Warriors track and field: Going the distance at DN

Warriors throwers and assistant coach work together

Del Norte assistant coach Doug Wakefield, left, instructs sophomore Kira Standring on technique in the discus throw during track and field practice Wednesday. Wakefield is in his seventh season assisting the Warriors throwers. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

A decent throw, maybe 65 feet out. Not up to her capabilities. But this is a Tuesday practice; no need to go all-out.

“Loosen up your shoulders,” Doug Wakefield says. Breanna’s father doubles as Del Norte’s assistant track coach, in charge of the shot put and the discus. “When you’re relaxed, you throw better.”

As Brianna Wakefield works out the kinks in her shoulders, sophomore Kira Standring waits out in the tall grass as the designated retriever. Senior Morgan Laney stands near the discus ring, awaiting her turn.

It’s a more intimate practice, with the season nearing its conclusion and a traditionally small number of interested parties. Nevertheless, Doug Wakefield can apply hands-on training as needed.

“It’s probably the most fun of all the years for me,” he says. “I don’t have to split time between events. I stay with the throwers for the most part.”

Del Norte senior Brianna Wakefield practices the discus throw Wednesday. Wakefield is the daughter of Warriors assistant Doug Wakefield. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

“What’s nice is that they’re out there on a daily basis,” Escobar says. “The kids appreciate the individual attention. It’s hard for one or two people to (give them) that.”

Wakefield originally owned Price Striping, a highway striping company. When he sold it in April 2006, he volunteered to work with the Del Norte track team.

He had never participated in throwing events during his athletic days but he soaked up as much as he could. YouTube videos, Internet information and coaches’ clinics and camps helped him brush up on the technical aspects of throws.

Wakefield admits to having grown as a coach along with his athletes in many respects. Practices, then, become a lesson in improvement by committee, the coach offering up what he sees and suggestions for improvements and the athletes responding in kind.

Brianna Wakefield was introduced to throwing events by her father as a high school freshman and has grown to enjoy them. She has no qualms about being coached by her father.

“There’s never been a fight between us,” she says with a laugh. “Dad’s an awesome coach. He wants to see you improve. He treats us like high schoolers.”

“The kids are going to be more respectful with someone’s dad than with a coach,” Escobar says.

Brianna Wakefield took third place in the shot put (29 feet, 5.5 inches) and fourth place in the discus (84 feet, 0.5 inches) at last week’s Humboldt-Del Norte All-County Meet in Fortuna. The discus throw was a personal record; her personal-best shot put throw of 31-8 came back in March, at the Brookings-Harbor Icebreaker meet.

“Bri came out gangbusters,” Doug Wakefield says. “She’s had some good days and some bad days (since then) — she’s definitely been consistent.”

Laney, who will join the Sacramento State track and field team next season, racked up two personal bests in Fortuna, throwing the discus 103-5 (third place) and putting the shot 39-6. Her shot put mark broke the school record by two inches and won the league championship.

“It was nice to finally break it,” Laney says of the school record. “I tried not to focus on it too much. I knew that I could do it, and I wanted to do it at White Star [the All-County Meet].

“I’m just now starting to get decent at discus. I’m just now feeling what it’s like to have a good throw. (The personal-best throw) felt smooth.”

Standring has primarily served as understudy to the two senior throwers this season, but she has improved in the shot put by two feet and the discus by six feet, with room to grow.

“Kira’s gotten a lot better,” Doug Wakefield says. “Her form is going to be helpful to girls coming in next year. The seniors are demonstrators. It helps kids a lot; they can pick it up faster (watching their peers).”

“It’s not something old guys can demonstrate,” he adds with a grin.

Up next for Del Norte is the North Coast Section/Les Schwab Redwood Empire Area Championships, known colloquially as Redwood Empire. Team score will be kept, but individual placement is paramount — the top seven in each event will automatically qualify for the North Coast Section Meet of Champions, the last step before the California Interscholastic Federation State Meet.  

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