Not calling it quits just yet

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Sports

July 17, 2019 - 10:44 AM

HUMBOLDT — Javelin retirement is not on Tucker Hurst’s radar quite yet. The recent Humboldt graduate placed second at the Sunflower State Games in Topeka this past Saturday. 

Hurst is coming off a phenomenal senior track season, taking second in state for the javelin with a throw of 173’06”. 

At the moment, Hurst doesn’t have a future lined up to throw javelin in college. In fact, he expects to attend the Electrical Power Technology — Lineman Training offered by Pratt Community College in cooperation with Coffeyville Community College. But Hurst still toys with the idea of throwing the javelin at a higher level, explaining why he made the trip to Topeka. Since his last meet as a Cub, Hurst has had a hard time realizing his career at Humboldt High is over, most importantly, his days of competing at javelin. 

“Yeah, I kind of did miss it,” Hurst said. “I ended up buying my own javelin so I could compete in the Sunflower State Games.”

Hard work is embedded in Hurst’s veins, he was a state finalist for powerlifting, and was also a part of Humboldt’s success on the gridiron last fall. The effort required to learn the proper technique to throw the javelin is what initially attracted Hurst to the sport when he was a junior. It wasn’t until his senior year that he tasted success, to which Hurst gives credit to throwing coach Jason Weilert. 

“My coach (Weilert) was a javelin thrower, and coached at many other colleges and high schools,” Hurst said. “He also competed at Pittsburg State, nationals and a lot of other events. Javelin is fun, and pretty addicting. One week my senior year I had a new PR of 11’ more, and then I got another foot the next week. And the week after I had another PR of about a 10’ or 11’. Having him (Weilert) helped me a lot. My farthest unrecorded throw was probably around 180’ or so.”

Hurst does not have a javelin gig lined up for college at the moment. Currently Hurst sees his summer days filled by working at Ash Grove Cement Co. in Chanute, along with mowing lawns on the side. 

“Basically they take rocks and crush down to make into cement,” Hurst said. “I’m in what they call process, and I just go around and shovel, or dust piles and rocks. This is my first year doing it and it’s really not that bad. Some people complain about it, but I like it. Right now I’m on the concrete crew and just forming it all up.” 

Enjoying his workplace at the moment, Hurst is looking forward to the transition to Coffeyville and completing the program to become a lineman. 

“I’ve always liked working outside, and always thought that being a lineman would be kind of cool,” Hurst said. “Originally, I was going to do the windmills, but then I switched it back because I have more family members in it. After school for a year, I will most likely get on with Westar and then go through their bootcamp. Then I have 7,000 hours of my apprenticeship, and after that I will be a full-time journeyman.”

Currently, Hurst has some options on the table. He can go forward with the plan at hand to knockout lineman training, or he could wind up at Coffeyville Community College throwing the javelin. Hurst can’t complete the training and throw at the same time, because in order to be a part of the Coffeyville track team, you have to be a full-time student. 

At the same time, Hurst could still compete at college meets, but throwing unattached from a college eliminates the possible chance to qualify for nationals. 

Weighing decisions on a future isn’t the only dilemma for Hurst at the moment. Today, he will undergo an MRI on his lower back. Hurst said he’s had the pain for awhile, but it’s worsened. Hurst faces the test, cool, calm, and collected. 

“I have an idea what the injury could be, but I’m not 100% sure,” Hurst said. “I’ll do what I have to do to keep throwing, or maybe not. I haven’t really had the chance to decide yet.” 

More than likely, let’s hope this isn’t the end of the road for Hurst and his javelin. But either way, once he begins school his free time will be limited and he’ll need to set the javelin aside. 

“I liked the hard work of getting everything where it needs to be technique-wise,” Hurst said. “Me and my coach (Weilert) would always butt heads, but we had a great relationship. When you get those 11-foot  gains, it was all worth the effort.” 

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