NAMPA, Idaho – John Van Beuren learned how to weld at age 7.

Learning from his father Barry, who owns Meridian Steel Erectors in Meridian, Idaho, Van Beuren used to make his mom, Diane, flowers out of washers.

Little did Van Beuren know that the technical skill of working with the welding torch at a young age would lead to a successful athletic career and eventually, he hopes, success in his chosen vocation – orthopedic surgeon - as well.

"Welding and creating (things) gave me the love to work with my hands to build stuff and fix things," he said. "My sports career gave me the love to be kinesthetically active and to help people in a sense.

"So, putting those two things together would be surgery. A career where you get to work with your hands to help people improve themselves or get healthy."

The 6-foot-9, 270-pound redshirt senior is one of the best hammer throwers to ever wear a Northwest Nazarene University track and field jersey. He is already throwing near the school record (176 feet, 8 inches) and has his eyes on a potential spot at the national meet this spring.

First though, he hopes to set the school record in the weight throw – indoor track and field's version of the hammer. The Nighthawks open the 2017-18 indoor track and field season Saturday at the Jackson's Open in Nampa.

"The hammer (throw) is very technical," NNU track and field coach John Spatz said. "There is a lot of skill development required there - going around in a circle three times as fast as you can without getting dizzy and then being able to throw in the right direction. It's been fun watching him progress at that."

Van Beuren started throwing in middle school, continuing in high school at Cole Valley Christian and Centennial High in Boise. As a freshman at NNU he played basketball, but didn't really start throwing the hammer until his sophomore season.

"(The hammer) felt pretty natural and it has progressed ever since," he said. "So much of it is being coachable. You can be pretty consistent, but there is always something you can mess up from time to time. So, having a coach who watches you and takes you step-by-step is important – and being able to listen to what they say."

Van Beuren came to NNU as a business major, before switching to pre-medicine. Needing an extra year to graduate he redshirted last year and is hoping his fifth year will be a true super senior year.

"Hoping I can break a couple of records with it," said Van Beuren, who finished third at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference indoor track and field championships two years ago in weight throw. "I threw 182 last year (in hammer), so I have the distance I just have to make sure I can do it again this year (when it counts)."