by By Dan Ninham
Garren Stops, 18, is a senior at Hardin HS in Montana. His hometowns are Wyola and Hardin, MT.
“I am a member of the Crow tribe,” said Garren. “I am a part of the Whistling Water clan. My Crow name is ‘Stops at Pretty Places’ and I was named by my uncle to carry on the name of one of the Wyola chiefs.”
“I am competing in track for Hardin HS,” said Garren. “My main athletic accomplishments are I lettered in football all three years I played. I also lettered in track every year that I participated. I made it to state in track for the second consecutive year in a row setting some records while I was a sophomore and even this year as a senior.”
“I am my coach’s first thrower in over 30 years to qualify for state in all three throwing events,” said Garren. “I took fourth place in the shot put at the Eastern A top 10 meet, first in the javelin and second in the shot put prior to the Divisional’s meet. At the 2021 Divisional’s I took ninth in the discus, second in the shotput, and eighth in the javelin.”
“I had a hard time in the shot put and initially scratched both my first and second throws,” said Garren. “On my third and final throw I changed my glide to a half glide to make sure I would mark a throw. My mark was nowhere near my personal record and I thought I was out. My teammates ran to me after the finals were announced and lifted me up – literally. I made the finals and was 10th in the standings, last place.’
“They believed in me and pushed me to throw my way to second place,” added Garren.
“I believe in the power of prayer and it means a great deal to me to smudge with cedar and sweet grass,” said Garren. “I ask God for protection and to provide me with guidance. I’ve been taught to respect my elders and to hug my Kaales (grandmothers) whenever I get the chance. I have been blessed with many grandmothers and they all cheer for me in my sporting events.”
“Some people who positively influenced me as an athlete are my throwing coach David Kilgore, my mom and dad Amy and Garrett Stops, and some of my teammates such as Hunter Bearcloud, Aaron Shane, Tristan Redfield, and Buren WalksOverIce.”
“Some mentors that I have had are not ones that I have had ever in person, but rather online on YouTube,” said Garren. “I’ve always wanted to get good with technique so for shot put I
watched David Storl from Germany and is especially good at the gliding technique for shot put that I do, Daniel Stahl from Sweden, and all three javelin throwers from Germany and are Johannes Vetter, Andreas Hoffman and Thomas Rohler. I’ve been studying these specific guys and how they throw since I was a freshman.”
“The way that all of these guys have had an influence on me was to see that they weren’t always elite as they are known as now, and rather that they had to work where they got to and that influences me heavily to focus on what I need to do and how to prepare to be great as they all are.”
“My words of wisdom would be what I did to go on YouTube and find a significant person who is considered elite in whatever you are doing and study how exactly they became elite,” said Garren. “Study them and then translate that into your practice and make sure that everything you practice is correct. You also need to train during the offseason and it should consist of weight lifting and running along with eating and hydrating correctly.”
“My personal best in the shot put is 45’ 5” and I threw that at the state track meet,” said Garren. “I placed seventh. In order to medal I had to be top six. A thrower from Sidney that I’ve been competing against all season beat me by 2 inches.”
“However, I threw my very best and was in top 10 for Class A shot put,” added Garren.
“I am looking at Montana Tech or Montana State University – Billings,” said Garren. But I’m really undecided. I want to study nursing.”
Garren competed in the javelin and discus the next day but didn’t advance to the finals.
“I did not do as well as I would have liked,” said Garren. “I threw 140’ in javelin and did not make finals. I threw 126’ in discus and again I did not make finals. I did my best in the moment. I am one of the few throwers who qualified for state in all three throwing events. Shot put was my best event.”
“It was state, I’m a senior, and didn’t get to participate in track last year because of Covid,” said Garren. “I was there and I earned my spot in three events. I don’t want to walk away with my head down.”
“What people should know about me is I’m taking everything you learn from the bottom
and putting it together to rise to the top,” said Garren.
Photo Credit: Tonya Schoepp
