PIERCE - High school throwers from Nebraska and beyond came to Pierce on Tuesday to gain knowledge from the best of the best.

The 13th annual Nebraska Elite Throwers Camp took place at the Pierce Throwers Complex, and gave attendees the chance to receive instruction from a variety of different college coaches. One of those coaches was University of South Dakota Throws Coach A.G. Kruger, who is also a former three-time Olympian, and is looking to use his experience to help youth athletes.

“It's great to be able to take the knowledge I have, and the knowledge that all of these coaches have, and bring it down to the youth athletes,” Kruger said. “No matter if they're going to throw in college or not, just giving them the knowledge to be able to have more success in what they're doing.”

Kruger competed in the hammer throw in the 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, and 2012 London Olympic games, competed on five World Championship teams, and qualified for 14 U.S. National Championships. Kruger's main message to the camp was that they can achieve whatever level of success they want through hard work and perseverance.

“The harder you want to work, the better you're going to become, and that's my biggest message with all of these guys,” Kruger said. “If you work hard, and you truly believe in something, and you work all you can do to make yourself better, great things are going to happen.”

Other coaches in attended included Derek Frese of Nebraska Wesleyan University, Ed McLaughlin of Concordia University, Brett Suckstorf of Wayne State College, and Zach Lurz of Dakota Wesleyan University.