Junior Chris
Nelson of the men’s track & field team likes to throw things.
One of the top
throwers in the PSAC, the Berwyn native boasts three career top-4 places at
conference championship meets.
Nelson has
finished fourth in the weight throw in back-to-back years at the PSAC Indoor
Championships. His throw at this year’s meet was a PR by more than a foot (57
feet, 2 inches) and earned him USTFCCCA
All-Region accolades.
An
exercise science major, Nelson placed second in the hammer throw at last
year’s PSAC Outdoor Championships with a school-record toss of 176 feet, 9
inches.
So
far this outdoor season, Nelson has achieved top-4 finishes in the hammer at
the Golden Ram Invitational, the Fred Hardy Invitational and Millersville
Metrics.
This
weekend, Nelson and his teammates will host their lone home meet of the season
in the ninth annual Paul Kaiser Classic from Seth Grove Stadium. Nelson will
look to get the Raiders off to a quick start as the men’s hammer competition will
kick off the meet at 8:30 a.m.
Get to
know Chris Nelson…
What is
your favorite pre-meet ritual?
I enjoy visualizing my throws. When I
visualize I find a quiet place where I can lay down. I close my eyes and go
through all my throws. This is very calming and relaxing for me, and then I
feel no pressure when I go to actually throw, because in my mind I’ve already
won.
What part
of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?
I most enjoy Ship Rec in the early
morning. Seeing the sun rise and light up the football field and track is very
beautiful.
What is
the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?
Human anatomy. It was a hard course with
a lot of work but I enjoyed it. It was pretty cool learning how all the organs
work and how they develop.
If you
weren't majoring in exercise science, what would your major be?
My major would be biology or something to
do with plants and animals. If exercise science doesn’t work out I would like
to be a park ranger.
What is
your favorite day of the week, and why?
Friday is my favorite day because I’m
usually either heading to a track meet or preparing for one the next day.
Which are
your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?
I enjoy competing against Kutztown. We
have become friends with their throwing team and are very competitive with each
other. I enjoy cheering them on and hearing them cheer me on as well.
If we
asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would
say?
They would probably say I really enjoy
throwing objects and it would be funny to see me run a 5K.
Which
individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am proud of obtaining the school record
in the hammer throw last year.
What's the
most difficult part of being a student-athlete?
The most difficult part is having enough
time to sleep. My day starts early and ends late so I would really enjoy more
time to sleep.
What’s the
most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?
Discipline. As an athlete, I must be disciplined
and keep to my routine. If I fall behind it is hard to make it up because of my
lack of time, but I enjoy the challenge.
What piece
of advice stays with you at all times?
Always try my best and I can be proud of
what I do regardless of the outcome.
If you
could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in throwing,
what would you tell them they should focus on?
Take it slow, master the form and don’t
get frustrated. Take it slow – don’t try to be stronger than everyone else,
just worry about yourself and move at your open pace. If you can master the
form you will be a successful thrower. Don’t get frustrated – throwing will not
always go well, weather in the weight room or in the circle, there will be bad
days. Just keep an open mind and push through your struggles and you will come
out on top. Remember, it’s always too early to quit.
What
legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?
I hope to leave behind a legacy as being
a hard-worker.
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