Brad Walker’s Vault Crew

By Ralph Hardy

Head northwest out of Atlanta on Interstate 75, past the sprawling suburbs of the city with the longest commute time in the country, until the scenery grows bucolic and you see the Etowah River winding its way through a small town nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians. You’re in Cartersville, Georgia now, and it’s fair to wonder what is a supergroup of American women’s pole vaulting doing here?

And the answer is: because Clark Kent, or rather, Brad Walker, twice Olympian, world champion, and member of the rarefied air of the 6-meter club, is here to teach them to fly.

An all-around athlete in the days before specialization, the 6ft. 2 Walker competed in football and track and field for University High School in Spokane, Washington. He also carried close to a 4.0 (unweighted, in those days). He was that kind of guy.

After high school, the University of Washington beckoned, and under the tutelage of renowned coach Pat Licari, he became NCAA Indoor Champion twice and a four-time All-American. Then came 2005. Walker won the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, then traveled to Helsinki, Finland, to compete at the World Championships. In rain and heavy wind, the young college graduate won silver, clearing 5.75m and the small but intense world of elite pole vaulting took notice.

Walker was just getting started. Two weeks later he set a PR of 5.96m in Rieti, Italy. Less than a year after that, he won the World Indoor Championships in Moscow, clearing 5.80m. He was two years out of college.

Then, in July of that year, Walker joined the immortals. In Jockgrim, Germany, he cleared six meters, a height no one else achieved that year. Another world championship, this time outdoors, awaited. On September 1, 2007, in Nagai Stadium, in Osaka, Japan, Walker cleared 5.86m to win gold, beating French star Roman Mesnil and Australian Steven Hooker. Nine months later, on June 8th, in Eugene, Oregon, Walker leapt to a new PR and American record with a vault of 6.04m! That’s 19 feet, 8 inches for American exceptionalists keeping track.

But Walker battled injuries throughout his career. At the World Championships in Moscow, he fell and was knocked unconscious before returning to win gold. A broken thumb and a broken wrist stalled his momentum, as did lower back injuries and chronic fatigue. In an unforgiving sport that demands 100 percent fitness for success, Walker is famous for his commitment to strength training for power and explosiveness. It is this same zeal that he brings to coaching his “Vault Crew.”

Who is the Vault Crew?

Think of the Marvel Universe, the DC Justice League, the X-Men--whatever assembly of superheroes rock your fandom--that’s who they are: Katie Nageotte, Sandi Morris, Robin Bone, Natalie Uy, Kristen Brown, and Hussain Al Hizam. Sage Watson, the 400 meter hurdler is there too. And they’re all hanging out in northwest Georgia coached by a combination of Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne and professor Xavier himself, Brad Walker.

Coach Walker recently took time from his busy schedule to answer some questions from TAKEOFF.

TAKEOFF: It’s our understanding you’re studying chiropractic medicine. How far along are you in your studies? Do you anticipate staying in the Atlanta region after you finish?

BRAD: Yep, I am studying chiropractic care at Life University in Marietta, GA. There is actually a scholarship program available to Olympians, which was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. I wasn’t really loving college coaching and saw this as an opportunity to keep my elite athletes in a better state of health, while having an additional source of income outside of track and field. I’m not sure where my life will take me post degree. The older I get, the closer I want to be to family, but I’m not much of a planner so time will tell!

TAKEOFF: Do you want to work with athletes or a more general population?

BRAD: I definitely have more of a performance style mindset so I think athletes and healthy active people will make up a majority of my practice. However, I would certainly help anyone experiencing pain that I can help relieve.

TAKEOFF: As a world-class athlete, how did you reach your decision to stop competing? Was it due to injuries or the lack of motivation to focus single-mindedly on vaulting and the need to prepare for your financial future?

BRAD: Unfortunately, I’ve been plagued with chronic headaches and fatigue since 2002 and most of my career was a chase to figure out why I couldn’t find the state of health I was looking for. Over time, the fatigue took its course and I wasn’t able to compete to the standards I had set for myself. After missing the final at the 2015 World Champs, I knew it was time. I always felt when I was at a spot where I knew a new personal best wasn’t in the cards, I should bow out gracefully.

