Richard changes throwing fields, leaves diamond to find more success

She was born in the Philippines, but she doesn’t know much Spanish. She gave up on America’s favorite pastime – softball – to throw missiles through the air. She doesn’t know for sure what’s next in life, but one thing guaranteed – a top-five finish in the Sun Belt Conference Championships in May.
Senior javelin thrower Marcie Richard ranks fifth in the SBC and is looking to sling past the crowd and take the SBC championship title in her event for one last time.
“Marcie is definitely a power thrower,” said Richard McKay, men’s javelin thrower who shared practice field with Richard for four years.
“Where she lacks in techniques, she makes up in brute strength,” said McKay, Second Team All-American. “I’m excited to see her compete at these last few big meets and hopefully claim her Sun Belt title back.”
The brute strength McKay refers to came from Richard’s background in softball. Richard didn’t begin throwing the javelin until her 11th grade year of high school. She used to play softball, and she said that got her into throwing javelin.
Richard played third base and outfield for Beau Chene High School, and current ULM softball player Elena DiMattia was on the same team.
“Softball kind of laid the foundation for me as far as throwing the javelin,” Richard said. “But, as far as the technique goes, it is completely different.”
She said as an outfielder in softball, she needed arm speed, and in throwing the javelin she said she needs that same speed plus technique to be successful. Using arm speed wisely helped Richard to break her high school’s javelin record with a mark of 131’.9.”
Richard had to choose which sport to pursue a college career in because she had offers from two schools for each. She chose javelin and ULM.
“Part of it was just really liking ULM’s campus and the atmosphere,” Richard said. “The other was, not that I’m selfish or anything, but track is an individual sport. So, I just wanted to experience what it was like.”
She said she is glad she chose ULM and javelin because of the amount of success she’s had despite shoulder surgery.
In 2009, Richard won the conference title at North Texas with a throw of 45.01 meters.
The following season, she placed 25 at the NCAA regionals meet with a throw of 41.43 meters and was named to the All-Louisiana Team. But, during the next season, Richard took a redshirt due to surgery on her throwing shoulder.
“I was concerned, especially coming from a good season and being at a good point,” Richard said. “I didn’t know whether or not I would be able to pick up where I left off or have to start over again.”
Richard has finished in the top-5 in conference every year she has competed.
“I have to attribute that to the good coaching staff we have here,” said Richard, who has had three different coaches since arriving at ULM.
“Transitioning from coach to coach is hard,” she said. “Each coach looks for different things [to correct]. What I do is combine a little bit from each coach and what works best for me.”
Richard said she never thought of the things she’s done as being a leader, instead she said “you just do what you are supposed to do.”
“At the time, you don’t really look at it as being a leader,” Richard said. “Typically, you have the young people on the team that follow suit and look up to.”
McKay said that Richard and he have fun at practice, but they also get work done. He said that Richard has been a great role model to freshman javelin thrower Megan Caillouet.
McKay added, “I’m glad that we are finishing our senior year together.”