A trend has developed in Rowan women’s track & field, and it is one that is just beginning.
This postseason Rowan has fared well, finishing second in the New Jersey Athlete Conference (NJAC) Championships, as well as fifth in the Atlantic Region. Those strong finishes have been aided by Rowan’s proficiency in the throwing events.
At the All-Atlantic Region Indoor Championships, both Makayla Taylor and Olivia Scattergood finished in the top 10 in the weight throw. At the NJAC championships, Taylor broke the school and NJAC record for the weight throw.
“Man all I do is recruit them. I find them, I bring them in.” Head Coach Derick “Ringo” Adamson said. “Can I probably help them? Only to a certain degree … But I have to say this. Those kids have one heck of a field coach there in Liz Madden.”
Liz Madden is in her first year with Rowan as throwing coach for Rowan Track. Her athletic career actually started out as a softball catcher, a sport she played up until her sophomore year of high school.
She decided to take that passion for throwing to track and field. She would compete in track and field at East Stroudsburg University.
After her competing days she started her coaching career as a private throwing coach for Parisi Speed School in Cherry Hill, where she still works at today in addition to coaching at Rowan.
For Madden, her passion for the sport is extremely evident. She has a deep love for the sport that transfers to her throwers at Rowan.
“Honestly she is so passionate about what she does, she basically coaches for a living,” Scattergold said. “You can tell from just the numbers that we’ve both improved as athletes, working with her has been such a great experience. She has such insight, experience and so much that she can give to us.”
Taylor added to her throwing partners comments.
“Before I would just give up if I wasn’t happy with what I was doing,” Taylor said. “But she like really pushes me to keep going, not give up and just keep trying every day at practice.”
One things Madden does is instill her own passion for throwing into her throwers.
“It’s the most important thing,” Madden said. “I know it can be tough for kids sometimes when they’re having a slump season or year, but I wanted to come in, give them a fresh look at throwing and get them to fall in love with it again.”
For Madden, her ultimate goal moving forward is to create a throwing Dynasty at Rowan.
“I want to create a dynasty of throwers that are just deep in each event,” Madden said. “I want to create a culture that will translate from year to year, so when new kids come in they’re immediately bought in and they follow suit with the older kids that have been around with me a little longer.”
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