January 2014 by VAULTER Magazine

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

Only Track & Field News can keep you fully informed about which athletes to watch, who’s hot and who’s not. We take you step-by-step, meet-by-meet, through the indoor season, outdoor conference championships, the domestic relay and invitational carnivals, the NCAAs, the U.S. Nationals, the Grand Prix events in Europe and of course the Olympics and World Championships. Each issue is packed with meet stories, performer lists and other useful stats, interviews and profiles of your favorite athletes, action photos galore, opinion columns and feature articles, and everything else you need to keep abreast of the total track scene. If high school track is your special interest, seven issues during the year carry prep top performer lists and reports. If you like track, you’ll LOVE Track & Field News. Call the toll-free number below today and we’ll start your subscription immediately.

Wri comp te for our le of tra te listing s ck and t books ours.

es)

igital issu $38.95 yr. (12 d 2 print issues) (1 r. y 5 .9 3 4 $ + digital issues) t n ri p 2 (1 r. y $48.95

K A R T T E G 1-800 C/Amex Charge to Visa/M rs USATF membe nt to

Special discou

the vaulter magazine 2014

Track & Field News 2570 W El Camino Real, Suite 220 Mountain View, CA 94040 Phone 650/948-8188 Fax 650/948-9445

TRACK PERIODICALS • BOOKS • TOURS TO THE OLYMPICS, WORLDS, ETC.

january 2014 issue

contents

www.thevaultermag.com

10 FROM THE EDITOR

New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resolutions for Juniors!

Hamilton Southeastern High School Pays it Forward 10 UC Berkeley Trains Leaders

A Vaulterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tale from Dolf Berle

The First Lady of Modern Pole Vaulting

24 16

Photo by Mike McCarthy

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to 2014. We have something very exciting for you in this first edition of the year. Bubba Sparks interviewed Debbie Chappell, wife of UCS Spirit’s own Steve Chappell. Debbie Chappell has been around pole vaulting a long time and has some great information for us. This exchange between these two legendary vaulters is so much fun to read! We know you will enjoy it. This time Penny Hanson has focused on second semester high school juniors in her College Connection piece. She is urging you juniors to get out there and find out what colleges you will be applying to, and get the ball rolling on the decision-making process. It’s not easy, so if you are struggling when it comes to your college choices, this article is for you. You will find it most helpful.

Last, but not least we have our cover story on Hamilton Southeastern High School in Indiana. This group has been fighting hard to reach their best and making big future plans. Coach Collin Gayde is reaching amazing heights with both the boy’s and girl’s vault teams. So we hope you will relax after your holiday ventures, whatever they were, and relax with our fun-filled January issue. Thank you for ringing in 2014 with us, and keep reading throughout the year for more vaulting tales, information, and tips. Happy New Year! Editor Doug Bouma editor@thevaultermag.com

Dolf Berle is our featured veteran vaulter to start off the New Year. He treated us to a great story about his experience in the Porto Allegre World Championships and the USA National Championship in the decathlon. His story is one all vaulters can relate to, and his emotions and physical reactions he expresses are familiar to, not only vaulters, but to anyone who has ever competed in a sport.

The Golden Bears of UC Berkeley are lucky enough to have Vault Coach Mohamad Saatara this year. Although he is new to Berkeley, Coach Saatara is not new to vaulting and he and his crew are getting along great. They are moving right along in com-petition and putting out great athletes. You won’t want to skip Coach Saatara account of this past year, and how things have been going. Please enjoy.

the vaulter magazine 2014

Logan Westlake

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

75 SC STATE CHAMPIONS, 10 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, AND 3 “TEAM USA” (WORLD TEAM) SINCE 1998.

www.ShealyAthletics.com Rusty@ShealyAthletics.com

803-315-5998

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

New Year’s Resolutions for Juniors! Penny Hanson

This column is a wakeup call to all second semester juniors! This is your time to shine! This is your time to research your options and determine your next steps! This is a wonderfully exciting time to be a high school student! For the majority of students, the second semester of junior year is the start of the college process. This is when most students start to seriously consider their options. This is also where the rubber meets the road and reality begins to sink in….

