SE: Catching Up with Taylor Latimer of K-State Track & Field
Feb 19, 2021 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Taylor Latimer is a Big 12 Champion, All-American and a K-State student-athlete working towards an Education degree while competing as one of the best shot-putters in the country.
Before her final home meet of the winter, Latimer spoke with Austin Siegel of K-State Sports Extra about her junior season with K-State Track & Field and the road ahead for the Wildcats. The conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
AS: We spoke over the summer, and obviously a lot has gone on since then. How do you feel like you've progressed throughout the indoor season this year?
TL: It's definitely been the most interesting six months of my life and college career. Progression-wise, I finally feel like I've been getting a footing these last two months. Not sure what I was doing the first four months, definitely still trying to get it together a little bit. But they say diamonds are formed under pressure.
AS: You have such a strong group of women in the throwing events this season. What's sort of the dynamic been just among your teammates?
TL: We were definitely a little rocky at the start, before these last two months. But in terms of a teammate dynamic, we're always there for each other. That's what's great about it: we were forced to rely on each other to help out, stay on top of everything and hold each other accountable. That's been a group effort. It's an individual sport, but without the coaching from my teammates, I wouldn't have gotten very far. Outside of competition, they're definitely my confidants and support system.
AS: I've heard from different athletes that everyone on track & field isn't practicing in Ahearn at the same time due to COVID. It's broken up by event. Is that bond with your throwing teammates even more important in a season like this one?
TL: Back in the day, it was really spread out and just one or two people at a time. These last two months we've kind of figured out our schedules. Now, we all tend to go together and there's just more morale that way.
AS: I know you're interested in education and coaching, and you have some really talented freshmen in the throwing events. Have you enjoyed taking on kind of a mentor role?
TL: Whether you wanted to or not, that role was definitely kind of thrust upon every upperclassman here. I've really enjoyed passing on my knowledge, sharing what I know and what I don't know. Listen, I'm still struggling with the same things they're struggling with. It doesn't get any easier, but you've just got to keep attacking it. We all have our battles.
AS: These last two weeks you've been traveling and competing against schools from around the country. This might be the wrong word, but does it feel more competitive when you're out of Ahearn and in a new gym like that?
TL: I totally agree with you. Wrong word or not, it feels like a real track meet. I think when the team traveled that was our first take, like "It's been a year since we've felt this." You can only recreate that in Ahearn so much. Even when we had some other good teams in the throwing events, there's just something about packing up and leaving as a team, sleeping at the hotel, that's been overwhelming at times but also so enjoyable to finally have again. COVID obviously added some new rules and logistics, but you start to get that competitive adrenaline back.
AS: When you guys aren't competing, I'm sure those trips are a nice experience to get outside the bubble in Manhattan?
TL: Well, you say that [laughs] and it's still nice to leave, but you're sort of on lockdown. They're like "This is your room for two days," and that's pretty much it. It's nice to see other cities and catch up with other athletes who we compete against, small talk with them.
AS: So, you're kind of like "Oh, a hotel in Fayetteville" or "A hotel in Lubbock, this is great."
TL: People are like "Oh my god, Fayetteville must be so fun," and I'm like "I wouldn't know." The hotel room is great. We had a view of a storage center last time.
AS: Something TJ [Shankar] talked about was when you're competing at this level, the margins that you're looking to improve on start to get pretty small, especially in a season when it could be easy to get in your head. How do stay focused and level-headed?
TL: For me, it's definitely a little different because this whole season has been a battle for me to get back to where I was. So, TJ's been competing at a high level, but I'm just trying to get back to a decent level. It's not small margins, it's looking at my progress and understanding that I'm not at the level where I need to be at. That's been a hard pill to swallow. But it's also about treating myself with grace and patience. It's definitely an internal battle this year, it can be a beatdown, and you've got to find small victories to take away.
AS: There are also so many unique challenges this year, especially beyond track & field. How has the adjustment to hybrid classes and remote learning been for you as a K-State student?
TL: It hasn't been too difficult for me; I think the biggest problem is just being gone a lot. For my teaching degree, I'm supposed to be shadowing teachers and getting those hours in the classroom. Last year, I wasn't really able to do that because of COVID. This year, we're actually able to get into the classroom, so I just have to make sure I'm getting those hours in when I'm here in Manhattan. My professors have been very helpful accommodating me, because during my season I'm gone Thursday through Sunday almost every weekend.
AS: Last thing I have for you: What's the best piece of advice you've received about navigating a year like this? Whether it's from a coach, teammate or a professor here at Kansas State?
TL: Well, I downloaded a motivational app this morning, so that's where we're at. I think the best piece of advice is just keep pushing on, day by day. Just keep chipping away at it. Back to your question about the freshmen and that team morale, I think one of the best things has been competing with the other upperclassmen, but I've also enjoyed being able to see the freshmen flourish and start to understand things. That's honestly so cool to watch and be a part of. You get to mold these young freshmen and see them figure it out, then they start coaching each other.
