Although my chances of ever being an athlete are very slim, I will always support athletics.

When I first heard the men’s track and field team was holding open tryouts for the javelin, I knew it was my chance for greatness. The tryouts were scheduled at 3:30 p.m. last Friday at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center.

With less than a week until the day of reckoning, I didn’t have much time to prepare, but I was determined to give it all I’d got.

Lately on TV I had seen commercials for the new movie “Invincible” starring Mark Wahlberg. I found the story to be inspirational as I went to the tryouts. I kept thinking, “What if that story becomes true for me? What if I make the team?”

I was pumped. This was going to be my day of glory.

Unfortunately, reality had other plans for me.

I was reminded that the reason I have never been on a sports team or even tried out for one is because I lack what most people would call athletic ability.

Sure, I can throw a Frisbee around Central Campus, but even my Frisbee skills lack proficiency. I wasn’t going to let that get me down. Not today. Today I was going to give it my all. Today was my day to shine.

I showed up at the rec about 10 minutes early so I would have some time to warm up before tryouts.

I tried to loosen myself up with some stretches and tossed a football around so hopefully I wouldn’t hurt myself.

After a few minutes of warming up, I met throws coach Dan O’Mara who gave me the rundown on the tryouts.

The qualifications were fairly simple. Each person who tried out was tested on his abilities based on the distance he could throw a football and the speed at which he could throw a softball. We were allowed four throws for each of the tests.

I had been looking forward to the chance to throw an actual javelin, but that wasn’t in the cards. I must admit that I was, and still am, a little disappointed about the substitution of equipment, but I can see where having a number of people throwing large pointed sticks inside a closed space could become a bit hazardous.

While talking to O’Mara, I also found out that there was only one open spot on the team. I could feel the pressure building up, but I was not going to let it affect my confidence.

As I took my place on the line to throw the football, I could feel the anticipation and nervous excitement building in my stomach.

I picked up the football, and as I was getting ready to make my first throw, I started hearing “Chariots of Fire” playing in my head.

35 yards.

This wasn’t as easy as I had hoped. But nonetheless, I continued without letting it faze me.

I threw my final three times, all of which landed somewhere between 35 and 40 yards. I was proud of these throws, even if they all fell short.

It was after I finished the distance portion and was being briefed on the speed test that I began to come to terms with reality.

The person throwing next to me was able to hurl the football between 50 and 60 yards and seemed to have a lot better grip on what he was doing than I did.

Even when being faced with the fact that I am not as athletically inclined as others, I hoped to redeem myself somewhat in the speed test. I knew I couldn’t throw as fast as professional pitchers, but I figured that I should be able to get a decent fastball out of the four throws.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

43 mph.

The fastest I can throw a softball is still under the speed limit of some city streets, and that was the fastest I could possibly throw overhand.

By this point there was no question that I had no chance.

Everyone in the rec was able to outthrow me.

Even James Winstead, the photographer who had the unfortunate assignment of taking pictures of me in my short shorts while I gave my all throwing, was able to show me up by 20 to 25 mph.

Defeated, but not discouraged, I thanked O’Mara for the opportunity. He told me there is an open tryout every year around the first of September and invited me to come back next year and try again.

Now with a sore arm, I will train like Rocky Balboa in “Rocky IV” for next year’s tryout. All I need now is a montage.

– Dan Moylan is a freshman from Omaha, Neb. He is an assistant news editor for the Daily.