Juniors will be applying to college in the fall, so it is important to understand that this semester there is absolutely no room for poor grades. When college applications are submitted, the colleges will look at grades from your first three years of high school. The second semester of junior year is your last chance to put a spectacular stamp on your GPA. That doesn’t mean schools don’t consider your se-

the vaulter magazine 2014

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

VAULTER

MAGAZINE Kirk Bentz

the vaulter magazine 2014

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

Hamilton Southeastern

High School Pays it Forward By Michelle Walthall Hamilton Southeastern High School, also known as HSE, is located in Fishers, Indiana. Their mascot of the Royal (or Lion) appropriately names their pole vault team as they have been fiercely fighting and working to jump higher than ever.

Pole Vault Coach Collin Gayde says, “There are a total of eleven coaches at HSE for the boys’ and girls’ track teams. I am the only pole vault coach for both the boys’ and girls’ teams.” Coach Gayde comes with much experience, and he puts in the time for his team. He tells us this of how he came to HSE: “I started coaching at Hamilton Southeastern in 2007 after coaching at Indiana State University for three years. In my time at HSE, we’ve had at least one athlete qualify for the State Championship Meet all seven seasons. We’ve also had seven athletes qualify for our indoor Championship Meet. In 2012, I coached my first State Finals placer to a third place finish in the boys’ competition. Outside of the regular high school season, I also co-own and cooperate Pole Vault Elite (http://www. p o l e va u l t e l i t e . c o m )

Top Left to Bottom: Ryan Kuhl, William Strickland, Kylee Switzer, Jessie Schuck, Katelyn Smiley, Stephen Krzyminski

the vaulter magazine 2014

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

and Kylie Hutson to be a guest coach at a session during the summer at Club.” We also asked Coach Gayde how the HSE vault program compares to others around. “I’m sure there is a struggle with equipment in most areas,” he answers, “and we are lucky enough to have an administration that supports our efforts to provide the kids with a safe environment that also allows us to improve. I don’t think the success over the past seven years at HSE would be possible without the backing of our administration, other event coaches, and our parents.”

“Our program is run on learning the basics first,” Coach Gayde continues. “You have to walk before you run, hop before you can jump. I work with new athletes on simple drills first and we progress to the next drill once the first is mastered. My style of coaching is safety first, and if we can’t be safe then we can’t jump. Our squad knows and appreciates this, and I think has a greater appreciation for the sport because of it. This season, I’ll have between 10 and 15 vaulters.” As far as equipment goes, the Royal vaulters are set;

the vaulter magazine 2014

and soon their facilities will be even better. Coach Gayde gave us a breakdown of what his team uses to train. He says, “In the off-season, we have our auxiliary gym at the high school that allows us to run and drill without pits or plant boxes (this will be changing as our high school is building a new gym and installing two boxes into it). We also utilize our relatively new weight room funded by our RVC program (http:// www.royalsvarsityclub.org) for strength training and yoga on the weekends. During the winters, we work with a local gymnastics club once a week. Our squad will also use the equipment at Pole Vault Elite (http://www.polevaultelite. com) out of the high school season. In season, we have two outdoor boxes and two Richey pits, standards, etc. We have an extensive inventory of Gill Athletics poles for the athletes to use.”

Plans for an even better facility are joined by plans for more training opportunities as well. Coach Gayde says, “We do not offer pole vault specific camps or clinics yet. This is something we are working on developing and hope to offer some in the coming years. We do, however, offer general track camp to pre-high-school-aged athletes during the summer.”

