VAULTER
MAGAZINE
BUBBA SPARKS:
A 52 Year Long Vaulting Journey that is Far from Over By Samantha Kaplan
Instagram: @eat_sleep_pv_repeat
Love at first sight is rare. In an instant, making the decision to commit fully and with everything to something is a decision that is only ever made in a moment of pure passion. When 12-yearold Bubba Sparks saw Bob Seagren vaulting at the Sunkist Invitational on television, he fell in love. He immediately went out to his back yard, grabbed a 1x2 board, and started jumping. While many kids may have played around for a few days at most, Bubba developed a commitment to his version of the sport. 52 years later, that dedication is stronger than ever.
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VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
Although he’s been pole vaulting for most of his 64 years of life, Bubba continues to make breakthroughs. The first big one came when he was a sophomore in college. “I learned how to use my bottom hand when I was vertical to keep me on the runway side of the pole.” This took his inversion to a whole new level, preventing him from flagging out. “My senior year I moved my grip up from 14’3” to 15’10” in one day.” This bold move, inspired by watching Larry Jessee at Texas Relays not one day prior, may have been a bit ridiculous, but it built confidence and proved Bubba
was willing to try anything to improve his vaulting. By the end of his college career, the mats he landed on may still have been made of net bags, but he had an 18 foot PR to his name. Throughout all of his improvement, Bubba stayed humble, never forgetting that there is always more to learn. Even as a masters vaulter he is making changes to his technique. “In 2008 I made a huge discovery about hand pressure which led me to World Masters Championship wins,” says Bubba, emphasizing the importance of an open mind. Coming up on his 53rd year as a vaulter, Bubba knows there