UW/WSU Dual Meet

The University of Washington Huskies will be hosting Washington State University on Saturday for the 94th edition of the UW/WSU dual meet.  The dual meet was always one of my favorite meets to compete in, partially because of the rivalry and partially because it was a chance to just have fun.  For instance, the dual meet was my only chance to throw the shot put each season.  While I was never that great at the event, it was my first love and I really enjoyed tossing it around every once in a while.  It was also a chance for me to do something extra to help the team win.

Local track blogger Paul Merca gathered favorite memories of the event from alumni of both schools.  Here is an excerpt from my favorite memory:

At UW, the hammer throw is contested off campus at West Seattle Stadium and we typically hold the hammer throw the night before the dual meet in order to accommodate the meet schedule. As the men started to warm up in 2005, we had about as many competitors (5) as we had spectators. Just as we were about to start, a large bus pulled up in the parking lot and the entire WSU team emptied out. All of a sudden, the ring was surrounded by a sea of crimson and grey, with a few Husky fans intermixed. The crowd was loud and cheering for everyone. As I entered my ring for my first throw, I was booed for the first time in my career. I responded by throwing a personal best and taking the lead.

Read more here.  Five-time Cougar All-American Julie Picker also thought the 2005 hammer throw competition was very memorable.

I had no problem remembering my favorite dual memory. Actually, it ranks as one of my favorite memories from my five years at Washington State track. It was the dual meet held at UW in 2005. The bus took the whole team over to the competition site at West Seattle Stadium and probably created the largest crowd ever at the UW/WSU dual for the hammer throw. The Cougs were everywhere—sitting on top of the shed, in the grass, all over the place! Ben Hampton led the cheers as it was the most Cougar spirit I have ever felt and it was so exciting to have everyone cheers and the WSU throws respond so well. It was so much fun and it is an experience I will never forget.

Dwight Midles, a former Cougar and father of two of my hammer throwing friends, also had this memory to add about his experience as both an athlete and as a father.