THE FRONT ROW with BRUCE BOURQUIN June 24, 2016

Five years ago, U.S. Olympic volunteer coach and former North Idaho College assistant track and field coach Bart Templeman was looking to build a facility for throwers for the IronWood Throws Classic, which was held for the second time June 4.

He went to the Garwood area, located on 1620 Highway 53 just west of Ramsey Road. In 2014, the 10-acre facility 4 miles east of Rathdrum had three healthy, well-groomed pits for the discus, shot put and discus, plus an indoor facility where throwers can work on their techniques. Another five acres was bought in order to one day have javelin throwers. Last year, the back of a large building was finished, as nets and a loft and office were installed.

This past event showcased some of the best throwers from around the country, with former Olympians and those who competed in previous Olympic trials. But for the first time, women and high school throwers were able to compete, and the high school boys and girls were exposed to world-class talent.

“This is an amazing event,” Templeman said. “Watching a high school boy (Jordan Geist of Saxonburg, Pa.) throw 74 feet (4 inches) in the shot put, that’s really crazy. That’s a really neat thing for high school kids to interact with the Olympians, it raises the bar. It’s great to have the high school kids intermingle with post-collegiate Olympians, see what it’s like to compete against Olympic throwers.”

Jarred Rome, a Seattle-area native who went to Boise State, currently serves as the throws coach at Concordia University in Portland and is a two-time Olympian in the discus, including a 13th-place finish in the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece. He has run the IronWood Thrower Development Camp since 2013. This year’s edition runs from July 11-16 at North Idaho College.

Rome went to his first IronWood camp as a junior while competing for Marysville-Pilchuck, in Marysville, Wash. He won the silver medal in the 2011 Pan Am Games in the discus and competed in four world championships.

“I came to IronWood in 1995 and met all the Olympians,” Rome said. “Bart helps coach in Chula Vista (Calif.), at the Olympic Training Center. He is very caring, he’s done more for the sport than anybody. He’s one of the most gracious people I’ve ever met.”

BRITTANY HENRY, one of the first female competitors in the Classic, is a 2002 graduate of Lewis and Clark High in Spokane. She also attended the IronWood camp in 2001 and later coached at the camp in 2008. She won women’s the hammer throw at the Classic at 67.05 meters (219 feet, 12 inches).

The 31-year-old Oregon grad, who was ninth at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2012 and 2008, also credited Templeman for part of her success.

“Bart’s a great guy,” Henry said. “It’s great to see his support for throws. It’s good they incorporate the throws, that throwers get some love. At times, we feel like the redheaded stepchild.”

Ryan Whiting, also of Saxonburg, Pa., was second in the shot put and he was ninth in the 2012 Olympics in the event. He also went to the camp in high school in 2003 and 2004.

“The camp’s easily the best throwers camp out there,” Whiting said. “Over the summer, you see some of the elite throwers in the country. That’s not something you see everywhere. I think the biggest thing is Bart gives them a glimpse of what it’s like to be one of the best throwers in the country.”

Kirk Unland of Ferris High in Spokane, the competitor located nearest to the camp, tried to soak it all in. He won the hammer throw at 64.18 meters (200 feet, 9 inches). He saw AG Kruger, a three-time Olympian and his second-place hammer throw of 71.42 meters (234 feet, 4 inches).

“It was cool, great to compete with the Olympians and see what they have,” Unland said. “Watching them was mind-opening.”

The facility is pretty mind-opening as well.

Bruce Bourquin is a sports writer at The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2013, via e-mail at [email protected] or via Twitter @bourq25