Standing six-feet four-inches with tattoos plastered on each arm, senior Joe Bartlett may look intimating at first glance. The senior from Reno, Nev. is a person who appreciates the value of life and family above all else.

Those values are beneath the tough exterior of an athlete who has worked his way towards becoming one of WSU’s finest shot-put and discus throwers; recently earning a spot among the top-50 collegiate shot-put throwers in the country (43).

In his freshman year, Bartlett became the top Cougar shot putter, improving exponentially in each season since. Just last weekend, Bartlett topped his lifetime-best shot-put throw with a heave of more than 58 feet.

Associate Head Coach Debra Farwell said Bartlett has made a significant impact already in his senior year and expects he will improve more as he continues to gain strength.

“I am very encouraged with his efforts so far this season and hope to see him fulfill his goal of being an NCAA All-American,” Farwell said.

Bartlett said his long hours in the weight room and training are to thank for his recent success — something he is not stranger to.

“I think the biggest thing I have to attribute it to is time in the weight room,” Bartlett said.

That hard work dates back to high school for Bartlett, who earned eight varsity letters in football, wrestling and track at Bishop Manogue High School in Reno, Nev.

“I did track and football all four years and I wrestled for three years [in high school]," said Bartlett. “I was always busy doing something.”

But Bartlett is not just a one-trick pony. He puts forth that same work ethic in school as he works to finish up a degree in criminal justice in hopes of pursuing a career as a police officer after he graduates.

Along with following his father and older brother who both work in law enforcement, Bartlett said he just wants to help others.

“It’s something different everyday and it’s always helping somebody so it’s something I can see myself doing,” Bartlett said.

It’s only natural that Bartlett would want to emulate family in his career choice — he is a man who puts family above all else. Bartlett said the bond between himself and his parents is unbreakable.

“I’m a firm believer that family is really important,” Bartlett said. “You’ve got to love your family.”

Career choice isn’t the only tie he shares with his family, Bartlett has also developed quite a passion for restoring old cars with his father throughout the years. When he was 16, Joe worked to restore his grandpa’s old ’65 Mustang and now spends his free time restoring a ’69 Chevrolet Nova.

 “I do it for fun,” Bartlett said. “I’ve always liked fast cars and bikes, so it was kind of a natural fit.”

Cars were fun for Bartlett and his dad, but his bond with family was truly fortified after his 21-year-old brother died in a motorcycle accident when Joe was 11. After the accident, Bartlett said he vowed to appreciate life’s worth and cherish his loved ones all the more.

That vow to appreciate family is evident in the ink he wears on his arms and body.

“I’ve got nine tattoos,” Bartlett said. “Each one of them has meaning behind it.”

Joe bears a poem on his left arm about family, another tattoo marks his parents’ birthdays and a guardian angel is displayed on his right arm to remind him that someone’s always got his back.

He said his most meaningful tattoo is the one of a cross on his chest, which is meant to keep his brother close to his heart.

“That’s my favorite one because it’s the most significant,” Bartlett said.

Now Bartlett stands by his steadfast belief that life is precious. “I like to live every day to the fullest,” Bartlett said. “I just go out and find the good in everything. There’s not enough time to be moping over things.”

Bartlett is doing just that in his final year at WSU. When he isn’t pumping iron in the weight room or hurling a shot put, he is cruising around town in his restored ’65 Mustang, enjoying life to the fullest.