TAKEOFF
PUMA in the pit
PUMA in the Pit #3 APR 2021
The mission of TAKEOFF Magazine is to inspire amateur athletes to personal greatness. My name is Adele San Miguel, and I am the co-founder of Pole Vault Carolina, a training facility based in Durham, North Carolina. TAKEOFF is the next iteration of our club’s mission: to coach the athlete to their highest self. I’m thrilled to have you on our runway. ADELE SAN MIGUEL, PUBLISHER + EDITOR
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HELLO THERE!
April 2021
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
When PUMA sponsored Mondo Duplantis, Renaud LaVillenie, Sandi Morris, and other eilte vaulters, the track and field world took notice. Ralph Hardy brings us the inside story of PUMA’s meaningful investment in the future of pole vault on page 22. Four years of hard work and frustration passed before Canadian vaulter Anicka Newell achieved a new personal best. She made one change and cleared the Olympic A standard. To read about Anicka’s recent success, click to page 18 for the article by Kreager Taber. Shawn Francis makes it okay to sometimes not be okay. We interviewed Shawn on the topic of mental health and the importance of transparency. Page 14. In keeping our promise to be pole vault plus, we invited 2-time Olympian in the 800 meters Tony Parilla to share his thoughts on how young talent can make the most of their athletic journeys. If I Knew Then is on page 48. North West Pole Vault head coach Tim Reilly joins us again, this time with an uplifting piece on Rebekah Ross, a senior heading to Brigham Young University with a spot on the pole vault squad. Read how Rebekah’s sacrifices paid off in Recruited on page 12. A ‘couple’ of Olympic hopefuls make up our Destination Tokyo column, featuring former Arkansas Razorback vaulter Megan Zimlich and U. S. Indoor Champion Scott Houston, her training partner and fiancé. Their interviews begin on page 34. We feature 4 middle school athletes in our ClubHub section. Click to page 8 to learn what these young athletes have accomplished early in their careers. Looking for a celebration of pole vault meet or high level camp this summer? Be sure to read the ads from the Hudson Valley Flying Circus and SPIRE Institute. We are committed to providing excellence through sport. Let us know how we can help you achieve your own bar. All the Very Best, Adele
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Issue Number 3! You will read about PUMA’s investment in pole vault, hear from Olympian Tony Parilla, and view the analysis of a jump by 2004 Olympic gold medalist, Tim Mack.
Letter from The Editor
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Makes and Misses 6 ClubHub 8 Recruited: Rebekah Ross, Brigham Young 12 Shawn Francis Has Something to Say 14 Anicka Newell: A New Attitude 18 PUMA in the Pit 22 Outdoor Season: A Plan for Success
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Destination: Tokyo - Scott Houston and Megan Zimlich
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Coach’s Critique - Tim Mack 44 If I Knew Then with Olympian Jose “Tony” Parilla
Cover photo provided by PUMA
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CONTRIBUTORS Ralph Hardy
Tim Mack
JOSE “TONY” PARRILLA
Playright Novelist, Argos Masters Pole Vaulter
2004 Olympic Gold Medalist 2004 Olympic Record Holder Training Director SPIRE Institute
1992 and 1996 Olympian, 800 meters 3x NCAA Champion University of Tennessee
PUMA in the Pit., Shawn Francis
Coach’s Critique
if i Knew Then
Tim Reilly
Jose R. San Miguel
Kreager Taber
Founder and Head Coach of North West Pole Vault Club.
Head Coach of Pole Vault Carolina
Scientist Writer Pole Vault Aficionado
Recruited
Makes & Misses, Outdoor Season, graphic design
Anicka Newell
MAKES & MISSES By Jose R. San Miguel
Third attempts define you. I’m not talking about whether you make or miss the bar, but how you face the bar, and your decision to either compete on that last attempt or accept early defeat. Everyone faces a third jump. Some dread it and become hesitant and glum, thinking their meet is over; others approach it emotionally strong. They make the physical and technical adjustments in their mind, then they get fired up to prove they can exceed the bar. In this singular effort, these vaulters practice overcoming any obstacles life throws their way. They beat fear back. There are a number of reasons why we end up missing twice and have to jump a third time to prevent a no height, stay in the competition, or go for the win. It may be technical. The run may be off, making it difficult to get into the pit. The standards may not be in the right place for your jumps that day, or you are not mentally prepared to deal with the adverse realities of jumping outdoors. Maybe your pole is too small for the tail wind, or you have a slight injury. Perhaps you are not feeling it.
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Technical, mental, and environmental factors will impact what you achieve. What you decide to do between the second and third jumps will have a profound effect on your outlook for the next meet, and on how you adjust when life requires you to come up big. My advice? Control what you can. Sometimes we cannot put it together technically.
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The step is inside, the plant is late, you are not driving, and may be pulling instead of pushing. These can be managed. We can wait for our plant to magically fix itself, or we can drive longer to make it to the back of the pit, so that the step is not a foot inside. You can jump on the same pole you have been blowing through because it is your comfort pole, or you can reach into the bag and grab the one you are afraid of, but know is what you need to compete on in that moment. You can wait for the wind to shift, but you must be prepared to jump even if it is not blowing your way. Fear limits you, until you decide it can’t. The technical decisions you make affect you emotionally. You know what you should do when confronting the third bar, but do you do it right then, or do you delay your success? Accept what is happening and go for it anyway. Focus on one or two things to execute, no more. Be determined, not daunted. The next time you confront your third attempt, choose to compete without hesitation. Third attempts can be the greatest jumps of your career! Give yourself the best chance by grabbing the next pole, gripping up, and going. If you miss, congratulations! You did not let fear win. You will always be better off trying your best and failing than playing it safe and wondering what could have been. Imagine what Tim Mack, Steven Hooker, and Stacy Dragila would be thinking today if they accepted
defeat before their third attempts. They all became Olympic medalists thanks to their last jump!
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2000, 2004, 2008 Olympic Games Finals Scorecards
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Source: Wikipedia
Hudson Valley Flying Circus Warwick, NY Owner and Head Coach: Tim St. Lawrence
Rachel Venter While her pole vault coach claims to be taking a slow approach to her development, Rachel Venter’s accomplishments at the pit have been nothing short of meteoric. She has broken the 7th and 8th grade New York state records seven times. At thirteen years old, her personal best is a whopping 11’1”. Rachel started pole vaulting in 6th grade, after spending five years as a USAG competitive gymnast. She was both a state bars and all-around champion. Her middle school gym teacher, also the track coach, encouraged her to try track and field. After doing some research, her mom Julie Kay discovered the Hudson Valley Flying Circus nearly in their backyard. Rachel attended their annual BBQ meet as a spectator to see what pole vault was all about. She decided to try it for two months.
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will to achieve. One of the most respected girls at our club, Rachel finds the time to encourage others. We are taking a slow approach to her development, but she is in this for the long haul.” Rachel is currently working on the flex and roll. The best part about pole vault is the friendships she has made with the girls she trains with. Coach St. always cheers her on and makes her smile. Rachel plans to compete in college and then vault professionally!