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

Left To Right: John Dye, Ethan Bray, Erikah Pyle, Katelyn Smiley, Aditya Jariwala, Emily Obear, Jessie Schuck, Riley Sandel, William Strickland Kneeling In Front: Collin Gayde

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

“Knowing that most of the kids that compete in high school athletics will not go on to be elite athletes, or even collegiate athletes, I try to help the kids grow as young men and women that will be productive in everyday life,” Coach Gayde says of what his vaulters are learning. “Many of our better former athletes come back during the summer and breaks and

help mentor our current athletes, not only in athletics but in everyday issues. Our program has a ‘pay it forward’ approach. This is something that my former coaches (Bob Potter, Bryan Carrel, and John McNichols) instilled in me as I was going through high school and college.” “For males, our school record is 15’3” (2011). For

females, [the record is] 11’4” (2007),” Coach Gayde continues. “Last year we had a freshman boy clear 13’0” at the Indiana State Fair Pole Vault Competition. Our senior girl cleared 11’0” at our County Meet. This year we have a sophomore boy (Ethan Bray) and a senior boy (Riley Sandel) that both have PRs of 13’0”, and we have two juniors (Emily Obear and Katelyn

Stop Left circling aclockwise: Stephen Krzyminski, Ethan Bray, Bridget Riley, Kylee Switzer, Jessie Schuck, Allie Hogan, Erikah Pyle, Natalie McDaniel, William Strickland, Riley Sandel

the vaulter magazine 2014

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

UC Berkeley

Trains Leaders By: Michelle Walthall

“The University of California, Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California which is on the East side of the San Francisco Bay west of Walnut Creek and north of Oakland,” says proud coach Mohamad Saatara. “Actually, you can see the city of San Francisco across the Bay from the campus. The intercollegiate teams at UC Berkeley are usually referred to as California or Cal (since UC Berkeley was the original University of California campus and the ‘flagship’ of the UC campuses). The mascot is the Golden Bears.” Coach Saatara continues with these words of the track and field staff at UC Berkeley: “We have a combined program and our staff consists of 8 coaches

the vaulter magazine 2014

and one strength coach. We have 5 full-time coaches along with Tony Sandoval who is our Director of Track and Field and Cross Country. We also have three volunteer coaches who help with the high jump, multi-events, sprints, and throws. Three of those coaches are involved with the coaching and recruiting of pole vaulters. This includes me, Lissa Olson, and Bill Shissler. Lissa Olson provides coaching and guidance for the speed development and fitness segments of our training and I design and implement the technical and event specific portions of training.” “I started coaching in 1996 as the throws coach at Cal

The relationship between Coach Saatara and the UC Berkeley vault team is off to

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com Mackenzi Landry

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE Evan Barr

Soma Kate

the vaulter magazine 2014

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

Placeholder

the vaulter magazine 2014

january issue Top row (L to R):2014 Andrew www.thevaultermag.com Ramay, Mohamad Saatara (Assistant Coach), Bill Shissler (Volunteer Coach), Evan Barr Bottom Row (L to R): Emma McCarthy, Tara Lookabaugh, Victoria Rische, Mackenzie Landry, Nicole Larson

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

use the university gymnastics room extensively.”

Andrew Ramay

Alumni coming from UC Berkeley are proof that what they have works. Coach Saatara lets us know that, “Berkeley is one of the top universities in the world so Cal graduates are generally some of the most successful members of the community in all areas; this is also true of our track and field and pole vault alumni. We’ve had NCAA national champions and AllAmericans in the recent past including Katie MorganNational Champion in 2008.” What is also very impressive about Coach Saatara

is that he is willing to learn and grow. “…I am constantly in contact with national and international-level coaches and athletes in an effort to expand my knowledge base

for pole vaulting,” he tells us. This philosophy should keep the Golden Bear vaulters striving for a long time to come.

