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By Christopher Hunt
You would think that when records are set everything happens as if that moment in time had been spiritually ordained – a moment when everything is perfect.
Except when it’s not. Lancaster’s Melissa Kurzdorfer could go down the list of all the things that went wrong including what had her foot jammed against the toe-board at Rochester Institute of Technology, pushing out a line drive that landed a little farther than she expected.
Even the initial reading, a conversion from meters, sent Kurzdorfer into the stands at the Holiday Hustle reporting to her parents that her final attempt traveled a foot further than it actually did. But even when everything goes wrong, sometimes it can’t overshadow the one thing that goes right.
Kurzdorfer finally broke the New York State shot put record, throwing 48 feet, 10 inches to take down the 1992 mark of 48-3 set by Stacey Schroder of Island in Ontario, Canada. She missed the mark by a half-inch last year.
“Actually the throw that broke the record was a terrible throw,” she said. “It was a terrible technical throw.”
The senior, who has made a verbal commitment to Kent State, thought the throw was probably just out beyond 46 feet, like her previous three attempts. But for some reason, one that she couldn’t quite explain, her last throw carried a couple extra deserving feet.
“It was a bad throw and it went far,” she said. “Once I get my technique right who knows how far it’ll go.”
Kurzdorfer’s Lancaster coach George Rak it chalked to up to emotion and adrenaline. Kurzdorfer competed against Lockport graduate Erin Miller, now competing at the University of Buffalo. It was the first time Kurzdorfer had seen any competition this season. But regardless of any technical struggles, Kurzdorder’s throw could signal the beginning of a remarkable season for an athlete that has dominated her event since the seventh grade.
“I still consider this preseason,” Rak said. “We look at Dartmouth (Invitational Jan. 9) as our first real meet where we put the chips on the table so to speak. … I expect that she will be ready for that meet. I’ll just leave it at that.”
Kurzdorfer, who is still eyeing the 50 foot barrier, now holds every class record in the shot put, starting from 2005 when she threw 37-3.75 as a seventh-grader, making her the most profilic thrower in state history.
“It’s not done yet,” she said. “I’ve never thought of myself that way. Is it cool? Definitely. But I’m not done yet.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.