Hall of Fame
Virginia Husted had never thrown a javelin. In fact, she had never even heard of in.
Then, on an ordinary 1960 summer day, a friendly game of catch tossing a football with track and field coach Ken Foreman put her on a path toward becoming one of the best jav throwers in the country.
From initially learning how to throw it well, the 1963 Seattle Pacific graduate soon was throwing it far. By the 1964 U.S. Olympic Trials, she was up to 148 feet. A few weeks later, she set a Canadian Open record of 155 feet, 2 inches.
After retiring as a competitor following the 1968 Olympic Trials, Ginny turned to teaching and coaching. That included four years at Seattle Pacific, where she became the first head coach of two programs. In 1974, she helped start women’s gymnastics.
The following year, she moved to another part of the gym to guide the brand-new women’s basketball team.
Asked a few years ago what she might say to another Olympic Trials-bound Falcon, who also was competing in the javelin, Ginny offered advice that could apply to any aspect of life:
“Follow your training rules, follow your routine, stay with your confidence – and just believe in yourself.”
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (1961-76)
• Participated in the U.S. Trials for the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.
• During her days as a competitor, set numerous Pacific Northwest women’s javelin records.
• Under her guidance, Seattle Pacific’s first-ever gymnastics team won all four of its dual meets, won the Northwest Regionals, and placed 5th at nationals.
• On Dec. 1, 1975, in their first game as a full-fledged varsity team, Husted’s Falcons beat the University of Washington in women’s basketball, 66-60. Later that season, Seattle Pacific beat the Huskies again, 81-56.