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

A Vaulter’s Tale from Dolf Berle By: Michelle Walthall

Some of us know Dolf Berle as the man wearing the helmet with the rubber duck on top. He may stand out because of this, but there is so much more to this veteran vaulter. He tells us, “I am the M50-54 world champion based on my finish at the Porto Allegre World Championships in October. I am also the bronze medalist at Worlds in the decathlon, and the 2013 USA National champion in the decathlon for this age group.” Here is his account of what he went through in competition:

“Going into the pole vault… in the decathlon there were some challenges: The box was non-standard at 7.5”, I… borrowed poles since Brazil customs…confiscated the ones we had shipped, and… by the time I vaulted it was really dark. We couldn’t see

the vaulter magazine 2014

Dolf Medal Stand

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

lon or pole vault without my coaches,” he says. “Chad Andrews was yelling encouragement above the crowd the whole time, and helping make adjustments in step, grip, and form on a constant basis. Bubba Sparks, who was also there as a friend, had extremely timely advice on squeezing my left hand (lower hand) harder to try to provide more resistance at takeoff on a borrowed pole that was hopelessly too large, but the only one available that I would not snap with was a 13’ grip. Coaching and emotional support was the most important fuel I had at the time when my body was really exhausted from the decathlon the day prior to the open PV in Porto Allegre. Bruce Caldwell from Essex Poles here in Dallas has also been a supportive friend on the journey. Lastly J.J. Johnson, 4X100m USA team world champion anchor is my friend and massage/bodywork partner without whom a 50-yearold body would have a hard time staying intact. It truly takes a team to perform well, and I owe each of these men very deep thanks.” Berle also lets us know this: “Another very interesting guy I know is Don Isett who is

the vaulter magazine 2014

the M70 world champion. He lives here in Dallas and trains at the Dallas Vault Club with me under Chad Andrews. Don is quite unusual in that he vaults nearly every single day at the age of 70. He was also awarded Athlete of the Year by USA Masters Track and Field for his age group this year. He has the unusual distinction of earning over 100% on the age graded tables which is something only a very few human beings have ever done.”

“The big challenge in the open vault was that my legs were locking up pretty badly. I couldn’t hit top speed, and if I didn’t keep sprinting every few minutes my hamstrings and calves felt like concrete. I was intact, however, and I didn’t have any nerves because the decathlon had drained me of any nervous energy. The secondary challenge was that all the poles from the previous night had been transported to another stadium, and so we had a fresh batch of borrowed poles with relatively scant markings on them. I chose one of the bigger poles that seemed close to my normal 14’ 70, started warming up from a sevenstep run, and got stood up five times with some precari-

ous landings along the way. I didn’t have a smaller pole option, so this was a dilemma. After warm-ups I realized that I would likely need to use the straight pole technique which I last used when I was first learning the vault in 1982. After a bad miss on the first attempt at the first height, I realized I would need to adjust so I went back to the pole selection in search of something soft that I could use off a four or five-step run. My legs were locking up harder now, and the tailwind has shifted to a solid headwind. It was at that point that I learned that the pole I was on was actually a 14’6” pole with no markings, so my grip was actually 6’ higher than normal. I gripped down 8”, and straight poled my way to a clearance. I ultimately cleared 3.60 in this fashion for the win on misses and felt blessed and fortunate to have survived the day with a good outcome. This was not a case of being the best pole vaulter in the world at my age; it was making the best of a situation where no one was going to set a PR under those conditions.” As if this enlightening account of his experience was not enough, we are also left

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

Dolf PV World Champs

with these amazing final words from Berle: “I think of the decathlon and the pole vault as metaphors for life. They teach us how to have resolve, how to be brave, how to trust in our skills, and how to overcome adversity. I have learned that it helps to have some talent, but ultimately you also need to be a ‘grinder’

who stays with the event and persists in trying to get better every day no matter what the setback. At my age, the pole vault is a friend who has helped me through the fight against Autism in my first son, the untimely death of my dad in a tragic accident, and a number of other challenges. I don’t think my challenges are

worse or harder than anyone else’s, but I know that being a pole vaulter has helped me handle them more gracefully and positively. I am grateful for the training, the coaches and friends, and for the opportunity to feel the joy in doing something really difficult.”

