The rhythm of track and field is usually defined by the explosive sound of a starting pistol or the steady thud of feet on the track. But for Coppell High School junior Avery Easterling, that rhythm is the strike of a shot hitting the dirt and the scratch of a pen when she journals her favorite Bible verses: Philippians 4:13 and Isaiah 41:10.

Easterling did not start as a thrower. While playing basketball at Coppell Middle School East, she spent her offseasons throwing discus and fell in love with the sport.

“It was just for fun, initially,” Easterling said. “In ninth grade, I said, ‘OK, I’m going to do this in high school, too.’ After that, I quit basketball my freshman year and made track my priority. I think that was God telling me that’s what He wanted me to do.”

The transition paid off. At the annual Coppell Relays on March 5, Easterling won second place in varsity shot put and discus. At the Hebron Hawk Invitational on Feb. 21, she set a new 42-foot personal record in shot put, beating her previous 40.5-foot mark.

“Doing well in one throwing event helped me do better in the other,” Easterling said. “I initially switched to discus because I was good at it, but now shot put is my top event.”

However, even after dedicating herself to both sports, success did not come overnight. Long practices, club sports, advanced courses and slumps led to mental health challenges.

“When you get into a slump, you’re like ‘why am I not throwing it farther? Why do I feel like I’m getting worse?’” Easterling said. “I find that journaling really helps me overcome those thoughts and better my mental health, knowing that at the end of the day whether I lose or win, I still did my best.”

Journaling serves as her bridge between the sport and her faith.

“When I journal a Bible verse before I throw, it’s always in the front of my head when I’m competing and I know that I’m solely throwing for God’s glory,” Easterling said.

Her perspective has allowed her to connect with those around her on a deeper level, including discus coach Rebekah Grissom.

“Through our shared faith, we can connect to some harder moments through more than just sports,” Grissom said. “That brings a bit more peace to the situation for both of us, because we’re working towards the same goals.”

Easterling’s impact is expanding into a leadership role among her peers.

“Avery’s someone we depend on heavily,” girls track coach Landon Wren said. “When a person closer to students’ age is saying the same things I say, it has more of an impact. I know Avery’s going to continue to lead by example, and we’re going to ask her to take more of a vocal role.”

That leadership is evident to her teammates, including senior thrower Ainsley Bramer.

“Over the years, we’ve been role models to each other,” Bramer said. “She’s really supportive and kind, and I really cherish the relationship we have.”

Regardless of whether she breaks a personal record or faces a challenging slump, Easterling’s focus remains off the scoreboard and on her faith.

“I know she’ll do such amazing things,” Bramer said. “She just has to believe in herself and do it, and I really cannot wait to see what she accomplishes in the next few years.”

This story was originally published on Coppell Student Media on April 16, 2026.