Two years later, Rachel is ranked 4th in the country for 8th grade girls according to U.S. Milesplit. Her work ethic explains it. She jumps two or three days a week, and builds strength with a personal trainer on two other days. During track season she attends school practice before heading over to The Barn for a vault session. She takes a full day of rest per week. “Rachel Venter has a tremendous zeal for athletic flying,” says Coach Tim St. Lawrence. “She is a focused young girl with speed, dedication, and the
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Photo provided by Julie Christian
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Luke Beattie They say that life is a circle, and twelve-year old Luke Beattie is proving it true. He is the third member of the Beattie family to train with Coach St. at The Hudson Valley Flying Circus; his father was the first, and 15-year-old sister Lily is second. Luke recently jumped the New York state 7th grade vault record of 10’2.5’ feet, a thrilling accomplishment to match Lily’s 12’ vault as a freshman, and father Rich’s state championship win from 1986.
An avid Alabama fan who shares his love for the Crimson Tide with Rich and Coach St., Luke also likes to ride his bike and quad with friends, and hang out with his grandparents and dog Lola. His long-term goals are to hurdle, pole vault, and sprint. Luke has his eyes set on a national championship and wants to do it all!
“Luke Beattie came to pole vault at the Flying Circus as a 6th grader and has made tremendous improvements in one year,” said Coach St. “A multi-sport athlete, Luke also excels in football, sprints, and hurdles for Coach Mike Potter Jr.’s Purple Wave Track tradition at Warwick Valley Middle School. His outstanding speed produces a super plant and drive phase already. He has a bright future in multi-events. Luke has a strong, competitive spirit and everyone is thrilled he started up with the vault.” Luke lives a mile from the storied pole vault club, set in a chicken barn on a bucolic property in west New York. He has been hanging out there for as long as he can remember. Currently Luke is working on all parts of his jump, especially the rock back. Olympic weightlifting is a new endeavor, and Luke practices at a local Cross Fit gym on days he is not at The Barn. He just learned how to snatch and to clean and jerk.
Photo provided by Coach St.
Cape Fear Flyers Wilmington, NC Coaches: David Schmick and Keith Lundin
Hannah Grace Hannah Grace knows what she wants. Off the track Hannah is a straight A student who loves to play piano, juggle, fish, and hunt with her father. On the track she is a multi-eventer with nine national medals to her credit. She is 13 years old.
proaches every season with enthusiasm. She aspires to jump in college. A goal setter, Hannah has a vision board on the wall in her bedroom. Every time this rising star achieves a personal record, she updates her board. She is excited about summer track, starting high school in the fall, and breaking many school records!
When she was seven, Hannah joined the Cape Fear Flyers, a track and field club based in Wilmington, NC. Long jump was her favorite early on, until she tried high jump. She placed 6th in the long jump at USATF Indoor Nationals in 2017. In 2018, she earned All-American placement in high jump at USATF Outdoor Nationals. Last month, Hannah broke the five-foot barrier in the high jump with a leap of 5’0.25. She also competes in the hurdles and multis.
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In the fall of 2019, Hannah added pole vault to the list of events to excel in. She cleared 6 feet in her first meet. With access to a pit at a local private school, Hannah trained through the pandemic with her mother Beth as her coach. She participated in virtual meets early in the summer of 2020. Steadily improving, Hannah jumped 8’ in June, 9’ in September, and in March of ’21, she cleared 9’6” at the AAU Indoor Nationals, and the same height again at The NSAF Meet of Champions. Her approach has been described as ‘fearless’. Grounded in her Christian faith, Hannah ap-
Photo provided by Beth Grace
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Pole Vault Carolina
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Durham, NC Owner and Head Coach: Jose R. San Miguel
Alden Bryson In early 2020, Alden Bryson walked into a beginner’s clinic a 7th grade gymnast and walked out a pole vaulter. When Covid interrupted her training two months later, she called Coach Jose and asked what she could do to keep progressing. Renting a pole, Alden performed drills in her back yard. She attended our Olympic Zoom calls, was first in line when we reopened, and did not complain about wearing a mask to practice in the sweltering North Carolina summer. Instead, Alden asked if she could train with the advanced vaulters. She is now one of them.
was also the only athlete to PR at each of the 3 meets, scoring enough points for her team to win the challenge. Alden earned the MVP recognition of the series…. what else can you expect? The goal for Alden going forward is to keep pole vault fun, improve the fundamentals, and enjoy her high school pole vault journey.
Alden attends practice 3 times a week and faithfully does our at home workouts on non-jump days. She has gotten stronger, faster, and has improved her personal best over and again. As an 8th grader she has a PR of 9’1” and is currently the second highest jumping middle schooler in North Carolina. She is on the All-Time list at the club, and will enter high school already the school record holder! With the mind of a competitor and the heart of a champion, Alden stays until the end of every meet to cheer on her teammates. During the indoor season, Pole Vault Carolina hosted a 3 meet series in which our athletes were grouped into 4 teams to compete against one another. Alden, the youngest on her team, served as captain. She
Photo provided by Pole Vault Carolina
RECRUITED
Rebekah Ross Brigham Young University By Tim Reilly
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One of my favorite pictures is of a small girl in yellow rubber boots and a pink rain jacket squatting in the muddy grass of an expansive field, staring and poking into the earth below her with fascination. While most would miss it in the larger landscape, she found something rich in this spot that is worth a piece of her day. In my 30 years of teaching and now 6 years of coaching a club of hundreds of good athletes passing through, I’ve learned the same rich insight that each athlete has a unique and special tale of their journey to me.
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Often there has been a network of supportive parents, teachers, and coaches in the story, but in the case of North West Pole Vault senior Rebekah Ross, there is also a remarkable history of passionate industry on multiple fronts. Like many of the athletes I coach, Rebekah is a rock star student. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and also takes as many AP courses as she can. She will have managed 13 of them before graduating. Students like Rebekah often exhaust themselves at the expense of their spirit, espe-
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cially with the added stress of self-study in Covid times, but it’s only a fraction of her output. Rebekah is a master classical piano player who has competed and performed at the highest levels of junior music in Spokane. I’ve known many elite teen musicians over my years, and the hours of commitment are mind-boggling. Very few have the bandwidth for sports as well. After years of gymnastics and a short stint with ballet, Rebekah tried pole vault at the suggestion of someone at Central Valley High School. She was quickly enchanted. After a 9’6” freshman season, she sought more help with a trip to a summer camp with me and a club coach near her, offering sessions twice a week in the winter. Rebekah jumped 11’6” her sophomore year and attended another spring camp last March with me in Seattle, but then Covid shut her down. These are the defining moments that separate the champions from the rest. Rebekah had found her sport, and her dream was to continue doing it at Brigham Young University. Throughout the spring, her mom drove her 30 minutes each way to an open track where Rebekah could continue pole runs by herself. By summer she was starved for more and was permitted to spend days at a time training and staying with her grandparents near Seattle, if she could commit to absolute Covid safety 24/7 for their sakes. This began an odyssey of 9-hour car trips twice a month with her mom, that continued through the fall and winter this year. It takes a village. I reached out to Rick McWhorter at BYU pretty early last summer to say, “Coach, I’ve got a special one for you I can promise will be a 12’6” er at least and who will not let up on the gas pedal until she makes 14’ in your care.” He has been a happy correspondent ever since with updates on her progress. Rebekah signed with them in November. I’ve coached dozens of 12’6+ vaulters who have moved on to college programs, but many have been taller, more advanced in gymnastics, and more singularly focused on the vault. There is another dynamic in Rebekah’s engine room that adds steam to her various pursuits. Here I go offgrid and speculate: sometimes kids hand me their phones to catch videos of their vaulting. Screensavers enshrine what we love most and what we like to be reminded of 50 times a day. Rebekah’s screensaver is an image of Jesus. This is nothing she has ever mentioned,
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of course, but it’s a big part of why she wants to attend BYU; she wants to do mission work. During Covid, she made masks and hats for homeless folks hardest hit by the challenges of our times. In our training sessions and meets, there might be no one so consistently hooting for the successes of teammates. She thanks me every time she leaves, and just seems to be bountifully grateful for her daily blessings. As I sit a while today and look down into the wet grass of my club that’s full of fascinating and lovable teenagers, I think this special one is a brilliantly gifted young woman enflamed by faith. In my view, such are the highest hopes for our future. It’s been my privilege to know her and to share her story here.