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

The First Lady of Modern Pole Vaulting By: Debbie Chappell and insight by Bubba Sparks It occurred to me during a Facebook exchange with Debbie Chappell that no single living person has seen more fiberglass pole vault history than Debbie. Her father was George Moore, who partnered with engineer Herb Jenks to create the modern day pole as we know it. For 39 years she has been married to Steve Chappell of UCS Spirit Vaulting Poles, the unquestionable leader in total records for the pole vault, and a major force behind the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno each year. From childhood to adult she has witnessed the evolution of the very equipment we hold most dear, the pole vault pole itself. As a lifelong vaulter and fan I asked Debbie if she would be kind enough to let me interview her and I’m grateful she

the vaulter magazine 2014

consented. Not only did she consent but she sent me 14 PAGES of answers to my questions and many photos. This article is a series of excerpts from that “interview”. Vaulter Magazine owner, Doug Bouma will provide a link so you can read the entire interview. She also submitted several historical photos. Thank you Debbie!! I’m honored to know you and I thank you so much for sharing your insights. Bubba 1. What are your first memories of your exposure to pole vaulting? What were your thoughts and impressions?

I honestly can’t ever remember a time not being around the pole vault. Even before my

father started his business in the early 60’s, he was a huge fan (an old vaulter himself) and would take my sister and I to meets with him. I do remember being quite surprised to learn that some of the kids that lived on our cul de sac in Southern Calif. went to Dodgers games instead of the Mt. Sac Relays, like boy, how weird is that? The first vaulter that made an impact on me was Paul Wilson (Bubba-1st high school vaulter to clear 16’/4.88m). He was in high school and I was in grade school. I remember him being talked of as “the high school phenom”, but really wasn’t at an age to appreciate what that meant – I just thought he was cute.

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

But in those early years, it was the people who were around who were most interesting to me, the different personalities and their varied backgrounds. We always had coaches and athletes coming and going and it all seemed very exciting.

I think it wasn’t until the era of the Bob Seagren/John Pennel rivalry in the mid 60’s that I started paying attention to the event as something other than just what my father was involved in. I was just getting into middle school and started really enjoying the competition aspect. Bob was unique, an extraordinary competitor. Even as young as I was, I understood that. He and my dad had a special bond and he was very special to our family. Not only was he this handsome, fierce competitor and athlete, but really a true friend. He was always warm and gracious to my sister and me. And of course, then the Swedes came along, Kjell Isaksson (and Hans Lagerqvist) and that rivalry with Bob and the subsequent talk and exciting times around our house escalated mightily along with the falling records. 2. Tell us about your dad. He is universally recognized as the father of modern pole technology. What do you remember that indi-

Debbie Chappell

cated to you that what he did was special? What kind of personality type did he most resemble? I just want to clear up one misconception about my father (a flattering one but a misconception all the same).

He wasn’t a scientist or an engineer and didn’t ‘invent’ modern pole technology. That credit goes (and goes alone) to his business partner Herb Jenks. It was Herb who invented and developed the very first fiberglass vaulting pole.

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

Mike Tully at the Pacer plant with Steve Chappell and George Moore

and says “Hi, you may not know me, but I knew your father. Boy, he was a great man.” And when my own boys, who now work “in the business” at UCS, come home from a conference or a meet and tell me someone told them a story about their grandfather, that is the greatest gift and legacy of all. 3) When was the first time you realized your dad was a very big deal in our sport? Did you want to

vault and did he encourage you to vault? When do you first remember girls vaulting for fun? My first inkling that he was “big deal” came when I was a sophmore in high school, in 1971. We had a career day at school and the teacher coordinating it was asking for volunteers to come speak to kids about their professions. The idea was that students would move from room to room, lis-

tening to accountants, doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, or secretaries etc., talk about their occupations. I approached this teacher, Mr. Corona, and being the doting daughter I was, suggested that my dad could come in and give a talk. When I told Mr. Corona what my father did for a living (that he made vaulting poles) his reception was, well, let’s just say lukewarm to be polite -- but he reluctantly promised he would try “to fit him in somewhere.” I

