By Christopher Hunt
Melissa Kurzdorfer walked into the shot put circle for the last of her four attempts in the shot put. But just before she went in she turned to her coach.
“I’m sick and tired of throwing 47,” she said to her coach George Rak, “but this one’s not for me.”
Then the Lancaster senior released a throw – as good a throw as she’s ever tossed – and screamed a primal scream that announced that something incredible was happening at the Varsity Select meet at Lancaster Fieldhouse. She knew it was big. She screamed again to egg the ball on farther. Or maybe because she simply bubbled over with emotion.
Kurzdorfer broke her own state record in the shot put Saturday, breaking the 50-foot barrier for the first time. She tossed 50 feet, 6 inches at the Varsity Select meet at Lancaster Fieldhouse. A day after the anniversary of the day Continental Flight 3407’s crashed five miles from Buffalo International Airport, killing 49 people, including teammate Nikki Tolsma’s father, Darren.
Last year, at the Section 6 championships, the Lancaster team wore black tape with the initials DT on their singlets. This time Kurzdorfer saved her best effort for a dad that always supported his daughter and the team.
“As soon as it left her hand I knew it was over 50 feet,” Rak said.
And when Kurzdorfer had finished screaming, she cried.
Her throw is the 12th best in the country all-time and an indoor personal best by almost 13 inches. She originally broke her own state record at the Rock ‘n Roll Throw-off at Lancaster Jan. 23, tossing 49-3.25.
photo courtesy Bill Wende / Section6Runs.com