TAKEOFF: You recently coached Katie Nageotte to Olympic gold in Tokyo. What emotions were you feeling as she advanced up the board?

BRAD: Well, the emotions I had during her warmup in the final was…. this is not going well. After her 2nd attempt miss at the opening height, my own personal failures at the Games were ringing loudly in my head and I was hoping for a different outcome for her than I had experienced. After her second clearance, she started pole vaulting up to her own standards and I was able to settle down a bit. Then Katie did what Katie does and you know the rest. Editor’s note: (Olympic gold at 4.90m)

TAKEOFF: How do you promote a resilient and strong mental health culture among your athletes? Do you emphasize visualization, mindfulness or any other meditative strategies for your athletes?

BRAD: I believe the conscious mind can only handle one thought at a time. When emotion overrides technical execution, we are in trouble. I try to give them cues to execute and teach them to focus attacking these cues. It calms the emotional side and allows them to attack instead of receive all of the information of the vault.

Visualization can certainly be helpful but its not a big part of what I do. Whenever I tried to visualize, the pole would break or I would shoot back onto the runway…haha.

I think we can overdo this area as well. If I ask you to walk on a balance beam 6 inches off the ground, you will execute it well. If I put the balance beam over the Grand Canyon you may not be able to do it. Fear clouds our ability to think clearly and execute technique, and visualization cannot replicate that type of emotion. I am a learn-by-doing kind of coach, and I try to teach the athletes how to cue appropriately under pressure to help ignore the emotion and execute the task.

TAKEOFF: Pole vaulting is an individual sport, yet your Crew seems to cheer and support each other on during competitions. Is that a natural extension of the characteristic of your Crew members--a one for all mentality?

BRAD: That is a natural extension of the characteristic of pole vaulters in general. What I try to do is accept athletes who have a particular mindset, personality, and work ethic that I know will add to our group. Being around large college teams taught me that certain individuals can be cancerous to a group, and as an elite coach I have the ability to pick and choose who I let into my crew. The right personalities are everything when building a team.

TAKEOFF: Your Vault Crew is comprised of a diverse and accomplished group of vaulters. How do you structure their weekly workouts? Is there more emphasis on technique, or strength, speed and power? Does each member of your Vault Crew receive individualized instruction?

BRAD: Is there more emphasis on technique, strength, speed or power……YES. Speed is the single most important factor in the pole vault. But speed without technique is a recipe for disaster. Speed without overall strength is going to lead to injuries, and if we don’t have power, we can’t convert energy well. If you are not training all of it as a coach, you are leaving a lot on the table in regards to performance.

While I think there can be value in individual programing, we also can’t trick physiology. If hormones (testosterone/growth hormone) are important for performance, we need to create that hormonal boost in each athlete with specific types of exercises and training. But we can all use a good unwinding workout to help keep the body healthy. Overall, the program is a tried-and-true variation of the programs that I used in the past from coach Dan Pfaff et al., with my own twist to it. Different daily structure, different rest intervals, different jump days etc. But many of the exercises are poached from a program with very successful results.

Just recently I’ve taken two of my athletes with superior levels of strength for pole vaulters and changed their week to be a little different than the others. There is a law of diminishing returns from the weightroom, and an increase in certain types of injuries when pushing weight to extreme levels. So for a couple of my athletes, we are putting in less weight room work to increase energy on the track.

Photo of Katie Nageotte, Brad Walker, and Sandi Morris provided by Brad Walker.

TAKEOFF: We know the Crew vaults at Flicky Stick Pole Vault, but what other facilities are available for your athletes, such as a weight room and a track?

BRAD: Right now, we are mostly at Life University and The Atlanta Track Club. Flicky Stick is another great facility we use and I really like how they run their club. Each athlete has their own membership to one of two gyms.

TAKEOFF: Finally, do you think a female vaulter will ever clear 17 feet?

BRAD: Absolutely. And I hope to be telling you about coaching one in the upcoming years.

