2026 Throw North 3-Day Summer Camp
Friday, June 19 - Sunday, June 21 // The Sonnentag Fieldhouse
Camp Description:
This developmental camp is designed to use scientifically significant techniques that allow athletes to throw the shot put and discus with added confidence and control. Throwing farther is an added bonus. Coaches are encouraged to attend for free with their participating athletes.
Over the 3 days, there will be >15 hours of field training with hands-on practice in the indoor climate controlled facility. Evening breakout sessions will provide athletes and coaches with information that will allow them to mitigate their SEL, nutrition, and future academic & athletic actions.
*This is a commuter camp only. All meals, transportation, and lodging are the responsibility of individual participants. A list of local hotels, motels, and restaurants will be available.
Camp Staff and Coaches:
Head Clinician: Paul Conlin – Head Throws Coach, UW-Eau Claire
Conlin is entering his 31st season as an assistant men’s and women’s track and field coach at UW-Eau Claire. At UW-Eau Claire Conlin has coached numerous national meet qualifiers, 91 NCAA Division III All-American titles in the throws, including 17 National Champions, 13 National Runners-up, 2 USA Track & Field Qualifiers and perhaps even more importantly, 4 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans. As an athlete, Conlin was a four-time Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) conference champion, five-time All-American, and a three-time National Champion, winning both the 1992 Division III indoor and outdoor shot put crowns. He still holds the UW-Platteville indoor shot put record of 60' 3 3/4" (18.34 m) and the WIAC outdoor shot put record of 62' 7 1/4" (19.08m). Conlin's throw of 62' 7 1/4" currently places him seventh on the All-Time NCAA Division III outdoor performance list. Other career highlights for Conlin include a national ranking of 10th in 1993 by Track and Field News. That same year, Conlin placed second at the Drake Relays, fourth at the Olympic Festival and 11th at the USA Track and Field Championships. Coach Conlin was inducted into the UW-Platteville Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010 and was named to the WIAC All-Time Track and Field Team. In addition, Conlin was inducted into the USTFCCCA Athlete Hall of Fame in 2021, and the WIAC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.
Curt Jensen – Assistant Throws Coach, UW-Eau Claire
Curt Jensen enters his seventh season as an Assistant Throws Coach for the Blugolds. Curt graduated from Illinois State University where he was a top performer on the Men’s Track and Field team. Curt broke the school record and the Missouri Valley Conference record in 2013 and again in 2014, both Indoors and Outdoors in the shotput with the distances of 20.29m (66’7”) indoor and 20.33 (66’9.5”) outdoor. Curt ended his collegiate career listed in the ISU top 10 in discuss, shotput, hammer, and weight throw. He was a multiple time DI First Team All-American in the shotput and the 2014 Drake Relays shotput Champion. Post-collegiately, Curt continued to pursue his shotput goals and is a two-time Olympic Track and Field Trials Qualifier in 2016 and 2021. Jensen is a 15-time USA National Championship Qualifier and an 11 time finalist in the shotput. Curt has qualified for multiple USA National Teams and represented the country. His personal best is 21.63m (70’11.75”) and finished ranked 8th In the world at the conclusion of the 2018 season. Curt was also a top 3 finisher at the USA National Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 2018. Curt has spent 5 years competing as a professional shot putter in various international events. Curt has been involved with coaching many All-Americans and National Champions and is currently coaching Roger Steen, the 2025 Indoor Track and Field World Championship shot put silver medalist.
Yakob Ekoue – Assistant Throws Coach, UW-Eau Claire
The 2025 UW-Eau Claire graduate enters his first year as an assistant coach for his alma mater. While a student athlete at UW-Eau Claire, he went on to become one of the most decorated throwers in Blugold history. The 13 time All-American was a 4 time national champion, 2 time national runner-up and 3 time bronze medalist in his tenure, including back to back discus titles in 2024 & 2025 as well as the outdoor shotput title in 2023 and indoor shotput title in 2024. He currently holds the indoor school record in the weight throw and the outdoor school records in the hammer throw and the discus. His discus personal best of 61.22m (200’ 10 ¼”) has him third on the All-Time NCAA DIII outdoor performance list and qualified him to compete at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships. His indoor shot put mark of 18.79 (61’ 7 ¾”) has him eighth on the All-time NCAA DIII indoor performance list. His performances at the 2023 and 2025 NCAA DIII Outdoor Championships led him to be selected as the USTFCCCA Most Outstanding Field Performer of the Championships.
