Take an 18-year old St. Louis native, mix her with a veteran West Virginia-native coach, then stir in a former record-holding GSU student-athlete from south Georgia and watch the good thing happen.
Freshman Alysiah Whittaker found Georgia State as a sophomore in high school and eventually got herself a scholarship to compete with the Panther track and field team. Once here, Whittaker accepted the skillful coaching of a record-holding thrower and the aggressive strength training of GSU's former record-holder in the throws. Now, Whittaker is already Georgia State's new record holder in the shot put and on her way to NCAA postseason competition later this month and then the USA Junior Nationals this summer.
A six-footer from the St. Louis suburb of Cedar Hill, Whittaker made a summer visit to Atlanta with her family and saw Georgia State for the first time. She expressed her interest online to the track and field coach, but with some coaching staff changes never heard back. Undaunted, she tried again online her senior year to Georgia State and the new coach responded. As fate would have it, Whittaker received the GSU scholarship offer on her birthday – March 17. It's turned out to be a nice gift for both parties.
Assistant coach Travis Coleman was a three-time state champion in the shot put and discus in high school in West Virginia and then a Big South Conference shot put champion at Winthrop, a school record holder in three events and a six-time All-Big South selection. His knowledge has been a key in Whittaker's rapid progression and development into a record holder at Georgia State.
“Once I saw her video from high school and her agility, I knew we could develop her,” Coleman recalled. “She is an extremely hard worker who never wants to take a day off. She has an inner drive to get better and is never truly satisfied with her results. So, it is a delight to work with Alysiah on her techniques and the little things that make you better. She asks all the right questions and is inquisitive and wants it explained in specifics until she totally grasps it all.”
The second person at Georgia State who has made the difference for Whittaker is Yolanda Berryhill, the track and field team's strength and conditioning coach. It just so happens that Berryhill held three GSU records in the shot, discus and hammer throws. “Alysiah and Yolanda understood one another and both had great work ethic,” Coleman noted. “The two of them were in the weight room at 6:30 a.m. with a set regimen and they went after it with specific goals. I bet Alysiah has put on about 20 pounds of good weight and strength with Yolanda's coaching.”
Taking an eight-pound ball, holding it against your neck and then moving through the seven-foot diameter circle to launch the ball forward more than 50 feet is a lot more complicated and technique-oriented than one might expect. And taking a 7-inch, 2.2 pound disc and spinning to release it more than 150 feet also requires a unique skill set.
“You have to hit the positions right, push through your hips, keep your weight balanced and burst through your release point without going over the toe board and fouling,” Whittaker explained. “It takes focus and concentration.”
At her 2,000-plus student high school southwest of downtown St. Louis, Whittaker was a four-time school record-holder in the shot and set the discus mark, too. That made her a two-time all-conference honoree representing Northwest High School.
At Georgia State, the progression has been steady and sure. During the winter indoor track and field season, Whittaker peaked at the right time in the Sun Belt Conference championship meet on Feb. 24. She broke Berryhill's indoor shot put school record of 13.70m (44-11.5) with a throw of 14.03m (46.00.50) to finish in fifth place and earn points for her team.
During the outdoor season, the rise was consistent from a 13.41m (44.00) start in the shot put on March 20 to a school record 15.70m (51.06.25) on April 25 at Troy. At the Sun Belt Championship, she again scored for her team by finishing sixth in the shot put.
In the discus, the freshman had a season-best throw of 46.68m (153-02) to finish seventh and earn GSU two points, finishing ahead of a competitor from the team that would finish third, three points behind GSU. Those points were critical. That throw was the sixth-best in school history in the discus, behind five throws by mentor Berryhill. The discus was a Berryhill specialty as she earned all-conference three times and advanced to the NCAA Region in that event. But, dedicated Berryhill was good in all three throwing events (shot, discus and hammer) and was the Most Outstanding Field Performer as a senior in the Colonial Athletic Association championships. Berryhill has vowed to do everything she can to get Whittaker that school record, too.
Even though school has ended, Whittaker will stay in Atlanta to prepare for the NCAA East Preliminary Championship from May 29-31 in Jacksonville, Fla. Another school-record throw could take her on to the NCAA Championships. Whittaker has already qualified for the USA Junior Nationals (19-and-under) in Eugene, Ore. on July 5-6.
“I am excited to get to compete in these postseason events,” Whittaker added. “This is just my first year in college, so with the great coaching I am getting, I am looking forward to seeing how much can be accomplished over three more years.”
The St. Louis native has loved moving to Atlanta and going to Georgia State. “My teammates and I have had a blast getting to know one another and competing,” she said. “And Atlanta is such a great town with great shopping and good restaurants," she noted. Maybe it is turning out to be the best birthday present she has ever received.
