Winters aren't solely practice regimens for Carl Patz and a few of his Let if Flying Throwing, LLC athletes.

Kouts senior Megan Rust, South Central junior Sara Greer, Munster junior Brittaney Bermingham and Hebron sophomore Hayley Lindemer will take part in national indoor track and field competitions this weekend.

Rust, Greer and Lindemer each qualified for both Friday's Nike Indoor Nationals in Boston and Sunday morning's National Scholastic Indoor Championships in New York City. Bermingham will compete in the NSIC, while Valparaiso junior DeLaney McGinley qualified also qualified for the NSIC, but she is unable to attend.

All four local athletes will be competing in the weight throw, which is primarily the indoor equivalent of the hammer throw. For these Indiana athletes, it's a valuable preparation time for the spring's prep field events.

"It certainly helps when track season comes around," said Rust, who is in her second year of winter work with the weight throw. "It helps with my footwork, and it keeps me throwing.

"When I first started, and I wasn't really sure about it. Carl wanted me to try it, and it's important to me."

Patz, a 1996 Hebron grad, advanced to the IHSAA state finals in the discus for three straight years and placed twice -- eighth as a junior and seventh as a senior. He's been coaching local throwers since 2002, and he founded L.I.F.T. in 2005. The past two seasons, he began focusing on having his athletes take part in winter indoor competitions.

This venture has its share of growing pains. Indiana's indoor track season consists of a few events before the spring outdoor campaign begins. Ohio and Michigan's indoor track seasons are more extensive. Both even include a state indoor track and field championship.

"Indiana is kind of behind in terms of indoor track meets," Patz said. "Everyone seems to think a normal indoor season begins now."

Michigan started the program this season, which was a pleasant sight for Patz, who primarily took his athletes to Michigan this season instead of Ohio.

"We took a trip to Ohio this year," Patz said, "and it felt like a really long trip."

Speaking of travel time, two of his weight throw pupils (Greer and Bermingham) have close to an hour's drive to Patz's training facility in Hebron.

"Out of respect for their driving distance, I don't mind if they come out once or twice a week," Patz said. "I understand that they still might have homework to do when they get home."

Rust's travel time is less than 15 minutes, so she shows up four times a week.

"I like having the chance to do as much work as I can there," said Rust, the lone returning competitor in the group. "It helps."

Rust's best throw in competition was 40 feet, 2 inches, easily topping the national qualifying distance of 36 feet.

"I don't think I've quite reached my potential just yet," Rust said. "I would like to get to 42 feet. I think I can reach that.

"I definitely think this has been worth it."

This column solely represents the writer's opinion. Reach him at jim.hunsley@nwi.com.