Lakelyn Bass Dreams Big

By Maddie Davies

Just weeks before Lakelyn Bass was expected to dominate the 2019 North Carolina Indoor State Championships, she was tragically injured in a car accident and unable to compete. She spent the remainder of her senior season valiantly fighting to recover from two vertebrae fractures. Lakelyn hoped to return to the track late that year, but a series of additional injuries and mental blocks hindered her progress. Then COVID stripped another season from Lakelyn and took her passion for the sport along with it.

Throughout high school, Lakelyn excelled in multiple running and field events, but by junior year, she realized she was meant to pole vault. She hit marks that ranked her top ten in the state, and she committed to Campbell University. Unfortunately, her accident halted her collegiate pole vault training and limited her to the heptathlon at first. She made up for lost training time her sophomore year but a shoulder injury sidelined her yet again. Lakelyn desperately missed the exuberance she felt from clearing bars as a vaulter, but she kept pushing through, hoping her luck would turn.

Though Lakelyn recovered physically, overcoming various mental barriers was the more difficult battle. Lakelyn remained optimistic and felt the support of people rallying behind her. Her parents were always in the stands cheering her on. Lakelyn’s training partner, Gabi Goecke, pushed her to be her best in every aspect of her life, becoming a mentor she could look up to. Lastly, her new coach, Bobby Hostler, never failed to “uplift [her] at [her] lowest moments.” It slowly became clear that Lakelyn was not fighting alone. As junior year approached, she was finally ready to pole vault.

Three years after missing her state championships, Lakelyn returned to the track as a pole vaulter and jumped four inches short of her lifetime personal best. It was a breakthrough moment that reminded Lakelyn why she fell in love with the sport. She claimed her school record with a 13’1 mark from the season, making for a foot and a half all-time personal best improvement. Lakelyn came away hungry for more.

In high school, Lakelyn dreamed of competing professionally, but she felt immensely defeated by her heptathlon career and simply wanted to survive college athletics. Her success at that small meet in February revived her passion and convinced her to continue chasing this goal. She had a serious conversation with Coach Hostler about going professional in the future. He describes how “Lakelyn has the quality that every coach wants, an athlete that listens” and who dedicates time to “extra film study, extra recovery time, [and] extra drills”. “She has a competitive drive that you rarely see from other athletes.” With three more years of NCAA eligibility, Lakelyn will thrive working with Coach Hostler. He has already elevated her confidence and potential.

This year’s success has given Lakelyn the confidence to pursue her dream of representing the United States on the global stage. After recovering from what most couldn’t have, she continues to push herself with hopes of competing against world-class competitors at the World Championships and Olympic Games.

Through the unconditional support of her parents, the camaraderie of the pole vault community, and a constant trust in God, Lakelyn Bass is back prepared to set new records and to vault to her potential.

Photo provided by Lakelyn Bass