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Shawn Francis Has Something to Say
(And a lot of people are listening) by Ralph Hardy
Any pole vaulter who has spent more than five minutes on YouTube looking for pole vault videos has likely come across the Team-Hoot vlogs posted by Shawn Francis. Frequently shot in what appears to be his basement, yet cleverly edited and slightly sardonic in tone, Francis actually makes pole vaulting seem, well, cool. But to his thousands of viewers, the Minnesota state high school pole vault champion, North Dakota State University record holder, and former professional vaulter is more than a talking head who adds some sophomoric humor to their own quixotic pole vaulting exploits. For many he’s a voice of compassion, empathy and encouragement as they grapple with depression and other mental illnesses, and the stigma attached to them. Shawn gets it. And that’s because he has landed in the same pit. For some, depression feels like being stuck under the deepest ocean; for others, an enveloping fog. The novelist William Styron called it a “storm of murk” that left him in indescribable pain. A noted psychologist calls it a “beast that sits on your shoulder.”
The storm found Shawn when he was in second grade. At the time, childhood depression was poorly
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understood--and it still is, particularly by the general public. Some children seem to outgrow depression; Shawn didn’t. He missed nearly a year of middle school, a year that included the wrong medication regimen and even hospitalization. When he got out, he made a list of famous people who suffered from depression, a who’s who of artists and intellectuals. Among them, he idolized Robin Williams. Yet depression took its toll. Shawn lost friends and was often ridiculed. He was told that depression was “just a choice,” whereas, in fact, there was a strong genetic component to it. Shawn wrestled with it through high school and into college. Anti-depressants helped, although he once, ill-advisedly went off his meds due to collegiate drug testing. “That was a mistake,” he says, grinning now. But depression is a wily foe; it returns when you aren’t looking. The stress of graduate school even led to an outpatient hospitalization. Robin William’s death by suicide was another blow, as it was for millions. Whether the blame lies with the cell phone, social media, economic dis-
parities, or something else, social scientists agree on one thing: youth suicide was already at a record high before the pandemic — with increases among teens every year
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from 2007 to 2017, and it is the second-leading cause of death among high-school-aged students. And this was before they began to experience the crushing weight of the Covid-19 shutdowns. A survey of high school students found that approximately 68 percent of teens reported feelings of moderate or severe anxiety and depression, and that their physical activity levels were 50 percent lower than before the epidemic. Moreover, playing sports is a vital outlet for many teens, and not just those seeking athletic scholarships. Whether it’s football, ultimate frisbee, or myriad other sports, the social benefit of forming bonds with like-minded peers provides a sense of identity, belonging, and structure for hundreds of thousands of teenagers across the country. But with schools and athletics programs shut down for nearly a year, many of these teens have lost their anchor, their sense of purpose and the warm glow of accomplishment that accompanies most sports and may be hard to find in the classroom, virtual or not. It’s no wonder there is a national mental health crisis. Enter a slender, slightly goofy Minnesotan with a Yankees baseball cap and a disarming ability to seem as if he’s speaking directly to you through his video camera. Looking for an outlet to discuss the sport he had dedicated his life to, Shawn began vlogging in 2012, slowly building a following of dedicated viewers to his Team Hoot Pole Vault channel. Holding a masters degree in biomechanics, he discussed vaulting technique, the geometry of the swing, the physics behind pole flex, and finished each video with coaching suggestions for young vaulters who sent in videos of their own jumps. But it wasn’t until November 2014 that Shawn opened
up on camera about his battles with depression. After he posted that video, he didn’t look at his comments for five days, fearing that he had shared too much. When he finally did, he was astounded. There was a community of vaulters and other athletes out there who were fighting the same battle. He wasn’t alone. They needed him. In fact, they needed each other. There’s nothing intrinsic about pole vaulting that leads to depression or anxiety, although Shawn does think the sport draws certain personality types. “It’s an individual sport that always ends with three Xs next to your name,” he says, laughing. “Negative thoughts can easily overwhelm an athlete staring up at an absurdly high bar 30 meters down the runway.” Shawn’s ended his own nascent professional pole vault career after the daily grind of training, travel, and competition with little renumeration wore him down. All those X’s take a toll. But mental health issues are sometimes hard to see; coaches don’t often notice them, and until recently, did not know to ask. That may be changing, thanks to athletes like Shawn and others who use their social media platforms to share their struggles. Just last year world champion sprinter Noah Lyles opened up about his own battles with depression, shocking many of his fans who revel in his ebullient persona. Depression and anxiety aren’t the only mental health issues he encounters through his social media, according to Francis. Body image issues play a major role in contributing to depression and anxiety, particularly for athletic teenage girls. An obsession with weight and body shape can lead to disordered eating,
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as at least one female professional vaulter has attested. He scoffs at the practice followed in many states where high school pole vaulters have to announce their weight in front of judges in order to justify their pole choice. “A pole that’s rated too heavy is just as dangerous as one that’s too flexy,” he notes. Even the pros are not immune. Track and field reporters often list professional female pole vaulters’ weight after their names, but never mention weight with regard to male vaulters. Married now, and living in southern Minnesota, the entrepreneurial Francis vlogs, coaches online, serves as a volunteer vault coach at nearby Carlton College, and until the pandemic, kept up a busy appearance schedule at clinics and camps. He’s also written a book with an accompanying video series called The Pole Vault Toolbox. A skydiver and allaround daredevil, Shawn feels that “life begins at the edge of the comfort zone,” so he pushes himself to be open and honest about his struggles. Every Monday on Instagram he posts a Mental Health Monday story, creating more safe spaces for athletes to talk. He wants athletes to know it does get better. Although not always curable, depression is treatable; the darkness will lift, the beast will retreat. Whether you get help from a therapist, a school counselor, a coach, a physician, or a pole vaulter from Minnesota, there is always reason for hope and a path forward. As Styron wrote when his depression lifted, “And so we came forth, and once again beheld the stars.” If you need help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273TALK (8255). You can also text a crisis counselor at 741741. Follow Shawn on Instagram @shawndangerhoot.
