By Megan Filipowski
For Kiana Phelps, throwing discus is in her blood.
“It is just part of the family tradition,” said Kiana’s head coach Randy Wiese.
The sophomore thrower at Kingsley-Pierson (Iowa) High School has been throwing since she was seven years old and is the second member of the family to become a state champion. She is pursuing her second state championship this weekend.
Her father, Scott won the title twice in 1985-86 for Kingsley-Pierson. Her oldest sister, who died unexpectedly in 2010, was a discus thrower. Her older brother, Colton, is finishing his senior season and her younger brother, Nick, just finished competing at the middle school level.
At the Kingsley-Pierson/Woodbury Central Invitational on May 8, Kiana threw the nation’s farthest distance of the spring and broke the Iowa state record. Her throw measured 179 feet 7 inches and ranks ninth all-time in the National High School Sports Record Book.
“The distances she is throwing are happening about two years earlier than I anticipated,” said Scott, who is a volunteer throwing coach. “She threw 100 feet in fifth grade and has added about 15 feet per year.”
Kiana has found success in the classroom as well as in track and field. She’s a 4.0 student who leads her team by example. Her coach described her as working on her technique year round and spending many hours each week – year round – in the weight room.
“She’s already won the Drake Relays twice [during her freshman and sophomore years], which is a statewide track meet where you must qualify for the different events,” said Coach Wiese. “All the classes are grouped together, so if you win at Drake you truly are a state champion.”
Kiana, according to her dad, seems to be happiest when she is working toward a new goal and he’s sure that she has one in mind. It might be becoming a four-time state champion or breaking her own Iowa state record.
“What’s ahead – we say literally the sky,” said Coach Wiese.
Not only is Kiana a track athlete, but she also participates in volleyball and basketball. She has played softball during the summer, but has chosen to not play this summer and focus on track.
Scott not only coaches his children, but throwers from other schools. He believes that the heightened competition that comes from the success of the throwers at other schools drives the Kingsley-Pierson/Woodbury Central athletes to throw even farther.
“All the throwers in the area are friends,” said Scott. “Every Sunday at 4:30 p.m. we meet at our ring. Nobody has to call anybody. It is casual. Some of the parents bring lawn chairs and we have a good time watching each other throw and visiting.”
It’s a tight knit throwing community that Kiana has thrived in, and one she hopes to represent as a two-time state champion.
