Emma Deyarmin’s journey was long, but she reached the top

Track & Field coverage presented by ATT Sports, Inc.

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

SHIPPENSBURG — For weeks Emma Deyarmin has worked to master the spin. Success always came in fits and starts. Some throws were great. Some went flying out of bounds.

Even on this day, her greatest day so far, Deyarmin cracked a discus by hurling it directly into a pole.

That made her final attempt even more rewarding. When she absolutely needed her best to capture gold, everything came together.

Deyarmin reached 118-1 and took first place in Class 2A at the District 3 Track and Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium Friday. She won by three inches.

Schuylkill Valley’s junior jumped into the air when the number was announced. Throws coach Crystal Cammauf fought back tears as she described the triumph.

“It’s emotional because of the path she has taken to get here,” Cammauf said. “Looking at where we were last year to the fact that she did this today is completely amazing.”

About that path . . .

It included a lost season because of COVID, an ankle injury that shortened her sophomore season and many throws that were just power. Those were safe throws. The kind that could get her an easy mark.

Deyarmin still took one of those safe throws Friday just to be sure. But when it came time to chase gold, she needed to trust her spin.

“I didn’t have my freshman year, which kind of set me back from everybody else,” Deyarmin said. “It was hard to get everything that goes into the spin down in such a short amount of time. It took me a while. I’m really glad I got it down finally.”

Progress was gradual but consistent. PRs were achieved regularly.

Deyarmin hit 109-1 at the Shaner Meet on May 9. She upped that to 113-10 at the Firing Meet three days later.

Once Trinity’s Isabelle Roes reached 117-10 on her final attempt at districts, Deyarmin understood the bar was even higher. She had to find a way to get there.

Even that try was an adventure. The first time she went into her spin, she slipped and had to stop and regroup. It didn’t rattle her.

“I was shaking I was so nervous,” Deyarmin said. “What calmed me down was my second throw I slipped too and I got a good one out there. I knew I could do it. I had what it took.”

Deyarmin proved it with her final attempt. Only six girls in Class 2A had reached 118 before this weekend. Deyarmin added her name to list.

Cammauf, who had been there through all of those fits at starts, marveled at the timing of the breakthrough moment. It was months in the making.

“It was just hard; it didn’t click,” Cammauf said. “This year we approached things differently. We did a whole lot more reps. We did a whole lot more drills. We really tried to make her feel comfortable with every aspect of it. We’ve been trying to put it all together.”

Deyarmin said she calms herself each time she steps into the circle. She visualizes her technique. She finds a safe space. Then she goes.

That safe space on this occasion, she said, was a trip to Friendly’s. She asked her dad if she could go there on Saturday. She definitely earned it.

Cammauf and SV co-coach Allyson McKechnie shared a hug a few minutes after Deyarmin clinched her win. It was another emotional moment.

“I don’t even know what to say to describe it,” Cammauf said. “It’s fantastic. She works so hard. She wants to do so well.  I’m so happy that this happened for her. It’ll make me smile for the rest of the year.”

Other Berks girls winners Friday:

• Gov. Mifflin’s Annika Ermold had her own nail-biting finish. The senior won the Class 3A shot put for the second consecutive year. Ermold’s throw of 39-3.75 topped Harrisburg’s Ericka Jackson by 0.25 inches.
• Schuylkill Valley’s Madison Ziska won the Class 2A long jump at 17-6.5. Teammate Annie Gao was second just 1.75 inches behind. It’s Ziska’s second district gold in this event.
• Kutztown’s Lauren Akers reached 115-0 to capture gold in the Class 2A javelin. This is the sophomore’s first season throwing.
• Wyomissing’s Addie Cohen won the 3200 in Class 2A. Cohen made her move with three laps remaining and set a PR at 11:24.87. The sophomore won by more than 10 seconds.