ALL VAULT CREW superheroes answered questions for TAKEOFF:

Philippine national record holder Natalie Uy; NCAA champion Hussain Al-Hizam; 2020 Olympic gold medalist, Katie Nageotte; Team Canada pole vaulter, Robin Bone, and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Sandi Morris.

Katie Nageotte, Brad Walker, and Sandi Morris

NATALIE UY

Photo provided by Natalie Uy

TAKEOFF: Natalie, why did you choose to train with Brad and when did you join his training group?

NATALIE: I chose to train with Brad because I knew how much success Katie had with him. I grew up in Ohio so I was lucky to meet Katie in 2013 -my senior year of high schoolwhen her pro career was just starting off. She has been a role model in the sport ever since then, so when the opportunity to train under the same coach as her arose, I jumped on it.

TAKEOFF: What have been some of your challenges and successes in the last 2 years?

NATALIE: I have had many challenges in the past two years. I snapped a pole in July of 2020 and it resulted in a broken wrist. It was a long recovery. This was during my first season with a new coach while adapting to a new city in the midst of Covid. I would say my greatest triumph has been continuing to take shots at national records throughout the transitions and difficulties.

TAKEOFF: Do you see yourself and EJ Obiena inspiring a vanguard of Filipino and Filipino-American vaulters?

NATALIE: It would be one of my greatest accomplishments to be able to inspire young Filipinos to follow their dreams, whether that is pole vault or another sport. I hope EJ and I can pave the way to making pole vault, and track and field in general, more accessible to children.

TAKEOFF: How do you cope with the stress of competition?

NATALIE: I tell myself that I am nervous because my body knows that it is about to be asked to compete to the best of its ability. I try to use my nerves to my advantage and channel the energy in the right direction.

TAKEOFF: What are your hobbies?

NATALIE: I love being outdoors, going on hikes, exploring new restaurants and places around the city. I also really enjoy going to coffee shops and when I’m not training, I love to play tennis.

HUSSAIN AL HIZAM

Photo provided by Hussain Al Hizam

TAKEOFF: Hussain, why did you decide to train with Brad Walker?

HUSSAIN: It simply was the perfect fit. I had been around the college system for almost 6 years and felt like it was time to change it up and be around pro athletes and a coach who have similar goals and have been in the same position that I aspire to one day.

TAKEOFF: How has the transition been so far?

HUSSAIN: Change is always hard, especially when you’ve been in a place for six years, but I knew being in my comfort zone wouldn’t lead me to where I want to be. Brad and my teammates have been nothing but amazing. They have been super welcoming.

TAKEOFF: As the only male vaulter among the Vault Crew, what have you learned about the drive and determination among your female Crew members?

HUSSAIN: Honestly, my expectations couldn’t have been higher when I came to Atlanta, but seeing how hard they work and the effort they put in definitely gave me a whole new perspective. And that is one of the main reasons I decided to join the group. I aspire to accomplish what these women have.

TAKEOFF: What comparisons do you see between yourself and coach Walker--both of you were NCAA champions?

HUSSAIN: Power. Both Brad and I are super powerful on the runway and the vault. Even among the highest level of athletes you can really notice a difference between us and the rest. It is a huge advantage.

KATIE NAGEOTTE

Photo provided by Katie Nageotte

TAKEOFF: Katie, judging from your social media, your life has been a whirlwind since winning gold in Tokyo. What have been some of the highlights from your victory tour?

KATIE: “Whirlwind” is right! It’s been absolutely incredible. Some of the highlights have been speaking to the Browns and leading the stadium in a chant during a Thursday night game; throwing out the first pitch at an Indians game; getting courtside seats at a Cavalier’s game after being recognized on the court; giving the commencement speech at Ashland University; giving the keynote speech at the National Pole Vault Summit, and a couple other fun things I’m working on, that I’m not able to talk about yet, but can’t wait for everyone to see!

TAKEOFF: You knew 5 years ago that you needed to make a change to achieve your personal goal of being an Olympian. You moved to Washington to train with Brad, then moved again following your instinct that you were exactly with whom you needed to be. You learned to trust yourself. What instinct are you following now as you look forward to competition this year?

