If you were at the Deloraine Summer Fair you would have recognized some of our own local athletes competing in the Highland Heavy Games, a competition that requires strength, balance and strategy to launch heavy items, like 16-foot poles and heavy, heavy weights as far as you can throw them!
Killarney resident and schoolteacher, Stephanie Outhwaite, competed and achieved top score for the women's Masters category for women over 40 years of age. The Deloraine competition is one of just a few that she's been participating in just this year.
Outhwaite, has been an athlete her entire life. She specialized in track and field, excelling as a speed-power athlete and sprinter during her time at the University of Manitoba. It was there that she met her husband, Terrill, a lifelong volleyball player and award-winning setter, who also comes from a strong athletic background. Terrill is also a teacher with Turtle Mountain School Division.
After university, in 2001, Stephanie and her husband both took part in the Highland Heavy Games—a natural transition for many former shot putters. They competed in several events together before getting married and starting a family soon after.
"I felt like I needed something to get me going again," shares Stephanie. "And I decided to start training and throwing the kettle bell around. And then I thought I might want to do some more throwing. I have lots of energy right now and so I connected with Mark Moran who's a heavy gamer coach from Manitoba area and he hooked me up."
Starting her training was the first step, but competing in North Dakota opened up more doors for Outhwaite and stirred her passion for the Games.
"I went to Grand Forks, and I wasn't planning on going to the States, but it was a competition that I needed," she explains. "I went there at the end of May, and I had a good meet, and it was really fun! And so, I decided to keep training. I kind of want to do something big again. So, I'm going to put some work into it and hopefully do this for the next couple of years. I'm 47 and I'm dedicated until I'm about 50 to see what I can do here," she explains.
In the Heavy Games men are to throw the 56-pound weights, however women aren't required to throw that heavy. For the women's Master category, they're required to throw 21-pound weights. For Outhwaite, she's been practicing with a 40-pound kettlebell so that 21-pound weight is very do-able. During competition they get 3 throws per event.
"I am throwing around about twenty-one pounds of weight and moving dynamically. And so, I have been doing a lot of kettlebell training. I really like kettlebell, and I have for years been doing kettlebell training. So, it really goes together with a bunch of my throws," she explains. "It's about your speed and your power."
"And not only is it that though, as I've been learning when I come back, because there are nine events in these Highland games," she's quick to add. "So, you start the competition usually around 9:00 in the morning and you do your speed power throws and it's very technical and of course it's speed power, which is usually short and quick and it's over. But then you have another event. So, we have about 9 events and they're very technical. Luckily, like I said, I have my husband there who has done this with me. We're working on our form and footwork."
This Killarney athlete turns 48 in October and says she is more fit now than when she was 37. "So, it's not age, it's about what you do. And when you see these amazing seniors out there and you hear about the people that start running when they're 65 and things like that... it's not age, it's about movement," she explains. "I see that with my own behaviors, you know I am in less pain, easier to move and it's because I'm doing more. So, I'll keep doing that. And my husband is my coach, and he might start training as well."
Outhwaite has been visiting family in Ottawa this week, and fortunately she will be able to attend the Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville Ontario, one of the largest Celtic events in North America. Of course, the Highland Heavy Games will be one of the signature events, drawing the best of the best from around the world.
Being new back into the Heavy Games, Outhwaite is hoping to attend that event today and watch and learn who the top contenders are.
"This season, my goal was to just set some marks to be like, say, OK, who's this? Maybe next year I'll get invited to some bigger meets. And so, there's this big meet here in Maxwell and I'm going to go and watch and hopefully next year I'll compete and compete with the best in the world is my goal. And actually, be one of the best in the world is my goal," she adds.
"I did bring my kilt in case there's a drop out cause I'm kind of just popping onto the scene and so most of the people have been around for a while so I'm just popping on," says Outhwaite. "So usually when you get invited to a competition, you're invited the previous year. So, I'm kind of late to the game, but I'm going to meet the organizers on Friday and hopefully be here next year. And like I said, if they have someone who drops out, I'll surely fill that spot!"
