injury to the Nationals

By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

Natalie Krysta began playing softball in the third grade, and prior to entering high school, she had torn the meniscus in her knee. Wanting to get back into shape for her next softball season the Bellingham native decided that she would pick up track as rehab.

 

“I decided that I would join the track and field team to get back into shape, but I was not going to do anything with running as it was not my strong suit,” Krysta said. “I tried a lot of different events, but eventually decided on throwing the shot put and the discus. I liked the idea of an event where I used my strength and focused on improving.”

When the winter season started to roll around, the incoming freshman went into the weight room at the high school to try and get ready. There she was met by a lot of the football players working out and this was the first thing she had done since physical therapy. 

That first season, she was only able to toss the shot put in the low 20’s but found that it was really something she enjoyed doing and was hoping that this was the type of program that she was looking for where she could grow into while making something of herself. During the spring track season, she was throwing the discus 70’, but before long, this event would be become her bread and butter, and the Bellingham native would use it to her advantage. 

“The discus was my second event behind the shot put up until this year,” she said. “All of my focus was on the shot put, while the discus was just something that was fun. That is, until I continued to improve with the discus while the shot put stayed level.”

It wasn’t long after that Krysta realized that she was much better suited to throw the discus and that it could open door to big tournaments for her.

“You don’t grow up throwing those things like a baseball or football; it was obviously something new to her,” Bellingham Coach John Pendlebury said, “She started with the glide and eventually was attempting the rotation, which is a very technical maneuver in throwing the discus. She is now one of the best discus throwers I have seen in Massachusetts.”

Although completely different than the way she was throwing, Krysta started to see a change. The glide was explosiveness through brute force, but with the rotate and spin, a technique that can literally take years to perfect, she started to see a great improvement.

“When I first changed my approach to throwing, my numbers were down. It was a challenge, but I stuck with it, and it became easier and much more normal,” Krysta said, “I also began hitting the weight room on a regular basis and was watching much more film.”

“Discus throwing takes a lot of repetition to get it down correctly,” the Bellingham Coach said. “Once she started to understand the proper way to throw with the rotation, things started to come to her.”

After having missed her sophomore spring season due to COVID, Krysta was glad to get back on the track her junior year, giving her a sense of normality once again. By the time her senior year got underway she was throwing with consistency, spending three times a week in the weight room and always giving it 100% in practice even when she wasn’t feeling it. 

During the indoor season, Krysta finished second in the Tri-Valley League and grabbed first in Division 6 and finished 6th at the State. In the outdoor season, she was able to set the school record in the shot put with a throw of 37’ 10” during a dual meet and was able to hurl the discus 140” in the Divisional Meet. While participating in the TVL Tournament, she finished second in the shot put and first in the discus. She also won the Coaches Invitational with a discus throw of 130’.

Just as she had projected, doors were opening with her discus throwing. At the States, she finished second and although she only threw 131’ at the New England Tournament she was still able to take home second place.

“There was a combination of personal stuff going on at the end of the season, so I didn’t throw my best at the New England’s,” she said. “I was still excited in my accomplishments; it was a thrill to finish in second place.”

Krysta concluded her his school discus throwing at the New Balance Nationals at the University of Pennsylvania, where she threw the rock 135’, good enough for tenth place in the competition. With high school behind her, it is time to open the next door – where she will throw in college for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 

“Coming into the year my goal was to throw at least 120’ as that was what UMASS was asking of me to earn a scholarship. If I didn’t hit the 120 mark, I would just have to work harder to earn my spot on the team,” she said. “Now that I have my spot on the team, I’m just looking to go there and continue to improve my personal bests.”

Having etched her name in the Bellingham track and field record books, as well as going all the way to Nationals in a sport she only has been involved in for a couple of years is simply remarkable, Krysta will likely accomplish a lot in college.

“It’s funny, because after my knee injury I joked with my mom, who had thrown shot put for about a week, that I was going to try out for track she laughed at me because she knows that running is not my strength,” Krysta said. “When I told her that I would be throwing, she said that made more sense, and although she was hesitant at first because of my knee injury, she gave in.”

Coach Pendlebury is thanking her every day for allowing her daughter to throw the discus.

“It’s just an interesting story, how she got into track after being an avid softball player that thought that the sport was the way she’d go,” the Coach said. “Then the knee injury, she decided to try out for track, and next thing you know, she’s a fantastic thrower that’s taking par on the National stage.”

A softball player who mainly saw action at first base with some third base on occasion, Krysta saw the knee injury totally turning her life around, especially with athletics. She realized that although it was a new challenge, discus throwing not only was making her happy, but it was something that she could use to better her future. 

Now it’s on to UMASS to show the collegiate world what she can do.