Taylor Latimer is a Big 12 Champion, All-American and a K-State student-athlete working towards an Education degree while competing as one of the best shot-putters in the country.
Before her final home meet of the winter, Latimer spoke with Austin Siegel of K-State Sports Extra about her junior season with K-State Track & Field and the road ahead for the Wildcats. The conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
AS: We spoke over the summer, and obviously a lot has gone on since then. How do you feel like you've progressed throughout the indoor season this year?
TL: It's definitely been the most interesting six months of my life and college career. Progression-wise, I finally feel like I've been getting a footing these last two months. Not sure what I was doing the first four months, definitely still trying to get it together a little bit. But they say diamonds are formed under pressure.
AS: You have such a strong group of women in the throwing events this season. What's sort of the dynamic been just among your teammates?
TL: We were definitely a little rocky at the start, before these last two months. But in terms of a teammate dynamic, we're always there for each other. That's what's great about it: we were forced to rely on each other to help out, stay on top of everything and hold each other accountable. That's been a group effort. It's an individual sport, but without the coaching from my teammates, I wouldn't have gotten very far. Outside of competition, they're definitely my confidants and support system.
AS: I've heard from different athletes that everyone on track & field isn't practicing in Ahearn at the same time due to COVID. It's broken up by event. Is that bond with your throwing teammates even more important in a season like this one?
TL: Back in the day, it was really spread out and just one or two people at a time. These last two months we've kind of figured out our schedules. Now, we all tend to go together and there's just more morale that way.
AS: I know you're interested in education and coaching, and you have some really talented freshmen in the throwing events. Have you enjoyed taking on kind of a mentor role?
TL: Whether you wanted to or not, that role was definitely kind of thrust upon every upperclassman here. I've really enjoyed passing on my knowledge, sharing what I know and what I don't know. Listen, I'm still struggling with the same things they're struggling with. It doesn't get any easier, but you've just got to keep attacking it. We all have our battles.
Yeah, it's a photoshoot 📸#KStateTF pic.twitter.com/ITIwkDpphz
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) February 5, 2021
AS: These last two weeks you've been traveling and competing against schools from around the country. This might be the wrong word, but does it feel more competitive when you're out of Ahearn and in a new gym like that?
TL: I totally agree with you. Wrong word or not, it feels like a real track meet. I think when the team traveled that was our first take, like "It's been a year since we've felt this." You can only recreate that in Ahearn so much. Even when we had some other good teams in the throwing events, there's just something about packing up and leaving as a team, sleeping at the hotel, that's been overwhelming at times but also so enjoyable to finally have again. COVID obviously added some new rules and logistics, but you start to get that competitive adrenaline back.
AS: When you guys aren't competing, I'm sure those trips are a nice experience to get outside the bubble in Manhattan?
TL: Well, you say that [laughs] and it's still nice to leave, but you're sort of on lockdown. They're like "This is your room for two days," and that's pretty much it. It's nice to see other cities and catch up with other athletes who we compete against, small talk with them.
AS: So, you're kind of like "Oh, a hotel in Fayetteville" or "A hotel in Lubbock, this is great."
TL: People are like "Oh my god, Fayetteville must be so fun," and I'm like "I wouldn't know." The hotel room is great. We had a view of a storage center last time.
AS: Something TJ [Shankar] talked about was when you're competing at this level, the margins that you're looking to improve on start to get pretty small, especially in a season when it could be easy to get in your head. How do stay focused and level-headed?
TL: For me, it's definitely a little different because this whole season has been a battle for me to get back to where I was. So, TJ's been competing at a high level, but I'm just trying to get back to a decent level. It's not small margins, it's looking at my progress and understanding that I'm not at the level where I need to be at. That's been a hard pill to swallow. But it's also about treating myself with grace and patience. It's definitely an internal battle this year, it can be a beatdown, and you've got to find small victories to take away.
AS: There are also so many unique challenges this year, especially beyond track & field. How has the adjustment to hybrid classes and remote learning been for you as a K-State student?
TL: It hasn't been too difficult for me; I think the biggest problem is just being gone a lot. For my teaching degree, I'm supposed to be shadowing teachers and getting those hours in the classroom. Last year, I wasn't really able to do that because of COVID. This year, we're actually able to get into the classroom, so I just have to make sure I'm getting those hours in when I'm here in Manhattan. My professors have been very helpful accommodating me, because during my season I'm gone Thursday through Sunday almost every weekend.
AS: Last thing I have for you: What's the best piece of advice you've received about navigating a year like this? Whether it's from a coach, teammate or a professor here at Kansas State?
TL: Well, I downloaded a motivational app this morning, so that's where we're at. I think the best piece of advice is just keep pushing on, day by day. Just keep chipping away at it. Back to your question about the freshmen and that team morale, I think one of the best things has been competing with the other upperclassmen, but I've also enjoyed being able to see the freshmen flourish and start to understand things. That's honestly so cool to watch and be a part of. You get to mold these young freshmen and see them figure it out, then they start coaching each other.
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/ Track & Field
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