Cajun country appeals to Tori Bliss, who migrated to Louisiana State after winning her third state shot put title in 2011.
“Their culture is so different than the one I grew up in,” said the former multiple-sport standout. “Everything is 180 (degrees) different here from growing up in Northwest Indiana. It’s just something I wanted to experience.”
Being part of a big-time program influenced her decision to migrate south after graduating from Portage. Louisiana State’s women have won 25 national indoor and outdoor team titles since 1987.
She chose LSU over Tennessee, where her high school rival Cassie Wertman of Southridge wound up. Highly acclaimed, Bliss was also recruited by Auburn and Oklahoma after being named the Indiana Gatorade track and field athlete in 2011.
Her college experience includes winning the Southeast Conference indoor title on Feb. 27 with her first of three 60-foot throws (Wertman finished third). Two weeks later she broke her school record twice with 60-footers in the NCAA indoor championships.
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Finishing second to Raven Saunders of Southern Illinois represents a breakthrough for Bliss, who improved dramatically after changing her technique from a gliding to a rotational approach. It transformed her into a silver medalist and a potential player at the 2016 Olympics in Buenos Aires.
Her first 60-foot toss was not as exhilarating as you might expect for an athlete of that stature. Her reaction? More like relief.
Bliss had reached that distance before in practice and warmups. But It took more than a year to become comfortable with the switch to break the barrier.
“It was just a matter of coming to practice and repeating the same movement over and over again, trying to perfect it,” said the six-foot senior. ” It’s like anything else; you keep doing it to feel comfortable and the rotational move works better with my body type.”
Gliding is described as moving straight across the ring. Rotational required a spinning motion of 1-1/2 turns. The technique resembles the discus, which also occupies her. Strength coach Derek Yush marvels at the senior athlete’s progress.
“It was hit-or-miss for about a year and a half before it really kicked in,” he said. “Now she’s ready to take off.”
Her athleticism helped. In high school she played basketball, once breaking a 33-year-old school record with 43 points. She also toiled as goal keeper on the soccer team. In her freshman year she played softball and threw the shot, simultaneous seasons which required some creative scheduling and practice.
“I’d throw for an hour, then get my mitt out of the locker room and practice softball,” said Bliss. Her first experience with the shot put came in seventh grade, something she took on for social reasons.
“I wanted something to do to hang out with my friends in the spring,” she said. “It wasn’t my main focus in life.”
That changed after she won her first state title. In her sophomore season she began to realize she could perform at the next level.
Has she reached her limit with a distance of 60 feet, 7 inches? Hardly. Yush believes there is still room for growth.
“Her learning curve is so big,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she adds another three or four feet before too long.”
Yush compares her progress to a golfer.
“She’s kind of slicing to the right a little bit,” he said. “When she squares her hips and shoulders I think she can make the jump to the 63, 64-foot range. She’ll be competing with some of the best women in the country.”
Bliss already is. Her competition with Saunders in the NCAA indoor drew an appreciative audience, applauding as they battled back and forth with the lead changing hands three times. Adrenaline burned copiously before Saunders prevailed.
“It was one of the most fun competitions I’ve ever had because the energy level was so high and the crowd was really into it, ” Bliss said. “It’s always fun when everybody brings their absolute best and I look forward to future competition with her. We’ll meet again so I’m pumped about that.”
Meanwhile?
“It’s been a tremendous pleasure to watch her grow in the past four years,” Yush said. “When she made the change in technique she got on board and we took the next step. She became easier to coach.”
Part of that change involves personal growth. Bliss belonged to the National Honor Society in high school, but wasn’t a church-going teen. At LSU she joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is on the leadership team.
“Becoming a Christian is my foundation,” she said. “It motivates me knowing that Christ is with me every single day.”
Her college eligibility will end with the NCAA outdoor championships, but Bliss thinks of it as the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
“I plan to continue training professionally,” she said.
Bliss will continue her education as a fifth-year senior at LSU. Long-range, her goals are qualifying for the USA team and the Olympic trials.
John Mutka is a freelance reporter.
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Tori Bliss landmarks
2011: Portage grad won third straight state championship with record toss of 50-9; won state Robert Hinshaw Award (mental attitude); named Indiana Gatorade girls track and field award of the year; won second gold medal in national outdoor.
2012: Placed in shot and discus to earn All-Southeastern Conference freshman honors.
2013: Broke LSU school record with 55-11 toss, Battle of the Bayou.
2014: Second in NCAA outdoor with 57-41/4 record; 171-1 discus (personal best).
2015: SEC indoor champion, 60-1 (school record); NCAA Indoor, silver medalist with record throws of 60-1/4 and 60-71/4; second All-American honor.