Damon and Kirk Unland, University of Wyoming’s “Throws Bros” as Wyoming Athletics’ Graduate Assistant for Media Relations Nate Lake refers to them, provide unique competition and a support system for each other while competing for UW Track and Field.
The duo hails from Spokane, Washington, where their journey throwing javelin not only against each other but with each other, started.
“It’s pretty chill, honestly,” Damon said. “It’s not like we’re competing against each other, we’re more like rooting for each other. I’m always wanting him to throw well, but then if he does throw well, it’s like, ‘well I guess I gotta throw well, too, because he just did something well.”
Damon’s brother Kirk reiterated his point, though they do try to compete with each other, at the end of the day they are family and there is nothing but love between the two.
“I’d say if there’s one person that we’d be fine with beating one another, it would be each one of us,” Kirk said. “We’d rather have that than some other random person. We still keep the competition going, though, because marks are marks. So we’re still trying to beat each other, me more so than him.”
Though they did compete together in high school, it was only for a year. Damon is three grades older than Kirk, so while Kirk was getting the hang of throwing Damon was putting the finishing touches on his high school career and preparing to come compete for UW. Additionally, until they both got to compete at the collegiate level, they did not compete in the same events.
Though the duo is finally able to really compete against each other, for Damon, his brother doesn’t serve for as much motivation as one may think a little friendly sibling rivalry might lend. Rather, Damon is focusing on hitting his marks and ending his career at UW on a high note. Kirk, on the other hand, would still like to beat his big brother.
“This is my first outdoor season, so more, I’d say, [is] on the line for [Damon] because it’s his last year, I’ve still got a ways to go,” Kirk said. “So I’m just having more fun with it, than I guess he is. But yes, I am still trying to go against him, as much as I can.”
Even though they don’t compete against each other as much as themselves, the two still do a very good job of staying at the top, so much so that Damon is ranked number one in the Mountain West top-10 standings for the men’s hammer throw, with little bro Kirk right behind him at number two, according to a GoWyo article written by Lake.
“So far in these meets, [Damon and Kirk] have kind of been 1 and 2 or 1 and 3, so it’s sort of like this little force field they have, the two of them,” Throws Coach Carrie Lane said. “If someone breaks into the 1-2 lineup, then there’s certainly motivation, especially on Kirk’s part, to get back up to be right behind Damon, so that’s kind of fun. And you do see it, like, they’re brothers, so you see this competitiveness, but also a lot of support, that you wouldn’t maybe see with just two random teammates.”
Though the “Throws Bros” have been consistently dominating in all of their events, neither of the two have denied there is still work to be done, and they are eager to keep improving throughout the remainder of the season and into conference championships.
“Since it feels like I’m not throwing that well, but I’m still number one, it makes it very calming going into conference, because I know I’ll get better throughout the season,” Damon said.
Kirk still knows that he is a bit back from his older brother, so along with continuing to beat out opposing schools, he is still after the number one spot that Damon is currently holding.
“There are some marks that are a lot closer to me than him, so I still got to stay on my A-game,” Kirk said. “I like that I’m second for the start of the season, so I’ll just try my best to just keep it up and try not to be happy more than that, try to continue to shoot for that first.”
