MAKES & MISSES By: Jose R. San MIguel
Growing up in Puerto Rico, in a loving family with amazing parents, I was surrounded by opportunities to become better, not because my family had the means (they did not), but because I never knew what we were lacking. My parents encouraged me to believe I could accomplish anything. Like most kids on the island, I played many sports and was passionate about winning. Track and field gave me that opportunity. I was not the strongest, fastest, or best, but most failed to beat me.
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Academically, I was not as accomplished. Lacking confidence in the classroom, I struggled for years and no one knew why. Tutors and special classes produced little improvement. My parents never gave up in their search to help me. Finally, I had the good fortune to meet Sr. Mendez when I was in sixth grade. Sr. Mendez noticed my dyslexia and taught me how to make sense of math. With this new skill, I felt empowered and my outlook for the future changed. A year later I was accepted into Colegio San Jose, where I flourished academically and athletically from grades 7-12. What an amazing gift! One day as a junior in high school, I saw a man in his sixties pole vaulting. I introduced myself and asked if I could try it. His name was Don Carlos Loubrier. He said no way un-
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less my father agreed, as the sport is very difficult. My father approvedI tried it, and was hooked. Papa became a student of the event and coached me to a full scholarship at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez. He believed that having excellent technique in every event could compensate for not being as tall or fast as other athletes. I spent hours studying film on an 8mm projector and a VCR. My father was hard core 100% of the time. With no room for excuses, my job was to perform at my best in every single practice, which was hard but it worked for me. As a senior in the PRHSAA Championships, I finished 1st in the pole vault and long jump, 2nd in the 110H and high jump, and 1st place in the Puerto Rico Junior Nationals decathlon. My mom made sure I had balance in my life. She sat down with me daily to ensure my schoolwork was properly done and that I understood how to study for my tests. She instilled perseverance, the value of surrounding myself with good people, that hard work equals success, and to never quit regardless of the adversity. I graduated from high school with a 3.47 GPA, a huge accomplishment for me. Flying high, I intended to pursue my dream of becoming a physician. Imagine, Dr. Jose! A few days after my high school
graduation, I broke my wrist pole vaulting, and my athletic future was bleak. I went on to college, unable to jump until November of my freshman year. My strength and speed improved, but I did not connect well with the pole vault coach. Seeing this, my father went on a mission to find the best coach in Puerto Rico. He quickly figured out that the most knowledgeable person was Cristobal Lago. Don Lago had coached every Puerto Rican Olympian, since 1946 including Rolando Cruz who finished 4th at the Rome Olympics. He coached at four Olympiads! Don Lago no longer trained athletes and was soon to retire from being the Postmaster General for the United States Postal Service in Puerto Rico. My dad went to see him, explained my situation, and he agreed to meet me. Don Lago was in his seventies at the time, kind, giving, super proud, and full of pole vault knowledge. He refused to train me until I was able to do ten muscle ups on a high bar. I was ready. He took me to the Sixto Escobar Stadium in San Juan, where we had to climb a 15’ cement and iron fence to enter. In that first practice, he told me that he expected me to be at the stadium every Sunday at 10 am, a 2.5 hour drive from my college dorm; he required me to give my all, no excuses; to trust him and his process; and to win the uni
