Competitive Greene putting it all together in record-setting season

Competitive Greene putting it all together in record-setting season

2/9/2018 1:02:00 AM | Women's Indoor Track and Field, Features

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

Millersville, Pa. - The thrower's circle is a lonely place. When Sunflower Greene steps in for the weight throw, hammer throw, discus or shot put, the spotlight is solely on her. It is up to her to perform.

And that's just the way Greene likes it. She's a competitor. The competition to be the best is what has driven her set all-time PSAC records in the indoor shot put and weight throw and outdoor shot put and hammer throw. No other athlete in the PSAC record book holds four different records. Competition is the spark behind her epic 2017-18 indoor season in which she has competed three times, set new school (and PSAC) records each time, and won the PSAC Field Athlete of the Week Award three times.

It is a run the likes of which have never been seen before at Millersville.

"I've never seen someone break their school, and her case, a conference record three weeks in a row," said Millersville head coach Andy Young. "Sunflower has continued to refine her technique and sometimes people just get on hot streaks."

A hot streak is putting it mildly. Greene's 2017-18 throws are rocketing past her record-setting bests from last season. She closed last indoor season by hitting 48-0 at the NCAA Championships in the shot put and holding the weight throw record at 51-2 3/4. In her first event of 2017-18, Greene hit 50-0 in the shot put—two feet better than her previous indoor best. In her third meet, she hit 51-5 ½, a mark that stands third in Division II. Her 63-6 ¼ in the weight throw at the Bison Open was an incredible 12-3 ¾ more than her best one year ago. She now ranks fifth in Division II in the event, and is one of only four athletes in the country to rank in the top 10 in both events.

When meeting Sunflower Greene, you are greeted by a big smile and enthusiastic hello. She's an energetic and open conversationist. But don't let the light-hearted first name and bubbly personality fool you. She possesses a fiery streak when it comes to being the best.

"Sunflower is one of those secretly competitive people," said Young. "She really doesn't it show it to the outside world that much but when you get to know her you realize quickly that she is on a mission to compete very hard."

The battles don't just happen at meets. They occur every day in practice and in the weight room. For the last three years, Greene has been surrounded by arguably the deepest throws group in the PSAC. As an underclassman, Greene played catch up to PSAC champion hammer thrower Vanessa Hower. Amanda Myers, who specializes in the javelin and is a three-time national qualifier and two-time All-American, also competes in the indoor weight throw. Now there is sophomore Madison Martin nipping at her heels in nearly every event.

At the season-opening Diplomat Open, Martin broke Greene's school record weight throw. It lasted for all of five minutes.

"My teammates are always one step behind me," said Greene. "Me and Madison were going back and forth. That sparked something inside me. She's pushing me? OK, I'm going to push right back."

It's not just about who can throw the farthest. Greene is peeved that freshman shot putter Aliyah Striver can bench press more.

"I'm hitting the weight room because I need to beat her," said Greene. "A freshman is coming in and beating me? No way. Now I have to get stronger."

"Training with those women, her teammates, have allowed her to push herself much harder," said Young.

Consider this: Before Greene, no PSAC indoor shot putter had cleared 48-11 in 32 years. Greene is already three feet past that. She was already the best shot putter the PSAC had ever seen. She's even better now. That's in part because of the way the 2017 outdoor season ended. Greene was not satisfied with missing the podium and taking 20th in the weight throw at outdoor nationals. She took fourth for All-America honors in the shot put but knew there was more in her.

"I didn't finish where I wanted to finish," said Greene. "That fired me up to train and drill."

She spent the summer doing hammer turns in the street in front of her house, avoiding parked cars and even the ones that driving down the street. Her parents spotted her for weight lifting, and her dad caught the med ball while Greene practiced her shot put release in the front yard.

There is a constant drive to get stronger. Using the program set up by strength coach Scott Weiser, Greene focuses on explosiveness, strengthening her core, and gaining strength in her arms all while staying flexible. But above all, Greene's primary focus this season is on technique. Honing the mechanics of the throws allows Greene to fully capitalize on her uncommon athleticism.

"She is a very athletic thrower," said Young. "Some throwers are big, some are strong but she is a pure athlete and uses that ability well now."

Throws coach Brittany Hartman is the tactician behind Greene's success. The ability to pinpoint technique failures, communicate it to the athlete and help the athlete perfect it is an art form. Greene once relied entirely speed and power but the historical 2017-18 indoor season is the result of pairing natural ability with a more perfected technique.

The question now is how much better can the best be?

"I always feel like there is more," said Greene. "I always feel like I could have done this, or I could have done that. I can still do more."

Greene is never satisfied. Call it being a perfectionist, but it's more about an undeniable competitive spirit—a spirit that thrives against top-level competition. Greene's favorite meets are the Penn Relays and the upcoming National Invitational, simply because the field is primarily made up of Division I athletes. She gets a kick out of being considered an underdog but placing Millersville at the top of the results.

Greene's present national standing in the shot put and weight throw is primarily the reason why Millersville—first the first time in program history--landed in the USTFCCCA Division II rankings at No. 23.

Greene admits that being nationally ranked is quite an accomplishment for the program. But she doesn't want the team achievement to be all about her.

"On the way to the weight room one of the coaches said 'thank you.' I said 'for what?' He said, 'because of you we are in the top 25.' That's great, but I want my teammates to go to nationals with me. I've gone by myself before; that's not the experience I want. Erin Harman, Ari (Camel), Amanda Myers, the other throwers, I want them to be right there with me."

Greene has already punched her ticket to the NCAA Indoor Championships, which will be held in Pittsburg, Kan., on March 9-10. The NCAA Outdoor Championships are set for Charlotte, N.C., in May.

"I think Sunflower would like to compete for a national title as soon as possible," said Young.

Greene agrees with Young's goal assessment. Knowing her and seeing the almost-mythical week-to-week, record-shattering performances, that goal might be reached sooner than later.