Day after day, meet after meet and year after year, junior Reese Goodlet continues to make her mark in the PVHS track and field community. As a shot put and discus thrower, Goodlet has already made history in both the school and the state levels.
At the first outdoor meet of the 2023 track season, Goodlet unleashed a discus throw of 136’7” at the North Scott Invitational. Breaking her previous record by eight feet, this throw placed Goodlet at the top for female high-school throwers in the state. This feat not only landed her an automatic qualification to the Drake Relays in Des Moines, but also broke the previous school record of 135’5” that was set in 1997.
Since she started her throwing career in 7th grade at PVJH, Goodlet has only grown as an athlete. During her 2022 track season, Goodlet placed second at state with a personal best throw of 129 ’08”. Now, Goodlet has quickly surged up the rankings and currently has the farthest discus throw amongst high school females in the state of Iowa for the 2023 season.
Goodlet credits her success to the constant support she feels from her teammates. “My teammates are always my number one supporters,” said Goodlet. “They help me be a better athlete through continuous support and never giving up on me.”
As the throwers compete, fellow PV athletes can be found cheering them on. The encouragement and enthusiasm shared between teammates during practices and meets are what lead the PVGTF to succeed week after week.
Rachel Vonderhaar, a senior thrower for PVGTF, has been a close teammate with Goodlet over the past 3 years. “Reese is most definitely one of the hardest workers at practice, day in and out,” Vonderhaar stated. “She not only is a wonderful teammate to everyone but she is also a great athlete with her technique. She spends her time working on technique in warm ups and in between throws so that when she gets in the ring she is ready to perform, both mentally and physically.”
Even though track and field athletes compete as individuals or in relay teams, the success of one athlete factors into the success of the team as a whole. This motivates Goodlet, encouraging her to compete for not only personal wins, but also for her team’s victory.
Head Coach Kenny Wheeler has watched this team consistently compete with total effort and gain statewide recognition. “Under the direction of Coach Vice, our throws group has been one of the most impressive event groups across the state,” said Wheeler. “They are a tight knit group that pushes each other every day. More importantly, they are there for each other and are the epitome of team.”
As Wheeler said, Goodlet is part of the tradition of pushing her teammates. She is always offering words of encouragement in practices and meets with her teammates. By focusing on her personal performance and the performances of her fellow teammates, Goodlet helps her team while encouraging others to do the same.
With hopes to continue her throwing career post high-school, the future continues to shine bright for Goodlet. With the majority of her junior year still ahead of her—and her senior year still to come—Goodlet is a force within PVGTF that will continue to share her strength, continuing to make history for the Spartans.
