Wisconsin senior Kelsey Card throws, wins, inspires

Wisconsin senior thrower Kelsey Card is the Big Ten record holder in the shot put and the discuss, but the road to the top hasn’t been easy.

“In high school it was kind of like the fat girls event was what it was dubbed, and I would get made fun of from guys from other schools,” Card said.

Card put a lot of pressure on herself, and credits her parents with teaching her the value of hard work.

“You can work out and you can be physically prepared but if your mind isn’t there, it’s not going to happen,” Card said. “I was just really negative a lot, and I was really struggling. At the end of my sophomore year, I wasn’t happy with where I was at and I was like, ‘Why is this sucking, all these things.'”

So Card started talking to a sports psychologist to try and smooth things out.

“I just found it really relieving and relaxing to talk to someone who was unbiased and who could give me honest opinions and feedback and really kind of help me work through things,” Card said.

Now Card’s an advocate for mental health among athletes, and she wants to make sure future generations of girls know that it’s OK to be a strong woman.

“The biggest thing is just don’t let anybody get you down,” Card said.

She said she eventually wants to be a counselor so she can use her experience to help others.