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Photos provided by Shawn Francis
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Anicka Newell A New Attitude By Kreager Taber
Canadian vaulter Anicka Newell is no stranger to the mental challenges of pole vaulting. After training and competing for four years without a new personal best, she shifted gears and focused on improving her attitude in addition to her vaulting technique. Her new outlook has already pushed her higher. Anicka kicked off 2021 with a win at the Expo Explosion in Texas, a clearance of 4.70 meters, a new personal best, and the Olympic “A” standard.
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person to throw poles, throw tantrums, yell, scream, the whole nine yards,” she explained, laughing. “Going into this year, my coach and I had a long conversation, and the gist of it was that I have to stop being such a brat. Otherwise, I’m not going to go anywhere.”
Over a phone call, I spoke with Anicka about her new mindset and the barriers she overcame to clear her recent personal record.
They decided to create a new system, in which Anicka receives a sticker every day that she has a good attitude at practice. These stickers are added to a handmade poster that hangs on the wall of the gym, and serve as a visual aid to remind her to keep a positive attitude as she works through frustrating moments.
“I’ve always believed that your worst enemy is what lies between your two ears,” Anicka stated. “For me that’s been such a struggle, and this year, I feel like I’m finally unleashing the beast.”
“I have not gone a day where I haven’t gotten a sticker,” she said. “Having a whole attitude flip this year, and just being way more positive at practice and easier to handle for my coaches and the couple of people who train with
Anicka explained that she developed this new outlook after a chat with her coach, Brookelyn Dickson Mehrman. “I’m pretty awful to deal with at practices, and the type of
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me, it’s making such a huge difference. I feel like that’s translating hugely into the way that I’m vaulting, because I’m throwing up so much positivity in the air that it’s transferring straight to my jump. That’s been the biggest thing for me this year- just not holding myself back.”
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This system has not kept her from feeling upset during practices, but it has encouraged her to express what’s going on in her head and to develop a plan to work through the stress. She described one practice that had her so frustrated that she was worried she wouldn’t earn a sticker for the day. Instead of letting the negative feelings ruin the session, she took a moment to breathe, reflect on the things that she had been working on and how she could fix the situation. She walked back into the gym once she was calm and asked, “Ok, Coach. What’s our strategy? What do we do next? Where do we go from here?” They decided on the best course of action to finish on a high note, and Anicka remembers, “we changed things up and I had a great day.” In addition to using the stickers, Anicka loves doing visualization exercises to think through good and bad vaults. She reads books about mentality. Anicka says that she’s felt clear-headed going into competitions this year and has found a unique way to snap out of negative thoughts. “One of my favorite little tactics has been putting a hair tie on my wrist, and if I’m in practice or a competition and having a negative thought at all, I take the hair tie off,” she explained. “I replace the negative thought with a positive one, that somehow correlates to what I’m thinking about, and I put the hair tie on the other wrist. That alleviates that negative thought and puts it away.” I asked if she had ever doubted herself and her ability to improve during the four years that she trained and competed without jumping a new personal best. “So many people have told me ‘you have potential.’ I hate the ‘p-word’ because a lot of people have potential. I get it. I want to have progress. I want to put points on the board, I don’t want to just have the p-word,” she stated. “I think you’re not human if you don’t doubt yourself at some point in your life. There were times, especially when I was injured, where I thought that the stupid ‘p-word’ is wasted on me. That I’m going to have to hang it up and leave the sport feeling like I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to.” Those difficult four years taught her that the brain is a muscle, and “you have to train it like you train the other muscles in your body.” When asked what advice she would give to other vaulters in a similar situation, she said to remember that personal bests are not the only measure of improvement.
“Keep fighting. As long as you actually want it, don’t give up on it and don’t stop fighting for it. The second
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that it’s not worth it anymore, hang it up, but until that day, don’t stop,” she urged. “If you’re just having small improvements here and there, we call them ‘pequeñas victorias’ or small wins, then it’s a good freaking day and that is improvement.” Anicka’s new mindset clearly demonstrates that a vaulter’s attitude can dictate their altitude. We wish her the best of luck in her future competitions and cannot wait to see her positive attitude push her to new heights.
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Photos provided by Anicka Newell
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PUMA in the Pit By Ralph Hardy
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In 2009 Romain Mesnil, a French pole vaulter with a PR of 5.95 meters and a silver medal from the 2007 World Championships, ran through the streets of Paris naked, hoping to attract the attention of a sponsor. His contract with Nike had expired the year before, and a global recession forced athletic brands to face harsh economic realities. The video of Mesnil went viral; it was even shown on French state television, though pixelated. Unfortunately, a sponsorship never materialized and Mesnil soon retired, clothed. Over the next decade, a handful of elite pole vaulters found sponsors, generally Nike and Adidas, but if the swoosh was ubiquitous, as were the three stripes of its competitor, both felt like more of an afterthought rather than a corporate commitment to the sport. Yet in the admittedly niche world of elite pole vaulting, a seismic shift began in 2019. It wasn’t the emergence of new and prodigious pole vaulters or the development of a magical compound that gave poles new flex. No, what made the tectonic plates shift in the pole vault pits around the globe was that PUMA--not Nike or Adidas-was going all in on sponsoring pole vaulters.
