Coward a Champion by Any Measure
May 20, 2019 | Women's Track & Field, Features
By Barry Faulkner for ucirvinesports.com
Before Barbara Coward could achieve championship distances, she first had to embrace going to the appropriate lengths.
The UC Irvine senior hammer and discus thrower has won the last two Big West Conference women's discus titles, and captured her first conference hammer crown this season. The victories, May 10 and 11 at UC Santa Barbara, propelled her into the NCAA West Preliminary track and field meet, May 23-25 at Sacramento State.
Coward demolished the field to win her second straight Big West discus championship. Her winning throw of 180-9 was more than 21 feet beyond the runner-up.
Her first conference hammer title, however, included significantly more suspense. Coward, the No. 1 seed, trailed No. 2-seeded De'Ondra Young of Long Beach State heading into her final attempt. But Coward unleashed an effort of 195-6 to win by one inch and become the first individual to claim both the Big West discus and hammer titles since 2015.
Her school-record marks of 186-4 in the discus and 196-7 in the hammer make her the No. 9 and No. 32 seed, respectively, in Sacramento, where the top 12 finishers will earn spots in the NCAA Outdoor Championships, June 5-8, in Austin Texas.
Coward said winning conference in both events was a major goal coming into her final collegiate season. But becoming a first-team All-American β which would require a top-eight finish in Texas β would allow her to realize the potential she sees for herself.
Coward did not always see eye-to-eye with Anteaters associate head coach Katelyn Ciarelli, who guides the UCI throwers. Β
"We had a lot of head-to-head battles and she got kicked out of practice a few times," Ciarelli recalled.
Coward, a product of Buhach Colony High in Atwater, Calif., acknowledged that she initially lacked a thorough understanding of the level of commitment necessary to approach her competitive limits.
"I would say that when I came in as a freshman, I had more of an attitude about doing what it takes to be where I am now," Coward said. "I was like 'Oh, I'm tired, and I don't want to do all this. I want to chill. I don't want to go strong today, or I don't feel 100 percent, so I'm not going to give it my all.'
"But I have come to realize over the years how important it is to give your all and really understand and follow the coach's program. I believe in it 100 percent, now."
Ciarelli said Coward's competitiveness helped flip her switch when it came to improving her work ethic.
"She doesn't want to be bad, so she has definitely learned along the way how much work it takes and dedication and sacrifice on and off the track to do what she needs to do," Ciarelli said. "Now, her teammates definitely look up to her, not only because of her athletic success, but because of her work ethic."
Coward reached the NCAA regionals in discus all four years, but was a regional qualifier in the hammer only the last two seasons.
"Her first two years as a hammer thrower, she was trying to find a way out of it," Ciarelli said. "She kept asking 'If I throw the discus this far, can I stop throwing the hammer?' I said no. Earlier this year, she said 'If I throw the hammer this far, can I stop throwing the discus?' So, she has gone back and forth, but she has come to realize she throws both."
With a major in social ecology and a minor in criminology, law and society, Coward, on track to graduate in June, said she has grown as a student as well.
"I am to the point where I am expecting A's and I am expecting A's out of myself," said Coward, who eventually wants to create a youth program in her hometown of Merced.
As her competitive career winds down, Coward said she is eager to explore the working world.
"I'm excited to work," she said with an energetic burst. "I guess that makes me weird. But with track and school, I haven't had an opportunity to work. I'm excited to see what's in store."
Regardless of her next challenge, Coward's championship run at UCI has helped prepare her to go the distance.
Β
Before Barbara Coward could achieve championship distances, she first had to embrace going to the appropriate lengths.
The UC Irvine senior hammer and discus thrower has won the last two Big West Conference women's discus titles, and captured her first conference hammer crown this season. The victories, May 10 and 11 at UC Santa Barbara, propelled her into the NCAA West Preliminary track and field meet, May 23-25 at Sacramento State.
Coward demolished the field to win her second straight Big West discus championship. Her winning throw of 180-9 was more than 21 feet beyond the runner-up.
Her first conference hammer title, however, included significantly more suspense. Coward, the No. 1 seed, trailed No. 2-seeded De'Ondra Young of Long Beach State heading into her final attempt. But Coward unleashed an effort of 195-6 to win by one inch and become the first individual to claim both the Big West discus and hammer titles since 2015.
Her school-record marks of 186-4 in the discus and 196-7 in the hammer make her the No. 9 and No. 32 seed, respectively, in Sacramento, where the top 12 finishers will earn spots in the NCAA Outdoor Championships, June 5-8, in Austin Texas.
Coward said winning conference in both events was a major goal coming into her final collegiate season. But becoming a first-team All-American β which would require a top-eight finish in Texas β would allow her to realize the potential she sees for herself.
Coward did not always see eye-to-eye with Anteaters associate head coach Katelyn Ciarelli, who guides the UCI throwers. Β
"We had a lot of head-to-head battles and she got kicked out of practice a few times," Ciarelli recalled.
Coward, a product of Buhach Colony High in Atwater, Calif., acknowledged that she initially lacked a thorough understanding of the level of commitment necessary to approach her competitive limits.
"I would say that when I came in as a freshman, I had more of an attitude about doing what it takes to be where I am now," Coward said. "I was like 'Oh, I'm tired, and I don't want to do all this. I want to chill. I don't want to go strong today, or I don't feel 100 percent, so I'm not going to give it my all.'
"But I have come to realize over the years how important it is to give your all and really understand and follow the coach's program. I believe in it 100 percent, now."
Ciarelli said Coward's competitiveness helped flip her switch when it came to improving her work ethic.
"She doesn't want to be bad, so she has definitely learned along the way how much work it takes and dedication and sacrifice on and off the track to do what she needs to do," Ciarelli said. "Now, her teammates definitely look up to her, not only because of her athletic success, but because of her work ethic."
Coward reached the NCAA regionals in discus all four years, but was a regional qualifier in the hammer only the last two seasons.
"Her first two years as a hammer thrower, she was trying to find a way out of it," Ciarelli said. "She kept asking 'If I throw the discus this far, can I stop throwing the hammer?' I said no. Earlier this year, she said 'If I throw the hammer this far, can I stop throwing the discus?' So, she has gone back and forth, but she has come to realize she throws both."
With a major in social ecology and a minor in criminology, law and society, Coward, on track to graduate in June, said she has grown as a student as well.
"I am to the point where I am expecting A's and I am expecting A's out of myself," said Coward, who eventually wants to create a youth program in her hometown of Merced.
As her competitive career winds down, Coward said she is eager to explore the working world.
"I'm excited to work," she said with an energetic burst. "I guess that makes me weird. But with track and school, I haven't had an opportunity to work. I'm excited to see what's in store."
Regardless of her next challenge, Coward's championship run at UCI has helped prepare her to go the distance.
Β
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