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

went home thrilled and asked my father. Dad agreed and had a suggestion (because he was always enthusiastic about anything he did.) He said “hey, what if I brought a vaulter or two along? That would make it more real and interesting -- maybe talk about the Olympics or something.” I passed this along to Mr. Corona who then asked me for my father’s work number to coordinate it all, acting as if it was just one more stupid detail he had to deal with.

A week before career day, Mr. Corona pulled me aside in the hallway. He seemed very agitated. (I thought I was in trouble.) He said “Geez Debbie, you didn’t tell me he was bringing along Bob Seagren!!! Word has gotten out. I have every coach in the area wanting to bring their team to listen. Now I have to book the whole damned performing arts building to fit everyone in!” Needless to say we packed the place and I took great pleasure in knowing that ol’ Doctor What’s-his-name was stuck out in the biology lab with only a handful of kids listening to him. For the rest of the week I had kids who I didn’t know coming up to me asking “was that your dad with Bob Seagren? Wow!” I grew a head taller that week. When my friends started telling

the vaulter magazine 2014

me how cool my dad was, than I started to believe it!

Interestingly, I never had a desire to vault. My first memory of girls vaulting for fun was actually at one of the first Pole Vault Summits, I think around 1994. It was before Melissa Price blazed a trail through the legal system in California, to let girls compete in the event in high school. A couple of girls showed up with poles and wanted to vault. Bob Fraley and Steve and Lane looked at each other and said “why the heck not?” Later, I was never more proud of all of these men as when they stood up to USA Track and Field a few years later when funding for the Summit was threatened if they continued to let women vault at the Summit. Those three men just said, (and I’m paraphrasing) “Do what you have to do, but the girls are staying.” 4. How did you meet and get to know Steve? When did you realize the relationship he had with your dad was special? And with you? How long have you been married? Could I get a photo of just you as well as one of you, your dad and Steve?

I met Steve at a Track Meet (surprise!) at the Crystal Pal-

ace in London in 1972; right after the Munich Olympics (I was weeks shy of my 17th birthday). Our family had attended the Olympics where my father spent most of his time arguing with the likes of Avery Brundage, the IOC and others over the pole ban that year. A side tour to London after the games was part of our trip itinerary and a much needed break for my father. Steve was then the UK National Junior’s Champion and according to British National Coach Morton Evans, “a real up and comer (and quite a looker).” When Morton called my father at our hotel in London inviting us to a post games meet at the Crystal Palace -- I, my sister and my mother all let out a collective groan. Munich had been an ordeal for my father, we were ready to have some fun, we were in London for god sakes do we have to go to another track meet? Not wanting to disappoint Morton, my father agreed. (He convinced my sister to go by pointing out that Buddy Williamson would probably be there – Bob Seagren’s friend and training partner who she’d had a few dates with. Needless to say the decision was made and the curling irons duly employed in short order.) Steve was injured at the time so wasn’t competing in the

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

A few years later, the AMF Corporation purchased my father’s Pacer Company and Dad remained as CEO. By this time, Herb had an idea for yet another pole but was unhappy at Durafiber where he was manufacturing the Catapole. AMF offered to build a new building for the Pacer plant in Carson City, NV (where Herb lived) and Herb went to work directly with my father at AMF’s new facility. (Herb also did research and development for all of AMF’s other companies as well.) This is when my father moved our family from So. Cal. to Carson City NV in 1974.

