It’s spring of 2008 and in walks high school shot putter Beth Rohl with broad shoulders and a pair of the twiggiest arms MSU Track and Field throwing coach John Newell had ever seen. The 17-year-old sits nervously in Newell’s office with one question on her mind, “can I try out?”
Throughout her collegiate career Rohl has broken record after record, winning award after award at MSU as well as in the Big Ten. Most recently the senior was named the Big Ten Indoor Field Athlete of the Year and had a career best throw at the 2013 Big Ten Championship, where she took first place in the weight throw.
Despite her collegiate success, the New Buffalo, Mich., native’s track and field career began just seven weeks before graduating high school.
After switching from softball to track toward the end of her senior year, Rohl began training with New Buffalo track and field coach Lisa Knoll.
While their time together was short lived, Knoll said it Rohl’s ambition stuck out to her.
“I only had the opportunity to coach her for seven weeks during her senior year,” Knoll said. “She just had that driven attitude and determination to be successful at whatever she did, you just don’t find athletes that often who have that natural ability and determination.”
During her senior year of high school Rohl won her state meet with a throw of 39 feet. Knoll was impressed with the senior’s talents after only a few short weeks of training.
“She has no fear. I could throw her in any event, throwing, sprints or even 300-hurdles because I knew she would try her hardest,” Knoll said.
Rohl began her MSU throwing career as a walk-on her freshman year. Coming from a small high school, the long-armed underclassman perked the ears of Newell for more reasons than one.
“She came from this tiny high school and started off in softball,” Newell said. “She did everything. She played football, volleyball, softball, (and) cheerleading. She just started doing track her senior year in high school when most kids start out in seventh grade.”
Tuesday the coaches of the Big Ten submitted their nominations for the 2013 Big Ten Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, many hoping their player would be awarded the prestigious title.
This year, it was head coach Walt Drenth’s turn.
“It’s a well-earned award,” Drenth said. “It’s not something that you get for political reasons.”
News of the award came of no surprise to Drenth. He said although Rohl was compared to a number of talented athletes, she earned the title.
Newell said what he’ll remember most about Rohl is not just her athleticism but her determination, something Rohl said people don’t realize about her.
“Once I set my mind to something, I have to accomplish it,” Rohl said. “If somebody says that I can’t do something, I do it just to prove them wrong.”
This is a state of mind Rohl said she established at an early age.
Growing up surrounded mostly with boys, Rohl is used to challenging herself to break the norm.
From playing on her high school football team to roughing it with her brothers, Rohl considers herself a tomboy at heart who’s two true loves are cooking and her horses, Psyntilla and Remi.
“I love hanging out with my friends and family, but my horse are what keep me calm,” she said.
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Rohl was 17 years old when she decided she wanted to go to vet school but it will be a while until she’s ready to leave track and field. After graduation Rohl’s ultimate goal is to receive an invitation to train in San Diego for the world’s largest sporting event — the Olympics. Already placing seventh in summer trials, her chances of making the team are high.
“I don’t want to be done with track even if I don’t make it out to the training facility,” she said. “I would find some way to keep going.”
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