OUR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK COMMUNITY PARTNER
Each week, Monitor staff selects and interviews a local Athlete of the Week. Learn more about their accomplishments, their goals and what makes them unique. We’d like to thank our sponsor Capital City Kia.
Our partners do not participate in the selection of these athletes. That is fully at the discretion of our journalists.
Genny Blanchette, a first-year track and field student athlete for Merrimack Valley, has broken onto the scene in a big way.
She won the discus at the Sanborn Last Chance Qualifier with a season-best throw of 106-feet, nine inches. Then she followed it up with a shot put win at 32-feet, 11-inches, another personal record.
At the Bow Cluster Meet two days later, she took first place in shot put and second in the discus.
On Saturday, she performed well against some of the best throwers in the state. She placed in the top six in both discus and shot put at the Londonderry R.E.A.L. Invitational, slightly off her bests.
It’s been an exciting season for such a young talent on Merrimack Valley’s team. For this week’s feature, she talked about making the jump, her keys to success and how it felt to break her own records.
Each week, the Monitor invites the previous athlete of the week to ask the first question to the next player featured. Here’s that question:
Q: What advice would you give young athletes hoping to compete at a high level? – Natalee Rowell, Concord High School Softball
A: Listen to your coaches and study videos focused on technique and drills. Always look for ways to improve and put in extra work, but also recognize when your body needs rest and recovery from practices and workouts.
Q: What do you love most about your Track & Field team?
I love how inclusive and supportive everyone is. The environment is amazing, and the throwing crew is made up of some of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. Everyone pushes each other to improve while still being encouraging and positive.
Q: What’s the most challenging aspect of being a thrower?
Technique is definitely the most challenging part. There are so many small adjustments to make after every throw. You have to stay balanced and low to the ground so you can generate as much power as possible from your legs to propel the implement farther.
Q: How have you worked to become a better thrower?
I go to the gym a few times a week, up until about two weeks before divisional championships, focusing on power and explosiveness. We also spend a lot of time working on technique and making small adjustments to things like release angle, block foot placement, and staying back longer to create more torque and distance.
Q: What’s your favorite event to throw and why?
Definitely discus. I love spinning in the larger circle, and I really enjoy the mechanics of the throw itself. Watching the discus fly—whether it’s my own throw or someone else’s — is exciting and motivates me to keep improving. It’s an event that’s both fun to compete in and fun to watch.
Q: When did you first start throwing, and what made you stick with it?
I started throwing in seventh grade. My father, Ben Blanchette, inspired me because he always talked about how much fun he had throwing when he attended MV. I’ve also been fortunate to have two great coaches this year—my dad and Coach Mullen — who have helped me reach distances and strength levels I never thought possible. I also love how welcoming and friendly the throwing community is at both practices and meets.
Q: How did you prepare to move from middle school to high school throwing?
In eighth grade, I started joining the high school practices and was introduced to their techniques and training style. My father and Coach Mullen helped me improve my spin and overall technique in both shot put and discus. I also watched a lot of throwing videos, from Olympic competitions to high school highlights and instructional content on Instagram. Most importantly, I learned to approach competitions with a level head and not be too hard on myself.
Q: How have your coaches helped you improve?
My coaches have helped me tremendously. They always give me tips and introduce new drills and technique adjustments at every practice. One strategy we use is focusing on just two or three specific things during each throw, while still remembering to enjoy the process and stay competitive. I want to thank my father and Coach Mullen for everything they’ve done for me this year because I truly wouldn’t be where I am without them.
Q: What are your goals for the rest of the season and beyond?
My goals for the rest of the season are to qualify for the Meet of Champions at Oyster River in discus. In shot put, I want to continue improving because I felt stuck in a plateau for much of the season. Recently, though, I’ve started progressing again, and I want to keep building on that momentum.
Q: How did it feel to place first in discus and shot put at the Sanborn Last Chance meet?
I was ecstatic, especially about the shot put. I hadn’t thrown over 30 feet during the outdoor season, so finally breaking that mark and adding nearly three feet to my personal best was really exciting. In the discus, my focus was on applying the technical work we had been practicing during the previous week. I improved, although there are still areas I can work on. I was proud of myself and also happy to see my teammates perform well. I beat my personal best by more than five feet, but I know continued improvement starts with refining my technique even more.