Rileigh Lacy

When Rileigh Lacy’s father put a broken pole in her hands, he discovered his then nine-year-old daughter had a natural penchant for pole vaulting. Wayne was a collegiate vaulter and master’s athlete, and Rileigh used to accompany him to the track. Mother Sheri Turnbull Lacy represented Canada in basketball in the 1996 Olympic Games. Athletic success is coded in Rileigh’s DNA.

But Rileigh began at the beginning. When she first started, she struggled to run while carrying the pole. Instead of fighting it, Wayne coached her to push the pole tip along the runway. When Rileigh entered her first track meet, she noticed that all of the other girls held their poles with the tip in the air. That day Rileigh grew in confidence. She still competed pushing the pole, but immediately picked it up when she got back to practice without telling Wayne.

At fifteen, she won the South Carolina 4A State Championship with a jump of 10’7”. But it wasn’t until she received her championship ring from Darlington High School, that Rileigh was truly hooked on pole vault.

Covid 19 deleted the possibilities of a sophomore season, but Rileigh and her family were undeterred. Wayne and Sheri purchased a landing system and a friend with acres of farm land offered them a shady spot for it. Rileigh hasn’t missed practice in a year.

Last month, she won the state meet again, this time with a personal record vault of 12’ from only four lefts. Tall, fast, and strong, Rileigh fearlessly jumps on long poles with ratings way over her body weight.

For her senior year, Rileigh will work on getting on bigger poles, and lengthening her approach. She is ready for the next level!