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The first spike dropped when PUMA signed 19-year-old Armand (Mondo) Duplantis. The pole vaulting prodigy from Louisiana was coming off an NCAA championship as a freshman and was ready to compete --and get paid--with the big boys. The tousle-haired, wide-eyed Swiss-American had worn Nike in college at LSU, but PUMA recognized a star when they saw one. After all, they’d signed Usain Bolt in 2003, when the world’s fastest man was a sixteen-year-old stripling, to a record-breaking 20 million dollar contract, at the time the largest ever contract for a track and field athlete. So when PUMA and Mondo made
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their sponsorship announcement in Stockholm, people sat up and took notice. As Shakespeare wrote in King Henry V, “the game is afoot.” Then came Renaud Lavillenie. One of France’s twenty most popular athletes, Renaud is an Olympic gold and silver medalist, multiple world champion, and former world record holder. A global superstar, he was a regular at the Nike campus and wore custom-fitted Nike kits. Now his famous partly-zipped jersey carries a bounding puma on the chest. And after a rough 2020, as of March 2021, he’s regularly back over 6 meters. As befitting a European company, PUMA stayed on the continent. Piotr Lisek, the screaming, muscular Polish six-meter vaulter, wears PUMA, as does his fellow Pole Pavel Wojciechowski. The young Belarusian Matvey Volkov, who cleared 5.50m at the age of fifteen, also sports the pouncing feline, as does Renaud’s brother Valentin. But PUMA was just getting started. Women’s pole vaulting was taking off in popularity, and PUMA swooped in and signed high school vaulter Chloe Cunliffe. Cunliffe, who holds both indoor and outdoor high school and under 20 records turned pro after her senior year of high school, eschewing college for a chance to focus solely on vaulting and making the Olympics. Even though her older sister, Hannah, is sponsored by Adidas, Chloe chose PUMA. “I just like the clothes,” she said in an interview with MileSplit. Okay, then. PUMA wasn’t done. A bubbly, strawberry blonde, former Arkansas Razorback with an impressive social media presence named Sandi Morris caught their eye. She announced in early 2021 that she was leaving Nike with a tweet and a short video: “New year, new sponsor. Who dis?” the tweet said, followed by a
video of the artistic vaulter painting a black leaping mountain lion and then dancing with the framed image. Nearly fifty thousand people watched the video of the 2018 world champion and six time U.S. champion changing brands. Later that month, decorated Swedish vaulter Angelica Bengtsson tweeted her delight upon signing with PUMA. “I am oh so happy to announce that I’m now finally a part of the #PUMAfam,” she wrote. More athletes followed, including another Swiss vaulter, Angelica Moser, world U23 champion in 2019. Never had pole vaulters felt so much love. The sneaker and sports apparel wars are big business. They began long before a skinny kid from the University of North Carolina laced up his basketball shoes and took the NBA by storm. The first manufacturer of sports shoes, the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory was formed in 1924 in Herzogenaurach, Germany by brothers Rudolf and Adolf, whose nickname happened to be Adi--Adi Dassler. You see where this is going. In 1936, the entrepreneurial Dassler brothers drove to Berlin with a suitcase full of track shoes and persuaded Jesse Owens to wear them, the first time an African American athlete was sponsored. Owens, of course, won four gold medals, and soon after the brothers were selling two hundred thousand pairs of shoes annually. An acrimonious split in 1948 led the two brothers to part ways, with Adi forming Adidas and Rudolf forming the company that eventually became PUMA. Across the pond, in 1964, Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight founded Blue Ribbon Sports, a track shoe company developed from a hot waffle iron and some glue and rubber at the University of Oregon. Blue Ribbon was renamed Nike in 1971 and the “swoosh” became an iconic symbol
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in the world of track and field. In 2019, behemoth Nike saw revenue come in at just over 37.4 billion dollars, while Adidas Group took in approximately 32 billion. Little brother PUMA took in just over 6 billion dollars, but PUMA’s sales have doubled over the last five years, while its larger competitors remained fairly stagnant. TAKEOFF Magazine reached out to PUMA to get an insider’s look at the emergence of pole vaulting in PUMA’s marketing decisions. Pascal Rolling, PUMA’s head of sports marketing for running, graciously responded. What made PUMA decide to go all in on pole vaulters and not other field events? PUMA has had a strong presence and made strides in several field events over the last years. U.S. triple jumper Will Claye and Jamaican world champion long jumper Tajay Gayle are just a couple of examples. With regards to the pole vault, it is perhaps one of the strongest and most exciting events in all of track and field at this time. Following the signing of Mondo Duplantis, we also had the opportunity to add to the roster some top names on both the men’s and women’s side in lead up to this year’s Olympics, and moving forward as well. Those being, but not limited to: Renaud Lavillenie, Piotr Lisek, Sandi Morris, Angelica Bengtsson, and Angelica Moser.
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Is PUMA looking to sponsor additional vaulters? We are in a very good place and extremely happy with all the athletes who have joined the PUMA family so far. While we are not currently looking to add anyone in particular, that doesn’t mean that we would not consider future prospects. That goes for all disciplines.
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What has been the response from pole vaulters--as well as consumers/fans from their sponsorship?
We will continue to strive for further product innovation in our spikes across all track and field events.
There has been a lot of excitement and buzz in general around PUMA’s signings of track and field athletes, as well as those in the more traditional distance running space. I think everyone welcomes the fact that there are more brands investing in the sport and thus its future.
Pole vaulting has been an athletic event for more than 150 years, yet it’s likely the sport has never been in a better place than it is in 2021. Despite the pandemic, more vaulters are knocking on five and six meter bars. Records are falling, sometimes weekly. Clubs are full, and in arenas across the world, television cameras are trained on the runway where more and more vaulters wear a leaping lion across their chests.
What is PUMA’s company culture/ philosophy? How do they hope to support elite vaulters? PUMA has a long and rich heritage in track and field and we have always looked to sign athlete-ambassadors who embody not just sporting excellence, but also those who match the brand personality and ethos as well. Usain Bolt, Colin Jackson, and now Mondo Duplantis, just to name a few, are great examples of that. In terms of supporting vaulters or any others in the sport, PUMA is investing not only in the athletes themselves through sponsorship contracts but in performance products and innovation as well. What, if any, are the plans to support youth pole vault events and build the next generation of vaulters/track and field athletes? We sponsored the “All Star Perche” pole vault event organized by Renaud Lavillenie, and will keep our eyes open for any interesting opportunities. Can we expect event-specific shoes such as jumping spikes/ gear for pole vaulters? Mondo, Renaud, and the rest of the current pole vault squad are all jumping in spikes that have been engineered specifically with the athletes’ biomechanics and technical needs for the event in mind.
It’s hard not to roar.
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Photos provided by PUMA
WELCOME to a CELEBRAT
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2021 SUMMER FIBER-BLAST P
Friday July 9 and Sa Warwic Click HERE t
TION of the POLE VAULT!
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aturday July 10, 2021 ck, NY to register! Friday July 9, 2021 8:01AM 10:01am Pit #1 Pit #2 1:01PM Pit #1 4:01PM Pit #1
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Outdoor Season A Plan for Success By Jose R. San Miguel
Outdoor season has its challenges.
jump with my coach.”
Every spring, we check in with our vaulters on their success at their school meets.
These stories ultimately point to the athletes and their coaches. The athletes are not prepared and do not know how to advocate for themselves. Coaches do not know all the rules and therefore cannot confidently support and defend their athletes.
This what we hear: “I blew through all of my poles” “My poles got wet and my hands were slipping.” “The meet ran long and I did not have any food.” “I had to run the 4x100, 4x200, and 300H at the same time pole vault was going on, and I was exhausted!” “There was no box collar, but my school coach said that’s ok.” “You should have seen that pit! No one should have jumped on that thing, but I tried and went no height.” “I bottomed out and hit the ground as the top pad was not holding the pit in place.” “The vaulters from the school did not jump because the pit was trash, but their coach told us it was safe to jump. I got a concussion from hitting the ground.”
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“My pole got caught on the lip of the planting box because it was set higher than the track and I got hurt.” “I had to guess my step as they did not have a tape measure.” “I did not get a warm-up when I came in after 5 heights, the official said there are no warm-up jumps allowed once the competition started.” “The official threatened me with a DQ for watching my
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Vaulters must be prepared for what they may face at an outdoor meet. You need a plan A if everything at the meet goes as hoped, and a plan B if unexpected challenges arise.
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31 What can go wrong at an outdoor track meet?
What should you pack to be prepared for your meets?
What should you do if a facility where you compete is unsafe?
