​Kincardine athlete brings home medals in discus, shot put and hammer throw

Jasmine Broere of Kincardine is 17 years old and already has brought home numerous medals in throwing events at track and field meets across the country.

She just started learning discus, shot put and hammer throw a couple of years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, but thanks to strong coaching with the Saugeen Track and Field Club and Kincardine District Senior School, she is on her way to a solid competitive career.

Originally from Port Elgin, she and her family moved to Kincardine and she attended Grades 5-7 at Elgin Market Public School. She is going into Grade 12 at KDSS and plans to stay a fifth year.

“I’ve played lots of sports,” says Jasmine. “In fact, I joined the Saugeen club for running. I enjoyed the track events and won medals. Then, in the winter of my Grade 8 year, our volleyball coach, Arthur Turland, told the club’s coach, Randy Millar, that he should see me throw.”

So, she showed Millar how she could throw and he said, “I want you on my team,” and immediately signed her up for field events, beginning with shot put.

At that point, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and she ended up up learning how to throw through videos supplied by Millar.

“I had some experience with shot put and discus through track and field meets at school,” says Jasmine, “but I was bored so I taught myself the hammer throw.”

She practises her technique on the street in front of the family home, and in February, 2020, competed in a couple of shot put meets with Team Ontario, winning gold. She then picked up the hammer throw, and in 2021, discus.

In November, 2020, Jasmine sustained a severe concussion, with recovery setting her back over a year. She was able to get back to throwing by June, 2021, but couldn't spin and had to take it easy. It was a rough road to recovery, often feeling like one step forward, two steps back, but eventually she got there.

Jasmine spent her Grades 9 and 10 years at the Amethyst Administrative School in London. She didn’t train with the Saugeen track club but did some training on her own, and worked with the club during the summers.

Last September, she returned to KDSS for her Grade 11 year, and in May, began her superlative performance at field events, beginning with the Bluewater Athletics Association (BAA) meet where she won gold in both shot put and discus.

She advanced to CWOSSA (Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools) where she won gold in discus and silver in shot put. At OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) West, she won silver in discus and placed fifth in shot put.

Eligible for OFSAA in discus, she competed at that meet in Ottawa and brought home a silver medal.

She went on to compete at the Legion District C meet in Kincardine, and won gold in discus, shot put and hammer throw; followed by the Nxt Champ meet in Toronto where she won silver in shot put and discus; the Legion provincials in Burlington where she won gold in all three throwing events; U18 nationals in Sherbrooke, Quebec, where she won bronze in discus; U20 nationals in Langley, British Columbia, where she won bronze in discus; and the provincials in London where she won silver in shot put and discus and bronze in hammer throw.

Jasmine credits all her amazing successes to God. It's not her own strength or talent that has brought her this far - it is a gift from God. She also deeply appreciates her church family at Lighthouse Fellowship Baptist Church and pastor Steve Gordon for their continuous support and prayers.

She writes a Bible verse on her left arm before every competition. Her favourite is from Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Last year, Millar retired, so Jasmine now works with Hanna Van Stuyvenberg, the new coach at the Saugeen club. She has also been working with personal trainer Vanje Watson over the winter, as she wants to sharpen her skills so she can face the tough competition at the meets over the next two years.

When she’s not practising her throwing techniques, Jasmine enjoys playing rugby and volleyball. She was named offensive MVP (Most Valuable Player) last year in both sports. She works part-time at the West 81 restaurant in Point Clark, and she likes gardening, painting and going to the beach.

She lives at home with her parents, Chris and Kelly Broere, and her brother, Joel, 15.