A month has passed since the decision to cancel winter and spring championships along with spring sports was made. This caused winter and spring athletes to lose their seasons.
Zachary Short, a senior thrower for the University of Idaho Track & Field team, lost his chance to compete in nationals and his spring season.
Short finished his winter season placing first in the shot put in the Big Sky Indoor Track & Field Championships for the third straight year. Short threw 19.21 meters to win the title.
He set the Big Sky record for the shot put in the 2019 indoor season with a throw of 19.81 meters.
“At the time I didn’t know it was going to be the last meet of the year, but to go in there and win and do what I wanted to do as far as winning was great,” Short said. “Not the distance I wanted to throw, but just accomplishing my goal of winning was huge.”
Short’s teammate, junior thrower Grady Leonard, finished second in the shot put with 18.50 meters. Short and Leonard often train together as lifting and throwing partners.
“It’s a great environment. We’re both positive and competitive people. We want to see each other do our best,” Short said. “It pushes both of us to get better, it keeps us honest and makes sure we show up to training ready to go.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Short went back to his home of Lebanon, Oregon, to finish his spring semester and continue to train. Short said training has been different since he’s throwing and lifting by himself as opposed to having coaches and teammates with him.
As a student-athlete, Short experienced a transition to online classes along with other UI students. Short is pursuing a career in exercise science and health and is a physical education major.
“It’s been pretty easy for the most part, but for some of my classes it’s been a little difficult,” Short said. “A bunch of our assignments coming up were teaching in schools, and we were unable to do that. We are just doing the planning portion of the unit we were supposed to teach and the lessons that go along with it.”
With the NCAA giving spring athletes the option to gain another year of eligibility, UI’s senior thrower is unsure if he will come back next year.
“There is a chance I come back next year, however, I don’t know how much of a chance there is, just because I haven’t had a lot of information come my way about funding and how scholarships will work out,” Short said. “That’s something I’m waiting to hear about before I make my decision. I’ll weigh what’s best for me, whether it’s coming back to school to compete, possibly starting my Master’s degree or staying in Oregon and foregoing my eligibility and becoming a post collegiate thrower representing my birth country of Honduras.”
Short was born in Honduras along with all his siblings. Short has dual citizenship and was given the option of who he wanted to represent.
Short said he decided to choose to represent Honduras because it gave him more of an opportunity to compete on a post collegiate level. He also has a dream of competing in the Olympic Games.
“It’s my driving factor, that’s every track athlete’s dream. It’s definitely what I’m shooting for,” Short said.
Short looks to qualify for the 2022 Outdoor World Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, if the Olympics don’t happen for him next year.
“The Olympics are my dream, but I’m just looking to compete wherever I can,” Short said.
Armin Mesinovic can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @arminmesinovic