ABOUT US

My name is Gary Cooper. I have been involved in Olympic Style Weightlifting since 1968. Both as a competitive lifter and coach. In early 1990’s, I became interested in the throwing events of Track and Field. While working with our own children in 1994, I was approached and asked about working with Troy’s Girls Track Team, coaching the shot put and discus events.

From 1994 through 2012, I have coached and worked with athletes advancing to State, 15 who medaled, including 3 State Champions.

In 2009. We started coaching middle school and high school kids in both the Hammer and Weight Throw events. We’re fortunate to have 3 acres at our home where we have built training facilities for these two events. It was in 2009, we poured a new hammer pad, 12X16’ with a 220 ft depth of throwing field.

High School Girls throw a steel, brass or iron hammer in competition. The hammer ball is attached to a handle, by using a wire approximately 38” in length and weighs 4 kilograms ( 8 lbs 13 oz.).

The High School boys throw a competition hammer with a weight of 12#. The boys National HS Record for throwing the 12# hammer is 260’-0”. The girls National record with the 4K is over 214 ft.

The hammer is thrown from a 7 foot in diameter circle by using anywhere from 1 turn to 4 turns before releasing it to the field.For the Weight Throw. Girls throw a 20# Weight as they throw the hammer, same rules & circle. The Girls National record is 68'-2.5" The boys throw a 25# Weight and the National record for it is 93'-31/4.