I was a collegiate athlete in a past life, competing as a track and field athlete for both Stanford University and the University of Utah. What you might not know, however, is that much of my success as a javelin thrower stems from the importance of it in my family, and namely, to my coach and mother, Niki Nye Glasmann.

Niki, pictured here, was a breathtaking competitor. She was a collegiate athlete at Weber State College and later at the University of Texas at Austin, where she set the (only recently broken) school record of 182 feet 6 inches. It held there for nearly thirty years. Niki was also alternate for the 1988 U.S. Olympic team.

Considering my mother’s incredible athletic accomplishments, it is difficult to fathom the heartbreak of a career ending injury – that of a torn labrum and bicep tendon in her shoulder – and the subsequent grief over the loss of what could have, or would have, occurred in the years following. Yet, in place of those unjustly stolen competition years, she has invested nearly two decades in the pursuit of her legacy: through the coaching of myself and my three younger siblings in the sport of javelin throwing.

In the upcoming season, I can only hope to have some of that searing competitive edge, unparalleled raw talent, and mental toughness that my mom embodies to this day. It is an honor to be a part of her legacy.

Originally published Jan 25, 2020