KATIE: My gut has never led me wrong! It led me to Ashland and to Brad, both proving to be the best things for my career. Brad taught me to trust myself and my vaulting by trusting him, and while it’s still a work in progress, I will continue to work with him and trust his guidance until I retire.

TAKEOFF: How do you stay calm and focused as you manage the press and demands that come with being the Olympic gold medalist (all while planning your wedding!)?

KATIE: When I’m at training, I’m just focusing on training. When I’m doing an interview, I’m only focused on the interview. That, combined with fully enjoying my rest days, helps me to not get overwhelmed.

KRISTEN BROWN

Photo provided by Kristen Brown

TAKEOFF: Kristen, as a remarkable all-around athlete (sprinter, hurdler), what drew you to Georgia to train with Brad?

KRISTEN: What drew me to train with Brad was knowing that he went through the highest levels of my event! I knew that he understood exactly what I was trying to accomplish and trusted that he would be able to get me there. I knew that he would challenge me and turn me into a great vaulter. Having Katie as my training partner motivated me because I knew every practice I would have to really push myself.

TAKEOFF: What competitions do you plan to compete in this year?

KRISTEN: I will open up at Texas relays, compete at Mt. Sac, and then head overseas for competitions.

TAKEOFF: What tips would you give a young vaulter beginning their journey in the sport?

KRISTEN: My advice would be to watch a lot of videos of jumpers that they like and work on getting stronger and faster. Trust their coach to technically refine their jump and don’t forget to have fun!

ROBIN BONE

Phot provided by Robin Bone

TAKEOFF: Robin, what made you decide to seek Brad’s coaching?

ROBIN: In 2019, most of the athletes in my group in Arizona had retired, so I trained alone for about a year, which was very tough. However it also made me realize how much this sport and growing within the pole vault meant to me.

Brad had trained in my old training group in Arizona towards the end of his career, and I knew him through the vault community, so when I was speaking with him following my 2019 season, he offered me to join his group if the trial period went well. At the time it was Katie Nageotte and Kristen Brown. Given that Brad had recently burst onto the coaching

scene and was having great success coaching Katie, I jumped at the opportunity and flew to Atlanta for two weeks at the end of the season and I loved it. I’m so thankful Brad and the girls let me join them! Being an ex-gymnast and having had tough and demanding coaches in the past, Brad’s coaching style was super appealing to me and I was looking forward to seeing what we could accomplish together!

TAKEOFF: How did you adjust to a new city and new training group?

ROBIN: As soon as I arrived, Katie and Kristen welcomed me with open arms and we became very close right off the bat! I think we can all agree in saying that we would look forward to going to training every day not just to put work in, but to have fun with one another while doing so. Kudos to Brad for having to constantly listen to us talk about all kinds of girly topics- he is a trooper! It’s been really fun to be a part of our growing group while we all chase our goals.

TAKEOFF: What techniques or skills have you learned from your other Crew members? What have they learned from you?

ROBIN: I think one of the best things about our group is that we all can bring different things to the table. We are constantly bouncing ideas off of one another whether that’s on the track, in the weight room, or just in life. I have learned some great cues or different ways of thinking about certain elements of the vault from all of my teammates. We all have very different physical and mental strengths so we are constantly being pushed by one another. Our whole group does a really good job at supporting one another, it’s very genuine. We share a very special bond. We are a family.

I’m not sure what they have learned specifically from me, but if you asked them this question they would probably say something along the lines of, “Never let anyone dull your sparkle!” This is a phrase that I saw a long time ago and I really loved it, so I’m always encouraging everyone to shine bright and be themselves!

SANDI MORRIS

Photo provided by Sandi Morris

TAKEOFF: Sandi, what made you decide to work with Brad?

SANDI: In 2012, I transferred from UNC Chapel Hill to U of Arkansas to work with Coach Compton, and after graduating in 2015 I stayed to continue training there for my pro career. I had a lot of success under Coach Compton, and I attribute all of it to his program. Compton’s training will get you tough as nails, and if you have raw athletic ability and respond well to a tough-love mentality (which I did) then you will thrive with him.

