Rich family heritage makes throwing second nature for Trey Knight

By Romaine Soh for DyeStat

Freshman Trey Knight of Ridgefield, Wash., has all the makings of the next standout thrower in a family where implements are passed down from one generation to the next.

Knight is coached by his grandfather, John Gambill, and is the son of a four-time Washington state champion Heather (Gambill) Knight and the nephew of another state champion, Johanna Lawson.  

At the Oregon Relays, Knight’s grandparents and parents were the largest group of supporters Saturday at the hammer throw cage next to Hayward Field. Others stood in a line at the fence; Knight’s family sat in foldable chairs and had a wagon full of snacks and rain gear at their side.

The group also formed the loudest cheering section. 

“Sometimes it’s weird having your own cheering section, but it’d be pretty boring without them,” Knight said.

Though Knight is only in ninth grade, he stands at 6 feet, 2 inches and weighs 200 pounds. His experience gives him a poise that belies his age. In just his third hammer throw contest of the season, Knight hurled a mark of 192-7 on his last attempt to place second, just a little short of his personal-best 194-6. VIDEO OF THROW

Over the winter, Knight broke the all-time freshman class record in the weight throw with 71-3.50, good for US#10.

With limited practice under his belt, Knight was already feeling nervous when he first stepped into the ring to let the hammer fly Saturday. Many feel that he could take down the freshman class national record in the hammer, which is 213 feet set in 2006 by Conor McCullough of Chaminade, Calif.

Knight’s anxiety mounted Saturday after he fouled his first two attempts, prompting him to take a more conservative approach to land a mark on his third attempt. Knight then soared to a PR on his fourth and final attempt.

“I was just thinking, ‘Don’t scratch,’” he said.

Rhode Island is the only state that officially includes the hammer throw in its high school championships, but there are practitioners in pockets all over the country and it is contested at both New Balance Nationals Outdoor and U.S. Juniors. 

Washington has a particularly robust enthusiasm for the hammer and there is a state championship competition that takes places separate from the WIAA state finals.

Knight has limited accessibility to suitable facilities and the field he uses in Ridgefield doesn’t drain well. It’s no fun plucking hammers from muddy graves. The nearest facility with a proper hammer cage is at the Concordia Throws Center near the Portland airport, 30 minutes away.

“We’re lucky if we get to throw once every two weeks,” Gambill said.

Despite the limited access, Knight still prefers the hammer and the weight throw events, which he says just “feel natural” to him.

“They’re just different from the other two,” he said. “It’s kinda relaxing, but it’s not.”

Knight has been the easiest to work with, according to Gambill, because of his strong work ethic, ability to vocalize his feelings when he throws, and an eager willingness to learn.

Success has certainly helped. Knight won the USATF Junior Olympic national titles in the shot put and discus for the 13-14 age group.

“He feels things when he throws,” Gambill said. “He can tell me what he did. He doesn’t give me any backtalk. He lifts weights and does the things it takes to be a good thrower.”

Knight’s interest in throwing started in his grandfather’s backyard where they would throw a chain or a baseball around for fun. Gambill had previously coached Knight’s mother, Heather, aunt Johanna, and cousin Jon Lawson to state titles in the throws, so it was only natural that he would take Trey under his wing.

“I remember throwing stuff in his backyard when I was 10,” Knight said. “One day you start throwing and just don’t stop. I’ve stuck with him since.”

Knight admitted that he spends more time with his grandfather than he does with his parents, in part because of their coach-athlete relationship. They like to bond simply by spending time with each other over dinner or movies.

Last summer, Knight gave his grandfather a long, redwood walking stick, which Gambill jokingly referred to as “the Trey beater.”

“It keeps him in line,” Gambill said with a laugh.

Gambill’s signature vest, along with the unmistakable walking stick, makes him easy to spot in a crowd watching the action in a hammer cage.

Although Gambill has 13 grandchildren, he said Knight might possibly be the last relative that he will coach.

“The others are not as inclined to the throws,” he said.

This season, Knight plans to start his journey to one-up his cousin, Lawson, at the Washington state hammer championships.

“He won the hammer three years in a row, so I gotta win it four,” Knight said.