1. Weather – It will be freezing; it will be ninety-five degrees; the rain will drench you; there will be a head wind, a tail wind, a cross wind, and weather delays.
1. Poles for a great day and poles for a not so good day. Your reach pole. A little tail wind may be all you need.
1. Explain the facts to your coach. They should fix them or present them to the meet director. Be respectful.
2. Pole selection - Not having the right poles at a meet can be the difference between making it to the state championships, jumping a new personal best, and a wasted competition opportunity. 3. Your weight – It’s a rule in high school athletics. You must jump on a pole with a weight rate heavier than your weight. In some meets, you will be weighed. 4. No tape measure on site or painted marks to use. 5. Facilities - many facilities at smaller schools do not meet the minimum safety standards as per NFHS guidelines. Learn the difference between a safe facility and one that is not. See links below to NFHS. 6. Officials who may not know the rules of the event. High school meets follow NFHS rules, not USATF or NCAA rules. YOU should know the rules. 7. Uniforms / spikes - In North Carolina, you can only have one logo showing on your uniform. In the past, we have had athletes swap clothes on the runway to be in compliance.
2. Athletic tape, chalk, and a tape measure. If there is no tape measure at the meet, use your pole to measure your step. As per NFHS, there are no runbacks allowed. 3. Proper clothing, hat, sunscreen, towel, and trash bag to keep poles dry in case of rain. 4. Food, snacks, electrolytes, water. 5. The NFHS rules for pole vault and facility safety guidelines https://www.nfhs.org/media/1019124/ field-events-diagrams.pdf https://www.nfhs.org/articles/rules-booksand-case-books-available-as-e-books/
2. If your coach will not advocate for you and your teammates, find the meet director and do it yourself. Again, be respectful. 3. The meet director should require that the facility meets NFHS guidelines, or relocate the pole vault contest to a safe facility, maybe another school or your club. 4. If the meet director chooses to ignore the NFHS guidelines - You should NOT compete. Never jump in an usafe facility.
EXAMPLES OF UNSAFE FACILITIES
- No standard base pads - The bases need to be weighted to prevent the standards from falling - Exposed cement and metal
- No standard base pads - Exposed cement, metal gap between runway and planting box
- No standard base pads - The top pad does not fit the pit and hold it together. An athlete can fall between the sections of the pit and be injured - Exposed cement and pallets
EXAMPLES OF SAFE FACILITIES
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- Approved box collar - Standard base pads - Top pad properly secured - No exposed cement or metal - Planting box is flush with runway
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- Standard base pads - Top pad properly secured - No exposed cement or metal - Approved box collar (not visible from this angle)
- Standard base pads - Top pad properly secured - No exposed cement or metal - Approved box collar (not visible from this angle) Photos provided by Pole Vault Carolina
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SCOTT HOUSTON 34
Destination: TOKYO When did you realize that you wanted to take a shot at making an Olympic team? The Olympic dream is something almost every athlete thinks about after watching the Olympics. Being able to represent your country on the global stage is the ultimate success. I knew I wanted to pursue my Olympic dream after watching a replay of Tim Mack winning the gold medal in 2004 on a pole vault DVD titled Neo Vault. Who has been the most influential person in your athletic development and why? Honestly everyone who has encouraged, coached, supported, and beaten me in competition. My parents, for always encouraging me to learn and grow while tackling my dreams; Eric Morell of Vaulthouse, my coaches at UNC-Chapel Hill and Indiana for teaching me along the way; my post collegiate teammates to my current training group of Megan and Austin. There are too many people from the chapters in my life to pick just one. What changed in your training to take you from an average pole vaulter to an Olympic hopeful? Things changed when I learned to focus on my weaknesses and not the things that are fun and easy to do all the time. For example, vaulters love to vault three days a week. For me it was lifting with purpose, and actually applying myself in running workouts. The discipline to do the things that aren’t easy truly helps athletes see growth, especially when they find themselves at a plateau. How did the postponement of the 2020 Olympics affect you or help you? I actually tore my adductor/hip flexor in mid-December 2019 and needed surgery for the second year in a row, if I wanted a chance to compete at the Olympic Trials. I had sur-
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gery on March 5th of 2020 just before the rest of the outdoor season came to a halt due to Covid. In short, the postponement gave me an opportunity to better recover post-surgery and truly grow with my training group, Austin Miller and Megan Zimlich, my fiancé. How have you handled adversity or setback in your athletic career and what was the process like? Everyone will run into a few setbacks if they are truly trying to be good. Pushing your body to find its limits can have adverse effects. Believing in the quote, “It’s about the journey, not the destination,” is one thing, but acting on it when tested with adversity is a true testament to a longer career while dealing with injuries. Positive perspective and having other hobbies and goals to keep you focused on the beauty of life reminds you that life is bigger than pole vaulting. Trying to be the best vaulter one can be is a privilege. Just trying is something not everyone gets to do. What is your training routine in preparation for the Olympic Trials? My routine focuses on good nutrition, body maintenance, lifting two to three times a week, running twice a week, and vaulting one to two times a week, depending on the time in the competitive season. How do you prepare emotionally to train and compete? Training is harder than competing for me. I love competing, but training is made easier by both my training partners, and by being an example for my athletes at High Point. What really drives me is thinking back to all the times I thought I was prepared to vault high, and then lost to competitors time and again. What have you sacrificed to chase the Olympic dream?
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There are many made, but most of them come back to social sacrifices. Making difficult decisions to focus on the best training environment for the Vaulthouse Elite has resulted in me falling out of favor with some. At times, tough choices have to be made to help all parties involved achieve their goals in different environments.
ry free is very important, so learning how to push the limits of training and remain healthy along the path to improving physical capabilities really only comes through experience.
What do you do to support yourself financially?
I’m happy to approach this year as part of a trio that is ready and willing to train together in whatever ways are necessary. We have meet simulation practices and even host specific meets to prepare us for the upcoming sanctioned competitions. Mostly we have fun and enjoy what we are able to do in preparation, and we love to compete with each other while traveling.
I’ve been balancing part time employment since 2009. I’ve always worked and saved money thanks to my parents. My plan after graduate school was to always have over 3 months of finances saved up to fall back on if I ever needed to quit any jobs for competition season. Being honest with employers and preparing in advance has helped me with training and commitments to jobs. Since being hired as the coach at High Point University in 2015/2016, and working with Vaulthouse, things are more stable. I also earned a fair bit of prize money from my best season so far, 2018. How do you balance coaching at HPU and Vaulthouse with your own training? I view the combination as an opportunity to both provide myself with experience that can help me in the business/career side of life, and also hold myself accountable as a coach/role model to the athletes I work with. I train with our Vaulthouse Elite group in the mid-mornings and coach at High Point in the afternoons. Balancing schedules with a large group of athletes and myself can be difficult, but it truly helps to have a supportive group of vaulters, friends, staff, and people who understand the goals we are all trying to accomplish to help to make it work. If you knew then what you know now, what would you have changed about your athletic career?
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I would have listened to coaches more, and put more of the weight of my bad performances on myself. I would not take opportunities and healthy seasons for granted. Trying to take care of my body and remain inju-
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With limited meets taking place as a result of Covid-19, how are you approaching the year?
