Kelsey Card sounds as much like a fun-seeking fan as a competitor when she talks about her upcoming trip south of the equator. But make no mistake, the 23-year-old Carlinville High School graduate will be quite serious when she steps into the discus-throwing ring at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"I want to get the whole experience," Card said in a recent phone interview. "I'll be there for the opening ceremonies Aug. 5 and the closing ceremonies on the 21st. I'll be there the whole time.

"I hope this isn't the only time I go (to the Olympics). But nothing's guaranteed. I want to take full advantage of this."

Card wants to watch other sports, including some that are "out there" such as equestrian and table tennis.

"When would I be able to see that stuff again?" said asked rhetorically. "There's a lot of stuff that will be cool and unique to watch."

Card will even work a birthday celebration into her stay. She turns 24 on Aug. 20.

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The Carlinville municipal band plays the Olympic theme song in Card's honor on Friday night.

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But the spring graduate of the University of Wisconsin will be in Rio for business as well as pleasure. Once she arrives Thursday, her schedule will include practice with Wisconsin throws coach David Astrauskas in fine-tuning for the discus prelims on the evening of Aug. 15.

Of the approximately 30 discus entries, the top 12 from the prelims will advance to semifinals on the morning of Aug. 16. The top eight from the semifinals will get three more throws in finals the same day.

It's the same format Card worked through in the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, where she earned the third and last qualifying spot in the discus with a throw of 197 feet, 3 inches. She joined Whitney Ashley of Moreno Valley, California, and Shelbi Vaughan of Azle, Texas, in the U.S. Olympic team's discus trio.

A few weeks before, also in Eugene, Card won the NCAA title with a personal-best throw of 208-5 (or 63.52 meters), which ranks her 16th worldwide.

Realistic expectations

Heading into her first Olympic Games, Card is a competitor and a realist. Most of the women ranked ahead of her will be in Rio, led by defending gold medalist Sandra Perkovic of Croatia. She's the discus queen with a world-leading toss of 70.88 meters (232 1/2 feet).

Just as she knew college competition would be a major leap from a high school career that saw her win four state titles in both the shot put and discus, Card will go to the Olympic Stadium in Rio mentally competing against herself instead of worrying about the best of the best.

"I know there are girls out there who've thrown six or seven meters farther than me," Card said. "But I just have to focus on myself. I can't control what they do, only what I do.

"I'd love to get a P.R. (personal record). That's always the goal. And it would be awesome to make the finals. I'd definitely like to make it to the second day."

It's an Olympic baptism for both Card and her coach, Astrauskas. A Troy native who recruited Card to come to Wisconsin, Astrauskas said his first-ever Olympian needs to be at her best -- or very close to it.

"I'd say if Kelsey performs within a half-meter of her best, she'll be in the mix to make the second day," Astrauskas said. "Currently, based on the seedings, she's going in at about 14th.

"The thing with her is, she has a good understanding of how to take care of her business. She knows how to focus and be successful in the heat of the moment.

"But after all of this, the NCAAs and the Olympics, she'll be the same old Kelsey, the same person who came onto campus as a freshman."

Flipping a switch

Being "the same old Kelsey" is what sets Card apart, according to Card's friend and fellow Olympian, Deanna Price.

Price, a Moscow, Missouri, native and recent Southern Illinois University-Carbondale graduate, will compete at Rio in the women's hammer throw. She developed a friendship with Card through college competition, and the small-town Midwestern girls will be roommates in Rio.

"Kelsey and I, we're kind of the same person," Price said. "We take (competition) seriously, but we like to laugh and have fun. Otherwise, the world can get to you if you let it.

"Watching Kelsey, she has that personal, bubbly level. But when it's her turn to go in the ring, it's game time. A lot of great athletes have that switch, and that's what makes her a great competitor.

"She really has the best of both worlds. She's that sweet, kind-hearted person everybody loves. But she's also that competitor who knows how to go for it. That's what I love about Kelsey."

Safe to say, everyone back in Carlinville loves Card as well.

The Card family actually lives near Plainview, a village several miles south of Carlinville. Kelsey's parents, Tom and Andrea Card, said the community support has been overwhelming.

"I think you get that more in a small town," said Andrea, who teaches in the Carlinville School District and was a standout athlete there in the early 1980s.

"I know a lot of people through my teaching, but it's nice having people you don't even know complimenting what your daughter is doing."

Team Card

Tom Card said individuals started offering donations for Kelsey and/or the Card family to help with travel expenses to Rio. He said the family is "doing fine financially," but the donations led to something special.

"An individual gave Andrea a check for $2,000," Tom said. "Andrea told them, 'I think we're going to be OK, but would you mind donating it to the two charities Kelsey's picked?'"

Better known as Team Card, the effort is raising funds for two of Kelsey's favorite organizations: the Carlinville Track Club and the Macoupin County Animal Shelter. Shelly Wills, who was Card's high school coach, said "Kelsey Card: Throwing is her thing" T-shirt sales have been brisk.

"Kelsey's really into adopting and saving animals, and the track club is working on redesigning the discus area at the school," Wills said. "This is a big thing for a small town. Everyone wants to reach out and support you.

"I'm just thrilled for Kelsey. She's going to be on such a big stage, and I'm so glad she's going to get to enjoy it all."

While many of Card's fans will watch and follow her efforts from afar (Rio is two hours ahead of Carlinville, by the way), there will be a delegation of fans in Rio. Card's parents along with her younger brother, Daniel, are making the trip along with Card's fiance, Andrew Bartsch, and his parents, Mike and Julie.

Kelsey's older sister, Brittany, who played volleyball at Belmont University, will be following Kelsey's exploits from Brittany's home in northern Georgia. Brittany is the mother of 1-year-old twins.

But also making the trip is someone who can say, "I knew her back when." Eldon Wold is a retired music teacher at Carlinville, where Kelsey was among his choir students and also took piano lessons from him.

"I was going to surprise her by showing up down there, but it was hard to keep a secret for that long," Wold said. "

I'm not totally surprised in what Kelsey's done. When she started throwing in middle school, she did really well and just kept going.

"She stuck with piano for a few years, but she just got so busy with so many sports (also volleyball and basketball). But she was always just very outgoing and bright, just a cool girl.

"To see where she's at now, it brings tears to my eyes just talking about it."

Hopefully there will be more cheers than tears in Rio on Aug. 15-16. Even though they'll be in a huge stadium, Andrea Card might continue a tradition that started back in Kelsey's high school days.

"When the kids were little and they'd be playing out in the woods or down at the creek," I'd go outside and I'd whistle for them to come home," Andrea said. "I'd do the same thing at (track) meets, just to let Kelsey know where we were. She knows it's me because I'm pretty loud.

"I'm going to try it at the stadium. We still have our routine."

-- Contact Dave Kane: 788-1544, dave.kane@sj-r.com, twitter.com/davekaneSJR.