Chris Brinkworth – Throw North Coach
Chris has been helping young throwers in the Twin Cities for over 20 years. He is viewed by his peers as one of the best glide coaches in Minnesota. He has worked with some of the area's top high school coaches and athletes including current and former state record holders in the shot put as well as school record holders and All-State performers in shot put and discus. Chris also has collegiate coaching experience after spending 7 years at St. Olaf College in the MIAC, with multiple All-Conference and conference champion performers. A Big Ten champion and All-American in both the shot put and discus for the University of Minnesota, Chris trained under Lynne and Colin Anderson. Chris is a certified USATF Level 2 coach in throwing events and has various athletic performance certifications.
Erin Elder – Throw North Coach
Erin has 20+ years coaching the throws at both the High School and NCAA Division II level. In that time he has coached 4 MN State Champions (Girls Disc 2007, 2008, 2010 and Boys Shot 2015). He coached Worthington native Jordon Bents to both the NCAA Div. II Indoor and Outdoor National Meets. At Windom HS. He has coached numerous conference, Section Champions, and has coached all but one of the athletes who holds the current school records in boys and girls Shot and Disc. As the throws coach at the University of Sioux Falls (2010-2014), he coached the school record holders in all of the following events: Men's and Women's Weight Throw, Men's Indoor and Outdoor Shot, Men's and Women's Discus, Men's and Women's Hammer. Erin coached 14 athletes at USF who earned the All Northern Sun Conference award.
Paul Ellison – Throw North Coach
Paul has been a successful throws coach at the high school level for 20+ years. In that time, he has coached over 50 state entrants, 20 all state athletes, and positively impacted the throws of many state champions. Of the 40 athletes on the Armstrong High School Top Ten lists for girls and boys shot put and discus, Paul has coached 26 of them. He has coached all four of the school record holders. His throwers hold three of the four of the section 6AA throwing records. In 2015, Paul was the coach of the AAU shot put National Champion. He has had the opportunity to work with and learn from two of Minnesota's all-time great coaches (Lynne Anderson and Dick Mulkern). Paul is the founder and director of Throw North, whose athletes have dominated the Minnesota state tournaments. In the last ten years, Throw North has helped hundreds of athletes qualify for state tournaments, All state performances, as well as prepare for the demands of training for the Olympics. Paul is a USATF Level 1 certified coach.
Kris Kuehl– Throw North Coach
- Doctorate of Physical Therapy
- 2018 to present: MN throws Coach
- 2 years between 1999 and 2003 Throws Coach at St Paul Academy
- 2005 - 2009 USATF Women's Jr Discus development coordinator
- 1998 Indoor season only throws coach, Concordia College, Moorhead
- Speaker at various coaching clinics / camps since 1992
Camp Information:
Cost:
$400 ($350 earlybird price if purchased before 5/1)
Who:
All high school and college athletes interested in perfecting their throws
Where:
The Sonnentag (Fieldhouse) – 1075 Menomonie St., Eau Claire, WI 54703
Check-In:
8:30-9:00 am Friday, June 19, 2026 –Fieldhouse entrance of Sonnentag Fieldhouse
Clinic Timeline:
Friday
8:30-9:00 Registration
9:00-12:00 morning training
1:30-4:30 afternoon training
7:00-8:30 evening breakout sessions
Saturday
8:30-9:00 Registration
9:00-12:00 morning training
1:30-4:30 afternoon training
7:00-8:30 evening breakout sessions
Sunday
9:00-11:00 Mini Training Session
11:00-1:00 Mini Training Session
What to Bring:
Workout clothes, training and throwing shoes, shot put, discus, water bottle, snacks
Merch:
All those who register will receive a camp T-shirt. All who register will receive a free camp t-shirt. Other throwing shirts and gear will be available for purchase.
Lodging Options:
You will find the information for your online reservation link below.
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Eau Claire for 129.00 USD per night - Last Day to Book : Monday, May 18, 2026
Book your group rate for UWEC Throws Camp
For more information regarding Throws Camp, please contact:
Paul Conlin – UW Eau Claire Head Throws Coach
Email: conlinpl@uwec.edu Office: 715-836-3062
For registration related questions, please contact:
Corrine Vasquez — UW-Eau Claire Youth Protection Coordinator
Email: vasquezc@uwec.edu Office: (715) 836-3095
