Zephyrhills athlete ready to show her talents
By Kyle LoJacono
Staff Writer
Zephyrhills High School senior Heather Haynie has been a national champion at the shot put and discus throwing events since the fifthgrade. Now she will be able to show off her athletic talents for the first time for the Bulldogs.
She was unable to compete before because until this year, Florida had no track and field division for permanently disabled athletes in high school.
“It really is great that I’ll finally be able to compete in my senior year,” Haynie said. “I tried to compete in middle school, but I wasn’t allowed. Now I’ll be able to finally show what I can do.”
Haynie was born a normal girl, but lost both her legs in a car accident one week before her fifth birthday.
“I’ll never forget that day,” Haynie said. “July 20, 1996.”
The Florida High School Athletic Association announced last November it was creating new adapted divisions for track and field this year.
“The issue was brought to us last spring by some parents who had eighth-grade students who were interested in competing in high school,” said Laurel Ring, FHSAA director of special programs. “FHSAA staff began looking at programs already in place in other states and decided to add the new divisions for disabled athletes.”
The new divisions will be broken into four classes like traditional track and field based on the number of students that attend each school. The athletes will be able to compete in three events, the wheelchair 200-meter and 800-meter races and wheelchair shot put.
“They will be competing with the traditional events all the way through at every meet,” said Lanness Robinson, Hillsborough County athletic director. “There haven’t been many athletes show interest yet, but I’m sure that will change with time…It’s great that the athletes will have a chance to participate because they haven’t had an opportunity to show their talents before.”
The story is similar in Pasco County.
“I don’t know how many athletes we have in the new divisions yet, but I know it hasn’t been a huge number yet,” said Phil Bell, Pasco athletic director. “It will be great for the athletes once it becomes more mainstream, but we have to start somewhere.”
Haynie is the only disabled athlete who has confirmed her interest in competing in the new divisions in Pasco from any of the high schools in Land O’ Lakes or east, but students from the surrounding counties have.
“She adds a lot to our team,” said Jason Rouser,” Zephyrhills girls track and field coach. “It’s great that she can finally compete because it is obvious that she is very talented. She will be a big factor for the state championship.”
The Bulldogs are in Class 3A, District 7. Haynie will be competing in both racing events and the shot put.
“It is like having the best extra coach in the country here,” said Janay Rouser, Zephyrhills assistant and wife of Jason. “I coach shot put, discus throw and pole vault, so I’ll be working with Heather a lot. I don’t know how much I’ll be able to teach her because she is one of the best in the country, but she’ll be able to point out problems with anyone’s form in the shot put.”
Despite her skill in the shot put, her true passion is in an event she cannot compete in.
“The shot put isn’t my favorite event,” Haynie said. “I really like discus throwing, but they don’t have that yet for wheelchair athletes in high school.”
Haynie said her best distance in the shot put and discus throw are 7.5 and 23.5 meters respectively.
“I actually have all the records for distance in both events for my age and class,” Haynie said. “I’m also the youngest person ever invited to the Paralympics. I was 14 then.”
Haynie also won gold medals in the shot put and javelin throw events and a silver medal in the discus throw at the 2008 Junior Paralympics. Heather said the shot she will be using is about 6.6 pounds.
“People ask me all the time if it is tiring, but it isn’t really,” Haynie said. “You don’t try and use a lot of strength when you do it. It’s more about technique than anything. More strength will actually mess up your form and you won’t get as a much distance.”
Haynie will finally be able to leave her mark on Zephyrhills track and field in her last year, but she has loftier goals as well.
“I’ll be competing in the trials for the 2012 Paralympics this summer and my dream is to compete in the games in London,” she said. “I’ve been a national champion, but know I want to test my skills against the best in the world.”