Herb and my dad came out with this new pole, their third collaboration together, so named it the Pacer III. When Steve was hired, he worked directly with and under Herb Jenks in pole production and development. When Herb died tragically in 1979, the responsibilities for pole production shifted between Steve, Jim Wagner (the plant manager) and my father. Steve and Jim eventually took on the majority share of production duties and my father was forced to travel a little less. Two years later when my father passed away from brain cancer, AMF appointed Steve as General Manager of AMF Pacer, and Steve in turn hired Lane Maestretti full time (who’d been working at Pac-

the vaulter magazine 2014

er part time previously while training for the decathlon) .

With me so far? Okay, here comes the transition. AMF gets taken over by a corporate raider (someone who comes in and buys up the majority stock, and breaks up all the small companies and sells them each for a big profit.) AMF Pacer gets put on the chopping block. Two competitors are bidding for it – the Harry Gill Company out of Illinois, and UCS out of New York. During negotiations, Steve and Lane are talking to both companies who each have offered them jobs. Steve and Lane have an idea of their own however– they have a new design for a pole they’d been working on and don’t want to move from Carson City. When Jeff Schwartz of UCS discovers Steve and Lane don’t want to come with the Pacer company, he drops out of the bidding and starts talking to Steve and Lane directly. Jeff makes them an offer they can’t refuse --to stay in Carson City, Nevada and develop their new pole with the support and resources of UCS. Works for everyone. Spirit is born.

The Gill Company moves Pacer (the name and little else) to Urbana Illinois and UCS Spirit opens their doors (just a few blocks away from the old build-

ing) in Carson City, less than 6 months later. Doug Fraley wins the NCAA championships in 1987 on a Spirit prototype, literally fresh out of the oven. (I’m not kidding here.)

Doug’s original poles were broken en route to the championships in Baton Rouge. His dad, coach Bob Fraley calls Lane desperate for poles. Spirit wasn’t in wide-scale production yet and was still working out some bugs with the cosmetic tape used to wrap the new poles. They were reluctant to put the pole out there just yet. Bob Fraley insists, saying he doesn’t give a flip about the cosmetics, he wants poles – and needs them pronto – like within a day. Steve and Lane make Doug the poles, Lane grabs them right off the mandrel and hops on the next plane to Baton Rouge. Doug is unfazed by the weird crackling noise made by the tape and goes on to win the NCAA that year jumping 18’5” on poles never seen (or heard) before! Several weeks later, Steve travels to Stockholm Sweden, just before the Rome World Championships with a bag of the new poles for Sergey Bubka. Ever since Helsinki in 1983, when he first burst on the scene in striped knee socks

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

and a plant as high as the Empire State building, Sergey, his coach Vitaly Petrov and Steve had formed a special bond and friendship, one that remains to this day. Steve from the beginning, oversaw the patterns and construction of Sergey’s poles at Pacer. So when Steve had decided to leave Pacer, he met privately with Sergey at the World Championships that year in Indianapolis (1987) to let him know of his plans. Sergey quite simply said “when you are ready – these are the poles I will need – 13.0, 12.7, 12.4, and 12.1” In July, Steve and Lou Schwartz (Jeff’s father) travelled to the D.N. Galan meet in Stockhom with his new bag of poles. Two days later, Sergey took his first jumps ever on UCS Spirit poles.

Worried that the new poles might cause unwanted repercussions (ala Munich, where poles were banned purportedly because they were not in wide distribution months before the Olympic Games there) Sergey chose not to jump on the new Spirit poles during the World Championships in Rome that year. That was 1987. 1988 was an entirely different story.

Steve was thrilled to witness Sergey break the World Record

on Spirit in Bratislava that year, with a jump of 6.05m…which incidentally, was only his 3rd vault of the day. Afterwards, Sergey confided to Steve that he had vaulted 6.10m (20 feet) in practice, adding humbly that it was over a rope (bungee.) He told Steve then, “As we always say, first do it – before you say it.” In this day of tweets and fb, I think that’s still pretty sage advice.

