AUBURN, Ala. – Long before she began dominating on the infield, Kylee Carter's javelin career began in the outfield, the center fielder for Beauregard High School's softball team.
"You have an arm, throw the javelin," Kylee recalls hearing. Her introduction to track and field first came as a high jumper, when her history teacher asked if Carter thought she could jump a certain height.
"I can try," she said. State championship soon followed. From there, she added long jump, triple jump, shot put and javelin, winning state titles in each and earning recruiting attention as a multi-event athlete.
Showing the most promise in javelin, Carter walked on at Auburn, setting the school record as a freshman in 2016, a mark she's repeatedly broken in ensuing years, taking it from 49.91 meters to 60.69 this spring, the nation's second best throw in 2021.
"I walked on to this team," she said. "As a walk-on you have to prove it to yourself, not only to your coaches, that you belong here."'You have to prove it to yourself': Kylee walked on as a freshman in 2016, quickly setting the program record
Carter is one of four Auburn javelin throwers – two women and two men – at the NCAA Track and Field Outdoors Championships in Eugene, Oregon, the most of any program at NCAAs.
"Once [Auburn assistant] Coach [Pat] Ebel came in, we really took off," she said. "It's been a journey to say the least."
When Kylee arrived, javelin thrower Justin Carter (no relation) mentored her. Kylee in turn tutored his younger sister, Ashley, who will also compete at NCAAs in javelin Thursday at 6:45 p.m. CT.
"All I did was copycat him until my body learned how to be a javelin thrower," Kylee said. "She does the same thing with me. I take her under my wing.
"This program has so much more to go. I think next year an even bigger group will go out there. To have four javelin throwers and a hammer thrower says a lot about Coach Ebel and this throws group."
When NCAAs end, Carter will remain in Oregon for the U.S. Olympic Trials June 18-27 at Hayward Field, a testament to how far she's come in the past five years after not qualifying for NCAAs or the 2016 Olympic trials.
"Now I'm going to Olympic trials and I actually have a chance to make the Olympic team and a chance to win the national championship," she said.NCAA runner-up: Kylee finished second in 2019
This is Carter's third appearance at NCAAs.
"The first time I went, I didn't really classify myself as a javelin thrower," said Carter, who finished 10th in 2018 and was runner-up in 2019. "This year, it's a brand new stadium so we're really excited about that. I definitely hope to bring a national championship back to Auburn.
"It's the one meet that I haven't won here at Auburn. I think it would be fun to check that one off the list too, and move into Olympic trials leaving Auburn as an NCAA champion."
Carter has won 20 javelin meets in her Auburn career, including four this season. In her past 16 meets, she's won 11 times, including the 2019 SEC Outdoor Championship. She owns the top 10 throws in program history.
"It's faith, it's hard work, it's good coaching, it was a great medical staff when I got hurt," said Carter, who earned her undergraduate degree in 2019 and her master's this spring. "I think it was a combination of the Auburn family taking care of me these past six years. A little hard work and faith will take you a long way. That's the recipe. I just stayed down and worked through any obstacle that came my way."
Carter's triumphs have not come without those obstacles. As a sophomore in 2017, knee surgery led to a medical redshirt. Two years later, a tornado hit her community 10 miles east of Auburn's campus, killing 23 people.
Carter and her teammates collected and delivered supplies and clothing to survivors who had lost everything. On many days, she helped clear trees and debris in the morning before practicing in the afternoon.
"The community is still recovering," she said. "There was a lot of loss. They're doing well and they're very proud. All I can do is throw my javelin as far as I can and hopefully make them proud. They're all rooting for me and the rest of us.
"I think the Beauregard community is so proud of me. Despite the tragedy, they've always supported me. We have Lee County Strong stickers on a couple of our javelins from that year."
Seeking the only title that has eluded her, Kylee Carter reflected on the lessons she's learned – and taught – while becoming an Auburn track and field superstar.
"Keep the faith," she said. "God has a plan. I didn't plan on tearing my ACL my sophomore year. I didn't plan on having a pandemic to bring me into a sixth year. Keep going. Anything is possible. I couldn't have planned a better six years. Working hard and grinding out, and I made it here."
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer