Watervliet Panther track and field athlete, Anya Sexton is Press Box Player of the Week for May 23, 2024.
Anya just won her third consecutive regional discus title with a 128-foot throw, setting a new personal record and winning the event at Bangor by nine feet. She is in the top three of all Division 3 discus throwers in the state, and has a good chance to medal at the state meet on June 1 in Kent City.
Anya said she’s had to relearn or change her footwork many times since she’s been throwing. “Every year I threw I changed something in my throwing footwork/routine to get better.” Her goal is to reach 130 feet before her senior season is over, a huge throw but still some distance from Andrea Hiler’s 2010 WHS record of 143 feet. Despite her success with the discus her favorite event is shot put due to the more explosive and violent motion, where discus is more of a graceful glide motion.
Asked about her coaches at Watervliet, she said, “I was doubting this season because we didn’t have a coach and I was struggling with footwork. I didn’t think it was going to be a good season, but when I met Coach Vic [Fellner], I knew it was going to be a great season. He’s my favorite coach because he puts in so much time and effort to make us better.”
Her best memory of her Watervliet sports career, so far, was when she threw 126 feet at the 2024 Watervliet relays. “It was a really big jump from my last PR. Aleah, my twin sister, was very proud and shocked.”
After graduation Anya would love to go to college for track and field, but her plans are to go to Lake Michigan College for their welding program. She said she wants to be a role model for her baby sister Remington and help her improve her throwing career. Anya said, “Who knows, maybe she can beat the school record!”
Congratulations, Anya!
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