In 2019 I started to consider a change. Being 4 years into my professional career at that point, I started to seek fresh eyes and perspective because I felt I was staying consistent with my performances, but not improving the way I believed I could. There is a balance between consistency with coaching and trying new things in training. You don’t want to changecoaches too much - that will mess even the most consistent athletes up - but at some point, you have to decide what risks you are willing to take, what changes you are willing to make, to have a chance at improving. A classic saying by Albert Einstein is “stupidity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” This is not to say Compton and I weren’t trying new things, that’s not it at all. But I was ready for a new environment, new perspective, new everything.

The first time I made a big change like that - transferring from UNC to Arkansas - the change shocked my system into overdrive. It filled my heart with newfound excitement and fire, and I find myself experiencing that same thing all over again with this recent change to coming to Atlanta.

On top of all of this, my husband Tyrone landed a really great job here out of business school. He got his MBA last year from the University of Texas, and my family/home town is just 2.5 hours away in Greenville, SC. I was ready to be closer, and started eyeballing the Atlanta area even before Brad brought the Vault Crew here.

I considered a few other places as well… you can count them on one hand… but conversations with Brad about his coaching philosophy sealed the deal for me. Witnessing his success with Katie is an obvious selling point, but sitting down and

talking about the details of the technique he coaches, and really studying the drills and workouts he has his athletes do, made me feel confident it was the right decision for me.

I felt an excitement from Brad to work with me, and I was seeking that new fire and passion in a partner - because that’s what a coach is, essentially. They should be your partner, not just a boss, and you run your “company” together, equal parts.

Also, I was excited to work alongside Katie! We have not only been competitors for all these years, but we have been friends. I wanted to make sure the dynamic between us could continue to be a healthy one - friendly competitors. I received a lot of advice from Jeff Hartwig about it because, 1. He’s my manager and has been a mentor I trust for many years, and 2. He trained at Earl Bell’s back in the day with Derek Miles, Jeremy Scott, Chad Harting, Ty Harvey and Daniel Ryland - all 19’ guys!

We talked in depth about the dynamic of training with your main competitors. His biggest advice to me was “don’t get stuck in the ‘I have to win every rep’ mindset.” And he is very right. When you’re at practice, it’s important to focus on your own technique, reps, and progress. Your competition being present shouldn’t affect your focus. There have been sessions where Brad gives us a thumbs-up to compete with one another in workouts, but most times the workouts are no different. You run your workout, do your jump sessions, and another’s presence doesn’t affect those workouts. If anything, I have felt us all feeding off of one another’s energy at training. Good practices tend to rub off on one another, and take over the whole group. It’s a lot of fun! I much look forward to outdoor season, when we are taking shots at big bungees in training. I just know we will feed off one another and have big, exciting jump days that will prepare us better than anything for our global competitors.

TAKEOFF: Do you find that iron sharpens iron?

SANDI: Iron definitely sharpens iron. Training is very intense and there isn’t a day I can show up without being on my A-game.

TAKEOFF: What have been some of the challenges and the success of your new training group?

SANDI: The biggest adjustment for me personally is getting used to city life. Atlanta traffic is no joke, and we all have to commute about 30 minutes to the various facilities we train at. For indoor vault sessions, we go to Atlanta Track Club, and for track workouts and outdoor vaulting we train at Life University. I have a home weight room and also a membership to a public gym I go to for things I don’t have at home. I spend about 1.5-2 hours in the car each day getting from one place to another. That has affected me because my hobby time at home keeps me sane. It’s definitely making me better at time management!

And as for the success of the group, it’s how well we all train together. We are very serious and we get in and get work done. I am working hard to develop a relationship with each member of the group. I especially like lifting weights with Hussain - he’s a beast and we have decided to be lifting partners for most sessions. I love his uplifting personality and his fearlessness in the weight room. I have moved more weight this year thanks to having him there to spot and encourage!

Photo provided by Brad Walker