How do you think becoming an Olympian would change your life? Truth be told, I think financial opportunities would change, sponsorship opportunities would change, and people may look at me differently. Beyond that, I can’t really say the Olympians I’ve met value that most in their lives. The lessons they learned along their path to becoming Olympians make the most difference. I have found happiness with Megan, Vaulthouse, and High Point, so most of the changes would be monetary improvements that I would plan to utilize with our facility to provide more opportunities for everyone. What are your interests and professional goals outside of pole vaulting? I love coaching and helping others reach their goals. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a number of good examples, however Eric Morell has been one of the biggest in how to be a helper to others. Professionally, I really enjoying coaching successfully in the NCAA. I would like to build on that and compete for national titles with our men and women vaulters. I enjoy any and all recreational activities: volleyball, golf, tennis, soccer, basketball, ping
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Photos provided by Scott Houston
pong, rock climbing, and home remodeling. If someone wants to play any sport in friendly competition, I’m in. What is something most people don’t know about you? I’ve given up pole vaulting twice in my life. I’ve believed two different times that I would never pole vault competitively again. Later, I won a national title. How do you support Megan’s goals while pursuing your own? How do you balance it all? Fortunately, we have similar goals individually, and for each other as a couple. We talk frequently about how we want to chase our successes when we can because each
goal has its own timeline. For now, we choose competitive pole vaulting to be our focus, along with coaching and growing together. What is next for you after the Olympics? Planning a wedding, and house hunting. Covid has postponed a lot of things, so we will plan our wedding after this Olympic Trials and hopefully enjoy the process without the extra stress of the pandemic. On the house hunting front, we have been searching for a piece of property where we can mold and create our own vision for both a home and for Vaulthouse. I am also looking forward to participating in more recreational sports, and to doing more exploring as well.
MEGAN ZIMLICH 38
Destination: TOKYO When did you realize that you wanted to take a shot at making an Olympic team? I have always dreamt of going to the Olympics since my younger days in gymnastics. But as far as pole vault goes, I committed to going for it in 2018. After completing a twoyear, full-time MBA program and graduate assistantship at the University of Arkansas, I found myself at a crossroads. Scott and I were in a long-distance relationship by then. He and a few others, supported my desire to keep pole vaulting and to find a way to make it work. I considered a few different locations, but ultimately chose to go all in with him in North Carolina. When I took that leap, it changed my life in a wonderful way and was very liberating! Who has been the most influential person in your athletic development and why? My mom. She has been my biggest athletic supporter from the beginning and still is very supportive of me today. She instilled me with self-belief that I was different and capable of great things. She helped me succeed in gymnastics by coaching me to learn new skills and put in extra work using a little gymnastics setup we put together at home. My mom’s incredible determination and strength has been an inspiring example for me to follow as an athlete. After gymnastics, my mom supported me the same way in every sport I chose – diving, swimming, and track and field. We spent so many hours traveling to practices and meets that we truly became a team. She gave me every opportunity and privilege to go big and go far. It has meant a lot to have someone learning all the technical aspects of these different events alongside me. She has also supported me financially – she bought me my high school poles and my first post-collegiate poles. I am so lucky to have an amazing mother like her! What changed in your training to take you
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from an average pole vaulter to an Olympic hopeful? A combination of getting stronger, faster, and becoming a better technical vaulter… all with a focused desire to give my best effort in practices and competitions. How did the postponement of the 2020 Olympics affect you or help you? The postponement definitely helped me. I was not in a good head space this time last year to perform my best. I had put so much pressure on myself to perform and it just backfired on me completely. The extra time was ideal to help me relax, reset, and put in some more good work to get better – which I did. How have you handled adversity or setback in your athletic career and what was the process like? Adversity and setbacks are things we often deal with as athletes, and they come in many forms. In my career, I have handled some situations fairly well, and others not as well. What I have learned is that the biggest difference in how we come out the other side of these challenges is largely determined by our outlook. We can prolong and magnify our setbacks with a bad attitude, or we can accelerate and diminish our setbacks with a positive, determined spirit. Most recently, I competed in the American Track League final in Arkansas at the end of February with an ankle injury. I hurt it the week before and couldn’t run or do anything on it. I hopped in the car to drive across the country to Arkansas with my training group, not knowing if I would physically even be able to compete. With that possibility in mind, I set my attitude to enjoy the experience and people around me, regardless of what happened. At the meet, I jogged around before warmups and still didn’t feel like I could even run
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100% because it hurt so badly. I wavered during warm-ups as the pain came and went with adrenaline. Somewhere in there, I decided that I could still jump a few more times. I thought if I could just get down the runway, I could plant a pole and get on top of it and over the bar. I chose to compete from a shorter run, so it was fewer steps I would have to take on my ankle. I came in higher than I ever have before at 4.30m to minimize my jumps as I knew they might be limited. I cleared it, and then took some really good shots at a lifetime best, placing third in a meet I almost walked away from. Sometimes we can surprise ourselves when we remove our expectations. A good truth to remember is that setbacks are temporary, and they are only as large as you make them. The time will pass for any setbacks that may pop up, so we might as well make the time positive and productive, no matter how long and painful our situation may seem. It’s how you handle your attitude and actions during that down time that matters most, because for any type of adversity - whether it is physical or mental - the mind is powerful. We can either let it work for us or against us. We may have to get creative in our training sometimes if we have to take some time off to heal, but there is always something you can work to improve upon. What is your training routine in preparation for the Olympic Trials? My situation is a little different right now as I am still dealing with that ankle injury. I am doing everything I can do to stay strong, so I focus on strength training 3-4 times per week and biking another 2-3 days a week, with some high bar workouts. Sometimes, all we can do is our best and just be patient until we get the green light to do everything we want.
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How do you prepare emotionally to train and compete? I have found that meditation, reading, and writing help calm my mind and direct my thoughts to be where I need them to be. Visualization is also helpful, but I get the most out of challenging myself in practices. Then when it comes time for the meets, I know I’ve already been there. T A K E O F F
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What have you sacrificed to chase the Olympic dream? A job with a better paycheck. But I wouldn’t trade money for where I am in life. I can always go get a job and make more money, but I will never be able to get this time back. I have had incredible experiences and met so many amazing people while pursuing something that means a lot to me. This journey has helped me grow as a person in many ways. To me, this is what life is all about – chasing our personal bests, and experiencing great adventures with a community I love. What do you do to support yourself financially? I have had three different part-time jobs during my time here that allow me flexibility to train and finances to support myself. I also coach and have started teaching fitness classes at Vaulthouse as well. How do you balance your work and Vaulthouse with your own training? I work in the mornings so my afternoons are free to train and coach. Can you tell us about your blog? Sure! It is called Making It Possible and it falls under the health and wellness realm. This blog focuses on mentality because that is something I have been working on growing in the past year especially. The blog is a tool that keeps me on track with how I think and approach life. These lessons of self-discovery and confidence should be shared. I want to be an example to inspire others to live their best lives in a happy, healthy way. If you knew then what you know now, what would you have changed about your athletic career? Make changes sooner and not be so hard on myself. With limited meets taking place as a result of Covid-19, how are you approaching the year? I am approaching it the same as any year, as best I can. There is more freedom to train and
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get better with fewer meets. We are fortunate to be able to host meets at Vaulthouse to stay sharp! How do you think becoming an Olympian would change your life? I don’t think my life would change much, honestly. I may be more impressive to a few more people by claiming that title, but I will still be the same person! Becoming an Olympian would be an incredible honor, don’t get me wrong, but there is so much more to this journey than just that one part. The Olympics is something that everyone outside the track world knows and celebrates. Because of its widespread relatability, I think we put value on that one event when there is so much more to be celebrated in a sports journey. At this point, I am just honored and ecstatic to be chasing my best while competing amongst the best in the world.
