Herring signs scholarship with Central Arkansas

SPRUCE PINE – Hackleburg High School’s Luke Herring has signed a track and field scholarship with the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas, where he plans to study cyber security.

Herring is the 2024 fourtime Canadian National Champion in shot put (indoor and outdoor), weight and discus. He is the 2024 Alabama Class 1A state discus and shotput champion. Herring goes into the 2025 season ranked first in Alabama in shot put, weight and hammer.

Herring is the son of Kevin Herring and Jody Herring of Spruce Pine. He has competed for Hackleburg High School, Top Flight Throwing, and the Hamilton Olympic Club over the past three years.

He began competing for Hackleburg High in 2021. His coach is his mother, Jody Herring, HHS throws coach. During his throwing career, he has also been coached by Gabor Mate (Shotofdiscus. com) and Sean Doucette (Hamilton Olympic Club of Ontario, Canada).

“Luke is an exceptionally talented athlete who puts in more work than any athlete I have coached,” said his mother and coach, Jody Herring. “He’s excited to be competing at the NCAA Division 1 level in the fall. Luke is self-motivated and needs no reminding to work out or put time in the circle throwing.

“If you have ever driven in Spruce Pine, you may have seen Luke throwing hammer, shot put, discus and eight out of the circle in his backyard.

Many people stop to watch.”

Herring said if you asked her son what his favorite event is, he would say “hammer,” which is not offered in high schools in Alabama and is only thrown in club meets.

His personal bests include: shot put, 58’ 11.75 inches; discus, 175’ 7.5 inches; hammer, 192’ 0.5 inches; weight, 60’ 2.25 inches.

Herring said her son is looking forward to being coached by Ryan Davis, an elite hammer thrower in his own right. She said her son’s plans for the future include training to make the U20 Canadian National World team that will compete in 2026 in the World Athletics Championship in Oregon.

His honors include: 2023

• MVP Hackleburg High School Male Thrower of the Year

• Third-Place discus at AHSAA Track meet 1A (Cullman) 2024

• Canadian Indoor U18 Athletics National Shot Put Champion (Montreal)

• Canadian Indoor U18 Athletics National Weight Champion (Montreal)

• AHSAA State Shot Put Champion 1A (Cullman)

• AHSAA State Discus Champion 1A (Cullman)

• MVP Hackleburg High School Male Thrower of the Year • Canadian Legion U18 National Shot Put Champion (Calgary)

• Canadian Legion U18 National Discus Champion (Calgary)

• Canadian Legion U18 National Hammer silver medalist (Calgary)

• 1 of 3 nominated for U18 Male Ontario Athletics Athlete of the Year (Province of Ontario, Canada)