Photos by Heather Belcher
Bella Staples has proven herself to be a quick study in the shot put.
Now the talented Beckley senior has her eyes on not only a state championship, but the state record as well.
“A star was born at the Cabell Midland meet last weekend,” Beckley head girls track coach George Barbera said. “People from all the other schools were flocking over to watch her throw the last couple of heaves in the shot put. It was moving.”
Staples launched the nearly nine-pound rock 46 feet and six inches, falling just 1.5 inches short of the Cabell Midland course record set by Abby Watson from Hurricane in 2011.
The toss was over nine feet better than the second place competitor.
“I just turned around, switched my feet and I threw it,” Staples said. “Then I heard my team go crazy. I hadn’t even seen where the ball landed, but it felt good.”
The ride to the top of the heap in the shot put has been an improbable one for the Beckley senior to say the least.
“Last year was my first year throwing the shot put really. I quit playing basketball and I needed another hobby to pick up,” Staples said laughing. “So I went back to track. I did it in 8th grade, but that doesn’t really count. I didn’t know what I was doing. I was just out there throwing.”
Although she was a solid basketball player, the move back to track has clearly been the right decision.
“It gave me more time to work. Basketball really takes up a lot of time for Woodrow (Wilson),” Staples said. “This environment is a little more stress free. The practices are a little shorter and I have more free time.”
In her first high school season, Staples won the Class AAA Region 3 title and finished third at the state meet.
The success motivated Staples to push even harder.
“I had no idea I would throw what I did last year. Now I am not as nervous this season,” Staples said. “During the off-season, I did some AAU track and traveled a little bit. I lifted like everybody else probably does and I got myself ready.”
Staples also went to work on making her technique better which included studying some of the best around the world.
“I can coach myself now because I know what I need,” Staples said. “I watch a lot of YouTube videos of Valerie Adams, Ryan Crouser and all of them. I watch the technique videos and study them.”
Adams is a retired shot putter from New Zealand who is four-time World champion, as well as a four-time World Indoor champion and two-time Olympic champion.
Crouser is an American shot putter and discus thrower. The Portland, Oregon native is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and Olympic record holder. Crouser is the current indoor and outdoor world record holder in the shot put.
“I try to copy what they do,” Staples said. “Now I can critique my throws, where last year I was just throwing. This year if it is a bad throw, I know what I am doing wrong.”
Following a second place finish at the Viking Classic at Ripley High School in her first meet of the year, Staples put the rest of the state on notice a week later at Cabell Midland.
Staples also may have found a secret weapon in regards to her near record toss in the process.
“It was early in the season and I had nothing to lose. I ate a little bit more than I usually do because they have a good concession stand,” Staples said, laughing. “I was feeling really good. I just went out and threw it.”
Since the win at Cabell Midland, Staples has backed it up with wins Friday night at the Patriot Classic in Charleston and Saturday at the Chick-fil-A Beckley Invitational Saturday.
The shot put is not the only field event for Staples, who has also shown promise in the discus.
“I throw really good in disc, but sometime I release late and throw out of sector, every time on the same side,” Staples said. “I throw it strong though, so when I get it into sector, it is pretty good.”
While the Beckley standout finished runner up in the discus in the Patriots Classic and the Beckley Invitational, her main goal is still nestled in the shot put.
“I am trying to beat the overall state record,” Staples said.
The state record is held by Crystal Hypes from Winfield with a throw of 45 feet and 3 inches. That toss came at the regional meet in 1992.
The state meet record for Class AAA is held by Abby Watson from Hurricane at 42 feet and 9 inches.
