ROWING SOFTBALL

“Basically I was a student of the sport, being a sponge, soaking it all in,” Fore said. “As I was developing my coach’s eye, I was learning how to see what an athlete does wrong and then being able to help them fix it. It’s just like teaching – just instead of teaching, you’re having to really look at their body movements, not work on a paper or in the lab.”

Despite the differences, Fore has used tactics from the science classroom as a coach. However, she has had to balance the technical discussions and physics analogies with fun engagement. Recognizing how athletes can get drowned in the technical side and need to find excitement in the sport, Fore tries to praise small achievements and progress steps.

Fore also has struggled with SPC rules. According to these regulations, SPC athletes are only permitted to pole vault for around a 10-week spring sports season due to breaks and ISAS – whereas her Texas Express athletes practice up to nine months a year. Fore said these limits to training time can thwart her Hockaday pole vaulters from maximum improvement, as they have to catch up to their level from the previous season.

Despite the challenges in the 20 years since her pole vault beginnings, Foresaid she hopes the future will bring more progress for women in the sport.

“It’s such a young start for women,” Fore said. “The old school coaches, they still sometimes think that women can’t do it – so it’s fighting that kind of bias against women.”

Clarke’s biggest accomplishment so far has been clearing 8’6’’ last year at SPC. She is working on her technique while turning and Fore sees more success ahead for Clarke.

“Avery is ready to jump 10 feet if she believes in her abilities,” Fore said.

“We’ve all been working hard to get back into a good rhythm for the season. As a captain, I like encouraging everyone, working hard so we can grow close, and encouraging everyone to be good teammates. We hope to make it even farther this year in SPC than last year.”

“We’ve had really competitive races and lots of gold medals. Now we are going into April - our big racing season. We’ve done lots of training, and we’re getting ready to be awesome.”

“We haven’t lost yet, so we’re super excited. We’re all really close so we feel pretty good, but we’re working really hard every day. I think our chances of SPC are looking pretty good so far.”