When Sherry Lubin got to Naples High School, after dabbling in track and field as an eighth-grader, she had plenty of room to improve in the sport. Still, Golden Eagles throwing coach Natalie Marker saw promise.
Lubin failed to advance out of the district meet as a freshman, but she was hooked on the sport. And she was driven to improve.
After winning a state championship in the shot put this season, Lubin will move on to the highest level of college athletics. She recently signed with the University of Miami to throw for the Hurricanes’ track and field team.
“I always had hopes of earning a scholarship,” Lubin said. “I knew that I had the potential to go on throwing in college.”
Lubin joins Golden Gate’s Dee Charles as a future Hurricane.
The 6-foot Lubin holds the Naples school records in the shot put (45 feet-10.5 inches) and the discus (140-4). She graduates with five district championships, three regional championships and a state title. Lubin medaled at state four times in the past two seasons.
Marker has worked with Lubin the past four years, teaching her the finer points of throwing. But the coach never had to motivate her pupil — Lubin was plenty inspired on her own.
“She always pushes herself harder than anyone,” Marker said. “As a coach, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Lubin worked as hard outside of the throwing circle as she did inside of it. She studied film, practiced footwork, and she hit the weights. Then she hit the weights again. And again.
Lubin worked with Naples assistant football coach Rick Martin, who put her through the same weight training program as his players. Lubin can squat 430 pounds, bench press 210 and clean 190.
“She can outwork just about anybody,” Marker said. “She has the dedication, focus and mental toughness it takes. She can handle anything you throw at her.”
After finishing eighth in the discus and shot put at the district meet her freshman season, Lubin made exponential strides as a sophomore. She won a district title in the shot put and advanced to state in the discus.
As a junior last year, Lubin won district and regional championships in both throwing events. She finished second in the state in the discus and fourth in the shot.
In the final meet of her prep career, Lubin broke the school record in the shot and won the state title. Her throw (45-10.5) was more than three feet farther than her closest competitor. Lubin also took second in the discus at state.
“I gradually fell in love with throwing,” Lubin said. “I grew to love it and I wanted to continue.”
Lubin had been talking with Miami coaches before the state finals, but winning the title sealed her scholarship offer. Even if she didn’t end up with the Hurricanes, Lubin would have been throwing in college. She also had offers from Louisville and Florida State among other smaller schools.