also make time to enjoy each other outside of the sport as well in different settings. What is next for you after the Olympics? We would like to keep training and coaching! We also talk a lot about buying a house, so that is a big possibility. Last but not least, we would like to start planning a wedding… Covid has made that quite challenging but we want to set a date!
What are your interests and professional goals outside of pole vaulting? I want to explore real estate. I have always been curious about it and I think learning about property investment would be fun, challenging, and rewarding. I also love health and wellness, fitness, athletics, exploring the outdoors and new places, and cooking. I want to dive into building my own business that ties in a few of these passions to create a really fun community. What is something most people don’t know about you? I minored in Spanish in college and studied abroad in Spain for one summer. It was one of the coolest experiences outside of track and field for me to immerse myself in a completely different side of the world! How do you support Scott’s goals while pursuing your own? How do you balance it all? We are a unit. Our goals are shared. We com-
municate really well with each other, which sometimes means having difficult conversations. We coach each other, train together, coach others, and also help run a club together, so balance is really important. We both share a love for pole vaulting and our lives are so intertwined because of it, but we
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Photos provided by Megan Zimlich
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C COACH’S CRICOACH’S CRITIQUE Tim Mack breaks down technique in this walk through of a vault by Pole Vault Carolina’s own Julianna Hallyburton. Read more from Tim Mack on page 47.
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Run Julianna’s run looks pretty solid. She is extending through the ground on her run while also bringing her knees up to a respectable height. If she continues with the running drills she is doing on a consistent basis, this area will only improve.
Pole position during runup Julianna is carrying the pole quite well. The pole is at an efficient angle throughout the runup so she can get the most from her run. She should continue with daily exercises running with the pole in this manner, so this remains consistent.
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Plant Again, the pole is at a sufficient angle on the last and second-to-last step in her plant presentation. This ensures that Julianna is dropping the pole efficiently and effectively. Julianna could continue with pole drop so her arms are completely extended as the pole hits the box. Performing drills to make this position is a critical part of her development. Plant off of the ground Julianna should continue to extend her arms off the ground as she is jumping, transferring energy from her runup to the pole through her shoulders. This varies with the strength and timing of each vaulter. As her shoulder strength improves, and her awareness in this position increases, her arm extension will get better. Consistent exercises in the gymnastics room and from a short approach will facilitate a smooth transition that does take some time.
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Swing Julianna has a nice natural swing component. She will get more out of the pole if she can initiate the swing with her shoulders first. What will also help is if she is able to push the pole up and forward while laying the shoulders back. This part is a little delayed and she misses some of the energy off of the pole. Consistent exercises and drills on the runway, and in gymnastics, will ensure that Julianna continues to progress.
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Commentary
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Julianna is on a nice path to success. With continued work on running and pole drop technique, her feel on the runway will mature. Much thought must be put into each running drill and each pole running drill so over time, they become part of her comprehensive vault. The same can be said with takeoff and swing exercises. They must be done often and with great feel, working towards perfection even though most likely perfection is not achievable. I like to have the athlete think and feel off the runway in drills and exercises, so when the time comes to vault, it is easier to compete and practice. Drills and exercises are to be done in order to carve out an efficient and effective pathway of pole technique. One’s body will always want to take the easy way. It is up to the coach and athlete to consistently work towards the model of pole vault technique. Repeat drills and exercises and consistently put feelings with those positions, while always pursuing improvement. Be calm and persistent. Realize mistakes will be made; learn from them and move on.
TIM MACK Olympic Gold Medalist 2004 Olympic Record Holder 2004 Pole Vault Coach - SPIRE Institute
And remember, instead of waiting for someone else to inspire you, did you ever think that maybe YOU are that person that you are waiting for? .
About Tim Mack
Tim started his vaulting career at the age of 13 and didn’t retire until he was 37 years old. Tim was not recruited out of high school and didn’t even own his high school record. After failing twice to earn a position on the Olympic team, Tim finally made it at the age of 31. He won Olympic Gold in Athens with an Olympic record vault of 19’6 1/2”. Tim cleared 6.01 meters two weeks later, becoming one of only 20 vaulters in history to join the 6-meter club. Tim is now the Track and Field Training/Development Director at SPIRE Institute. He assists athletes flourish in sport and in life.
JULIANNA HALLYBURTON Pole Vault Carolina Athlete
Jose “Tony “ Parrilla
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IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW... BY JOSE “TONY” PARRILLA People often ask me, “What advice would you give a young athlete that you wish you got early on?”
This question is something I have thought about for years. When I started coaching my kids it really hit me because I kept repeating it over and over. It’s the little things. When my oldest son Tony finally committed to track and field from soccer, he asked me about food, sleep and what to do on the off days. With a degree in Motor Behavior and Deep Tissue Massage Therapy, I put together a plan that a young teen could follow. We noticed the results right away. Tony was able to recover quickly with no significant injuries. I used this blueprint with my club team and had similar results. The next time I was asked that question, while giving a speech, I had a different answer, with a bit of personal research as a coach. That conversation evolved into my personal view on what it takes to reach that next level. My answer was simple: “If you want to live the life, you have to live the life”. If you want to reach the next level and have the talent to do so, do the little things. I was taught from an early age in the sport that
we are all talented to a certain degree. What separates us is how we train, recover, and
commit to the process. Young athletes have a mentality that ‘more is better’. My motto is, “Addition by Subtraction”. We achieve by doing the little things and by perfecting what we do. We do not have to layer 100 different things and go to 5 different coaches to hit that next level. We will be better off simplifying and developing what works on an individual level. When I say ‘the little things’, I mean the following parts of the process: REST is the main part. We need this in order to grow. This will also help with avoiding burnout. NUTRITION - You have to fuel and hydrate. RECOVER - Learn how to cycle to optimize your training for injury prevention and tweaking your training. Training really is simple. Utilize your network and always be a student. Your network is an amazing way to find people who share your interests and can deep dive into any issues or questions that come up.
Jose “Tony” Parilla is a 2-time USA Olympian in the 800 meters. He won 3 successive NCAA Championships from 1992-1994. Tony is known for coming from behindwith a strong finishing kick. His personal record 800 meter time is 1:43.97, set at the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials.
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Photo credit: University of Tennessee Athletics
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(919) 523-8333 jose@polevaultcarolina.com
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