Sergey Bubka went on to break several more World Records on Spirit. He has won six World Championship titles as well as the Olympic Gold Medal. He’s cleared 6m in competition 40 times and still holds the Outdoor World Record at 6.14m and the Indoor World Record at 6.15m. Some might think it was the socks…we like to think his Spirit helped.

Since then, Gold Medals have been won on UCS Spirit vaulting poles by both men and women in the last four consecutive Olympic Games, including: Stacy Dragila and Nick Hysong (Sydney) Tim Mack and Yelena Isinbaeva (Bejing) and most recently in London at the 2012 Olympics by Jenn Suhr and Renauld LaVillenie.

Additional medals and records have further been set on UCS Spirit poles at every IAAF World Championships, Indoor

World Championships, Youth and Junior Championships, and Masters and Senior level Championships since production began in 1987.

Personally, when our sons decided to pursue careers in the “family business”, I viewed it as both a curse and a blessing. Would life ever be free from strapping those blasted poles on the sides of rented cars, or talking our way past baggage handlers and onto airplanes without a lot of red tape, additional security checks and exorbitant baggage fees? But then I think about my dad and how pleased and proud he would be, and I forget about the long wished for Louis Vuitton matching luggage. With our sons Mike and Chris as well as the Schwartz brothers now working for UCS corporate, the next generation of Spirit users, both women and men, are already on the runway and in good hands. These athletes are ushering in a new and exciting era, and the family legacy will continue. 6. How many vaulters competed in the first three or four summits? What was the biggest? I understand that the NCAA quit allowing it for qualifiers? Btw I’m going to do a trivia question about the first winner. I’m 99% sure it was AC at 5.70m which is his indoor PR.

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

VAULTER VAULTER

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com

to jump, texting, flirting, cruising between jumps and in general, driving you crazy as only teens can. And the next they step on the runway and something is different.

For me, that day came when our son Chris was a junior in high school at the State Championships in Las Vegas. He’d always been a decent vaulter with fairly good technique,

Las Vegas, everything changed. He was one of two vaulters left in the competition and had to clear a personal best to win. It was late in the evening and the rest of the meet had finished,

They stand taller, there is something about their carriage and confidence, they are engaged, intense and paying attention. Sure, they’re still doing it for the fun of it, but now they’re competing for themselves.

and didn’t monkey around much when he stepped on the runway. But like most, had his other diversions (read that: girlfriend) and a social life and the typical distractions, as well a kid his age should have. But suddenly, at the state meet in

so a large crowd of other athletes and spectators had gathered around the pole vault pit.

Unfazed by the commotion around him, Chris stepped on the runway and bam, it hit me. He was there to win it. Even

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

our son Mike, who had taken time from college to fly to Vegas to watch him, commented to me “Man, he looks like he knows what he’s doing out there!” He had matured right

under our noses without us even realizing it. He was determined, focused, serious and yet completely relaxed at the same time. He strode instead of walked, and looked in comLexi Hansen and Claire Kao

mand as he rested his pole on his shoulder and rubbed chalk into his hands. I could see it from where I was sitting -- it was “game on.”

And then he did something that at his age, I’d never seen him do, and it surprised the heck out of me. He looked over into the stands, smiled and raised both his arms to begin ‘the clap’. I remember thinking to myself then, “Well I’ll be, looks like we’ve got ourselves a polevaulter!”

*NOTE: I just want to say a special thank you to Doug and the folks at Vaulter Magazine for all the fine work they do, and for caring enough to solicit this interview. And a special thank you too to Bubba Sparks who suggested and coordinated it, and submitted interesting and compelling questions. It was and honor and privilege to take part, and allowed me some extra special time this holiday season to revisit cherished family memories. What a gift! Hope to see you all at the Reno Pole Vault Summit!

the vaulter magazine 2014

january 2014 issue

www.thevaultermag.com Kristiana Warth

2014 the vaulter magazine

VAULTER

MAGAZINE

the vaulter magazine 2014