Barbara Friedrich-Parsinski

Barbara Friedrich-Parsinski’s athletic career is one of the most remarkable in Manasquan High School history.

A member of the Class of 1967, Friedrich-Parsinski began her athletic journey at a time when organized girls’ sports opportunities were limited. Despite those limitations, she competed wherever she could, excelling in softball, basketball, and ultimately track and field. Her athletic ability quickly drew attention, especially her rare combination of speed, strength, and throwing power.

At Manasquan, she came under the guidance of track coach George Bauer, who helped her compete in local and regional track and field events throughout New Jersey. Her talent in the javelin soon became impossible to ignore.

In 1967, representing Manasquan High School at the Asbury Park Press-sponsored New Jersey State Girls’ Track and Field Championships, Friedrich-Parsinski won the meet with a throw of 177 feet. Just weeks later, on June 7, 1967, she delivered a historic performance at the Long Branch Invitational Meet of Champions, throwing the javelin 198 feet, 7 inches.

That throw shook the track and field world. Not only did she set meet, conference, and national records, but officials declared her mark to be both a national and world record. Decades later, her national and state records still had not been matched or surpassed by any college, university, or high school athlete.

Friedrich-Parsinski continued her dominance later that year, becoming the AAU District and Regional Champion and winning a gold medal at the Pan-American Games. The following year, she won the USATF Meet and the United States Olympic Trials, earning a top world ranking in the javelin. Her accomplishments secured her a place on the 1968 United States Olympic Team, competing in Mexico City.

In addition to her Olympic Trials success, Friedrich-Parsinski represented the United States in international competition around the world, including meets against Romania, England, China, and an Australian All-Women’s team.

Her career earned her recognition well beyond Manasquan. She was inducted into the Kean University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Jersey Shore Athletic Club Hall of Fame. In October 1988, she was named one of the top ten athletes of all time at the Jersey Shore by the Asbury Park Press.

Barbara Friedrich-Parsinski’s Hall of Fame recognition honors a once-in-a-generation athlete whose talent, determination, and achievements helped inspire the advancement of women’s athletics and brought national distinction to Manasquan High School.