Mount Pleasant, IA- Mt. Pleasant High School has had a strong tradition of women throwers for the track and field team and that tradition added another name to its history as Ava English signed her National Letter of Intent to throw at St. Ambrose University.
English was able to witness some of that dominance her freshman year when Jadan Brumbaugh was in the process of taking home both the shot put and discus state championships, while English put up a respectable season best of 33 feet and 9 inches.
For English, it has been an honor getting to throw for the Panthers,
“I feel very, very lucky. I look at everyone else and I’m like I have a very, very talented coaching staff and other athletes that came out of this program that are just amazing, like Jayden and she’s definitely one of my people I look up to 100%.”
The nascent of her college decision goes back to her sophomore season, but not in the shot-put ring. Offseason shoulder surgery set the stage for her career choice and her best season of throwing.
“I kind of just had my heart set on St. Ambrose,” said Ava English. “I had shoulder surgery in 2022 and so I went to my physical therapist. I was like, ‘this is what I want to do.’ Where do you recommend? She’s like St. Ambrose. So, I decided. ‘OK. St. Ambrose or nothing.’ St. Ambrose or SCC. So, I went, and toured and I was like, this is it. This is. This is going to be my home.”
Despite the adversity, English led the team with a season best throw of 37 feet and 3 inches and a trip to Des Moines for the Class 3A State Championship for the shot put. English would claim 16th place with a throw of 34 feet and 11.75 inches.
English missed out on state last year with a season best throw of 35 feet and 7 inches as the sport of track and field can often be a frustrating outlet of competition with more setbacks and plateaus than personal bests.
In fact, English was contemplating whether track and field had a place in her future plans, but that thought was short lived,
“It definitely developed last year was kind of iffy. I didn’t know if I wanted that to be my whole life, but now I’m dead set on that. It’s definitely my main thing.”
Now, in her senior campaign, the goal is simple,
“Just keep improving. Trust the process, chop wood, carry water, [Shawn] Striegel [her throwing coach] would like that one. Make it to state. Just do my best. Have fun.”
In the indoor season, English hit a mark of 34 feet and 6.75 inches, as she prepares for Mt. Pleasant’s first outdoor meet on April 1st at West Burlington High School for the Falcon Relays.
St. Ambrose had Annah Miller finish in 11th place in the shot put with a heave of 45 feet and 0.5 inches at the 2024 NAIA National Championship meet.