AUSTIN — Wykiesha Thompson has worn quite a number of hats in her day, but nothing beats her current one.
Thompson concluded the first go-round in her position Friday in a familiar setting. Thirty years after graduating, Thompson was back at the UIL state track and field meet sporting Plainview Bulldog blue.
The similarities multiplied her appreciation to be the throws coach at her alma mater.
“To come back and be able to be back here, full circle, 30 years later, it just brings back great memories,” Thompson said from Mike A. Myers Stadium.
It’s a far cry from previous jobs that ranged from restaurant manager to office manager at the local cemetery.
She’s not the only one enjoying it, either.
Thompson, a two-time state qualifier, helped Plainview senior Ava Rushing reach new heights this season. Rushing earned a silver medal in shot put Friday and nearly reached the podium in discus with a fourth-place finish. Both events saw personal-bests for the Tarleton State signee, who attributed the growth to Thompson.
The Bulldogs didn’t have a dedicated throws coach before her arrival.
“Mostly everything I have been doing these last three years has been on my own,” Rushing said. “But this year she really came and pushed me. She’s very supportive of me. We worked on the little things. We learned that sometimes the little things can do big things. That’s the main thing that she’s taught me this year.”
The proof is in the pudding.
Rushing hit 46 feet in the shot put, falling 3¼ inches short of gold. Her 152-1 in the discus was also a first.
“As a thrower, form makes a great difference,” Thompson said. “It’s not always about strength. Strength does have a lot to do with it, (but) pure form in your technique is very important. She has great form; she has great technique. Adding some more strength and some more speed, she’s gonna do awesome in college, I really believe that.”
Thompson doesn’t accept all of the credit, though. She said she was fortunate to work with an athlete with a solid foundation. Rushing also won silver in her shot-put debut last year with a mark of 43-6.
“It’s been amazing to be able to step in my first year as a coach and coach somebody that’s already been working their butt off,” Thompson said. “I give honor to God for that, the ability and the chance to do something of this magnitude. Ava’s a really hard worker. She does 110% every time.”
Last week was Rushing’s first time to compete in two state events. She leaves as Plainview’s record holder in each, another serendipitous moment for Thompson.
“It’s so amazing to come full circle because Ava broke my little sister’s school records,” Thompson said of Tojjinay, a 2003 graduate. “My little sister broke my records.”
Wykiesha Thompson went on to become an All-American with Wayland Baptist track. Not bad for someone high school coaches initially put in high jump and the 200 meters.
Thompson hopes throws in Plainview continue to trend upward. She said her presence will help that effort, showing students there’s more to track and field than running.
“We’re just trying to build a program, start a new name for the program,” Thompson said. “A lot of times, people don’t push the throws events. When people talk about track, they talk about running. We, as bigger females, I’m not a runner, but there’s more that you can do. Being a thrower is something I really want to come out and push.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Plainview’s Wykiesha Thompson goes ‘full circle’ in return to alma mater
Reporting by Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
