Poland’s Kreatsoulas has goal for state finale

By SEAN McGRATH

sports@vindy.com

POLAND

Poland Discus Thrower

Video

Poland's Nicolette Kreatsoulas will compete in discus at State Track in Columbus.

When Poland High School senior discus thrower Nikki Kreatsoulas laces up her neon orange and green Saucony shoes for the Division II state track and field championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, it will be a culmination of the last four years rolled into one.

Kreatsoulas will make her second consecutive state meet appearance in Columbus.

Between practice throws, funny taunts from her sister, Juliana, and small technical fixes from throwing coach Andrew King, Kreatsoulas looked as calm and collected as one could be, even though this will be her her final chance to break her personal record and cap her high school career.

“I really want to break 140 feet,” Kreatsoulas said. “We have been doing a bunch of drills to see what we can do to make my spin better. We have thrown a few, figuring out what problems are there and trying to get it down to having little [problems] to perfect.”

Kreatsoulas’ record was 128-10, previously held by Allie Rice from 2010 but she exceeded that mark in last’s regional meet and then got to 139-1, jumping Austintown’s Gabby Figueroa’s 131 feet, set in 2014.

But that still left her hungry for the 140 mark that has eluded her going into this weekend.

King has helped develop and motivate Kreatsoulas during a senior season that has been her best with the Bulldogs. He provided direction in the weight room and with her diet to build strength and maintain good habits. He also provided guidance to help her perform in the moment in the ring.

King demanded her best and got it.

“As a coach you always want three things to make a great athlete,” King said. “You want a smart person, an athletic person and a coachable person, and she has all of those things.”

Kreatsoulas hit the smart mark with a 3.6 grade-point average, but it was her skill set and willingness to learn and grow over the past few years on King’s watch that made her a complete athlete in his eyes.

“As a performer, I think the state competition says something already about herself, but for me, I couldn’t be happier with what she has done,” King said. “She has worked harder than the other shot and discus throwers. It shows in the ring and it shows on paper and I am really happy about that.”

Among her goals for her senior season, Kreatsoulas set out to win her school’s Poland Invitational. While she finished just short last season, Kreatsoulas won it this year and broke her own record in the process. Despite the enormous gains she has made, King believes there is something left that will bloom this weekend in Columbus.

The discus will be her only event at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, but Kreatsoulas also competes in the shot put. Her personal best in that event is 38-6. It is a welcome distance from 36-0, which she struggled to pass for a while.

After throwing five or six times, Juliana was sent off and Nikki took some last minute advice from King, who offered some minor adjustments to her turn, lift and how she comes off her right leg.

Kreatsoulas nodded, ran a dry run and quickly adapted, showing immediate improvement.

Kreatsoulas will be supported by her teammates, coach and her family while she competes in Columbus.

Juliana said she will again be her sister’s fan and will provide comic relief.

“[Nikki] is dedicated, she’s ambitious [and] she pushes herself to a point where she is proud of the athlete she has become,” Juliana said. “That’s inspiring to me, as a younger sister, not just a teammate.”

The 16-year-old Juliana loves making Nikki smile when times get tough.

“I am her comic relief, but I am also her biggest competitor.” Juliana said, “I’m with her all the time and when we are home we butt heads a lot, but if I wasn’t there, there wouldn’t be anyone there to push her like I do.”

Owing it to sibling rivalry, Nikki hopes to set the bar once again. After the state tournament, she’ll enroll at Youngstown State, where she has already signed a letter of intent to compete on the Penguins’ track and field team. She plans to major in biology.