April 19 , 2005

Sports

Michelle Amete

Dalton Walker
Mesa Legend

An 18-year-old MCC freshman is dominating the junior college track and field level like very few athletes before her.
Michelle Amete, a 5-foot-10 phenom, has recently broke two MCC track and field records in a span of two weeks.
Amete broke the weight throwing record at the Willie Williams Classic hosted at the University of Arizona March 18 and 19.
She threw 48.6 feet breaking Tricia Stevenson’s record of 47.2 feet. A week later at a Glendale community college event she shattered the Stevenson’s hammer throw record by almost 3 feet, 179-3 compared to 176-6.
Currently she is the lone female thrower on the Thunderbird roster and according to her throwing coach Selmer Olson she might be one of the best female athletes to have ever competed for MCC.
Olson has been the MCC throwing coach for over 20 years and he has had his share of star athletes.

Michelle Amete was the lone female throwing recruit in her recruiting class because Coach Selmer Olson wanted to give her his undivided attention.

“She’s the best female athlete I’ve had,” Olson said. “Before she’s done she might be the best female athlete to come out of MCC.”
Amete now leads the nation in three events: discuss, shot-put, and hammer throw. Amete is so dominant, she qualified for the national championships a couple weeks into the outdoor season.
“I prepare for each week one week at a time, ‘how am I going to compete’ plus MCC has the best coaches,” she said.
At the Willie Williams Classic, Amete competed veteran NCAA Division I athletes. She placed fourth in the hammer throw and shot-put.
Amete said she relishes the opportunity to compete with better female athletes and gets excited for the better competition.
Earlier this school year Amete traveled to Illinois for the indoor track and field championship and stomped her competition.
Now that outdoor track and field is in full gear she has Texas on her mind. Levelland, Texas hosts the 2005 NJCAA Track and Field National Championships May 17 and 18.
The dedicated Amete trains all year long working out four hours a day; two hours practicing throwing and two hours in the weight room. Amete can squat 340 pounds and almost bench press 200 pounds. Olson expresses she is the total package.
“She’s obliterating records, very good records,” Olson said. “One of the best freshman on any level, she has all the tools.”
According to Amete, larger schools such as Arizona State University recruited her but she wanted a smaller atmosphere to start her college career. She won the state championship in high school four times. Amete decided on MCC because of the reputation of a throwing school and the coaching staff.
Olson started to take notice of Amete when she was a junior at Queen Creek High school. According to Olson Amete’s high school coach would contact him for advice on helping her develop her high school potential.
The nurturing Olson said he only recruits players that will help the MCC program at a national level. He also said he recruited Amete as the only female weight thrower so he can give his undivided attention and focus to her.
The coaching level at MCC, according to Amete, is above all other junior colleges in the nation. “The technical aspect is big, coach prepares us on strength and technique, if you don’t learn that you will never throw,” she said.
One example is the hammer throw. On pure strength she would hurl the hammer 140 feet but after learning the proper technique she can now throw it 179 feet.
She competes in four outdoor events, shot-put, discuss, weight throw, and hammer throw.
The only thing Amete is undecided on is her academic goals. Right now she is undecided about a major but she thinks she might study physical education and become a coach down the road.
Beyond her athletic records Amete is a down to earth individual. She still has jitters before each contest and is grateful her family can make the short car trip to support her.
“I’m a home person, I get homesick easily,” Amete said with a smile. “I still get nervous before each event but I look at my family and it helps me.”