Kyle resident CeCe Watson can remember how skeptical she was when her then 7th grade track coach asked her to take up the shot put.

Having played basketball here-and-there prior to middle school, Watson was unsure as to whether she would take to the specialized spring sport. Add in the surprisingly heavy 8-pound implement and Watson’s reluctance grew even more.

“I thought, ‘I’m supposed to throw this, this far?,’” Watson said.

But there was something about shot...