Many don’t know what it takes to be a good pole vaulter. Some might not even know North has a pole vaulting team. Pole vaulting is a track and field event consisting of participants using a fiberglass pole to launch themselves over a bar. It does not require the same set of skills as other track events and instead requires nearly all of them. It combines gymnastics, running, and hurdling in one event. But what makes a good pole vaulter? According to NAHS pole vaulting coach Mike Thurman, fearlessness does. 

Sure, the end goal is to get over the crossbar, but how does one get there? Dedicating yourself to the vault is the first step, and fear will simply hold a vaulter back. As a former high school vaulter himself, Thurman knows what potential looks like in a vaulter. “I tell people that the perfect pole vaulter is the kid at the pep rally that’s doing a backflip off the bleachers,” he said. “If you’re scared, you’re going to be timid, and you’re just not going to be good at it”.

This is not to say that new participants are unwelcome, but the opposite. There are three first-year vaulters currently on NAHS’s pole vaulting team. Last year, two first-year vaulters went to state. A former gymnast, Sadie Heaton, is trying out pole vaulting for the first time this spring. “It’s easier than gymnastics, and it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it,” said Heaton. “It’s fun and doesn’t take that long to pick up.”

Just like any other sport, pole vaulting requires practice and perseverance. First-year vaulters have extra practices because of this. Practices typically consist of warmups and full vaults while simultaneously receiving feedback from Coach Thurman. While fearlessness helps vaulters get over the bar, the small things help them do it well, too. “You’ve got to work on the small technical things for the overall result to be effective,” said Thurman. 

Pole vaulting is a track and field event that is often overlooked. While it is one of the most unique, it is also one of the most intense. The goal isn’t to leap across the finish line. The goal is to leap over the crossbar. This is no easy task, and avoiding fear is the key to success. If vaulters give up halfway through the vault, they’ll fall. Yet, if they dedicate themselves, they just might clear the bar.