West Orange Times & Observer Athlete of the Week: Daija Kiser

Daija Kiser won bronze at states with a shot put beyond 40 feet and followed that performance by earning silver at the Golden South Classic. She has been preparing for AAU shot put competition this summer.

What did you think of shot put when you started?

When I first started, I was in middle school, but then I quit because they were trying to make me run. I came back in my 10th grade year because my coach asked me to, and I didn’t want to tell him no. I just came, picked it up and threw it. I was like, ‘Hm, I threw it pretty far.’ So I just kept doing it.

What did your state performance feel like?

It just felt like a regular track meet. I didn’t feel too much like “Oh, yeah!” I feel like I need to work harder because people are going to start gunning for my spot.

What appeals most to you about shot put?

Coaches just ask me to do it because of my shoulders. In middle school, I didn’t think anything of it. I didn’t worry about sports until I got here.

Other than form, what do you do to train?

My coaches said I threw the shot put like a baseball, so I went to the football goal post and just started throwing over it. What made me throw over that is just that I was scared to hit it, and I didn’t want to mess up my ball, so I just threw it as hard as I could over the goal post.

What is a misconception about shot put?

That’s a good question. People ask me a lot of questions, about how it looks — why do I have to keep it at my neck instead of holding it out? They just think they can throw it like a baseball, and it’s not like that. 

What other sports do you play?

I play volleyball and I play basketball.

Do you have a favorite class?

I did like guitar at the beginning of the year, but then it started getting harder. One of my favorite classes is reading. I like to read.

Do you have a favorite book?

It’s called “Tears of a Tiger.” I don’t know why that’s my favorite book, but it is.

What TV shows do you like?

I watch a lot of cartoons. I watch “Clarence,” “Spongebob,” “Steven Universe,” “Family Guy,” stuff like that.

Which chore do you mind least?

Cleaning the bathroom. I just would rather clean the bathroom than the rest of the stuff, because it’s easier. (Others) don’t really be in the bathroom. They’re in the TV room or the kitchen all the time. If I clean it, it’s already clean when I go in there.