Clovis - Hollis 18-6, Van Meter, Weygandt 13-0
Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 4:13 pm
http://clovisindependent.com/2010/08/04 ... zed-event/
Over the top: Clovis Street Vault is a nationally recognized event
A pole vaulter at last year's Clovis Street Vault.
The Annual North American Pole Vault Championships, better known as the Clovis Street Vault, return to the Old Town Clovis Farmers’ Market this Friday, Aug. 6. Not just a local event, the Clovis Street Vault is known among vaulting enthusiasts across the nation and competition is strictly limited by invitation only. Despite its small town setting, the Clovis Street Vault is a renowned and celebrated event.
Kyle Fraley is one of the atletes who will be competing at this year’s event. Pole vaulting has always been in his life. The 17-year-old, soon-to-be senior at Lemoore High School grew up in an athletic family with both his father and great uncle being pole vaulters. Sporting events, particularly the track and field variety, were what he grew up watching on television. When he was in the 3rd grade, at the tender age of 9, Fraley started pole vaulting himself. He has become quite an accomplished athlete and is looking forward to the Clovis Street Vault.
“It takes a lot of skill,” Fraley says of the sport. “It’s more challenging. It’s all-around strength.”
His high school coach is Jamison Whiting, who is a pole vaulter himself. Whiting echoes Fraley’s thoughts on the difficulties of the sport.
“It’s one of the hardest things there is to do,” he says. “It’s unbelievably meticulous. You have to have your wits about you. It’s like playing golf in a way, but you’re the golf ball. It’s different than any other sport.”
Going to the Clovis Street Vault is a big deal for Fraley. Not just everyone gets an invitation. There are only a select few who get to compete each year. This will be Fraley’s second year of competition.
“It’s a pretty prestigious thing to jump in that,” Whiting says. “People from all over want to jump in that. You can’t just show up.”
Whiting himself was one of the lucky few invited to compete back in 1998. He was representing his college in New Hampshire at the time. In one of those strange “small world” moments, Fraley actually remembers seeing Whiting jump. Although he only would have been about 5 years old at the time, he still has the autographed piece of cross bar he caught that Whiting tossed out into the crowd. Twelve years later, Whiting had relocated to California and became his high school coach.
And while it may not be quite the same level of coincidence, Fraley’s great uncle, Bob Fraley, is the man responsible for starting the Clovis Street Vault at the Farmers Market in 1995. Bob Fraley was a track and field coach for 48 years. He taught at California State University, Fresno for 28 of those years. He specialized in pole vaulting. It became his passion during childhood when he grew up living next door to Cornelius “Dutch” Warmerdam, one-time pole vaulting world record holder.
Warmerdam went on to be the track and field coach at Fresno State — the athletic field would later be named in his honor — before retiring in 1980, when Bob Fraley took his position. This year’s Clovis Street Vault event is being dedicated to Warmerdam’s memory. Warmerdam grew up in Hanford. Team Hanford, which Kyle Fraley will be a member of and named as a nod to Warmerdam’s legacy, will be throwing out autographed pieces of bamboo poles in Warmerdam’s honor. Bamboo poles were used for pole vaulting before being replace by the carbon fiber poles used today.
Tonight’s competition in Old Town Clovis will be a unique opportunity to see athletes from across the nation in a sport that is enjoying a renaissance of sorts. In addition to Kyle Fraley, 10-year-old Mondo Duplantis from Louisiana will be participating. Duplantis is the youth world record holder for pole vaulting. Television star Erik Estrada’s son, Brandon Estrada, will also be among the competitors.
“It’s not uncommon to have people come from other countries to see how we do it,” says Shawn Miller, business development manager for the city of Clovis. He says last year there was a contingent from Japan. “It’s very different, very unique. The bar they jump over is as high as a lot of the buildings down here.”
Whether there are visiting dignitaries in attendance or not, Kyle Fraley doesn’t care. He is just excited about this second opportunity to compete in the prestigious Clovis Street Vault.
“It’s different than a regular track meet because it focuses on pole vaulting,” he says. “To be in it is a real honor, a real privilege.”
The Clovis Street Vault is 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, in Old Town Clovis.
Over the top: Clovis Street Vault is a nationally recognized event
A pole vaulter at last year's Clovis Street Vault.
The Annual North American Pole Vault Championships, better known as the Clovis Street Vault, return to the Old Town Clovis Farmers’ Market this Friday, Aug. 6. Not just a local event, the Clovis Street Vault is known among vaulting enthusiasts across the nation and competition is strictly limited by invitation only. Despite its small town setting, the Clovis Street Vault is a renowned and celebrated event.
Kyle Fraley is one of the atletes who will be competing at this year’s event. Pole vaulting has always been in his life. The 17-year-old, soon-to-be senior at Lemoore High School grew up in an athletic family with both his father and great uncle being pole vaulters. Sporting events, particularly the track and field variety, were what he grew up watching on television. When he was in the 3rd grade, at the tender age of 9, Fraley started pole vaulting himself. He has become quite an accomplished athlete and is looking forward to the Clovis Street Vault.
“It takes a lot of skill,” Fraley says of the sport. “It’s more challenging. It’s all-around strength.”
His high school coach is Jamison Whiting, who is a pole vaulter himself. Whiting echoes Fraley’s thoughts on the difficulties of the sport.
“It’s one of the hardest things there is to do,” he says. “It’s unbelievably meticulous. You have to have your wits about you. It’s like playing golf in a way, but you’re the golf ball. It’s different than any other sport.”
Going to the Clovis Street Vault is a big deal for Fraley. Not just everyone gets an invitation. There are only a select few who get to compete each year. This will be Fraley’s second year of competition.
“It’s a pretty prestigious thing to jump in that,” Whiting says. “People from all over want to jump in that. You can’t just show up.”
Whiting himself was one of the lucky few invited to compete back in 1998. He was representing his college in New Hampshire at the time. In one of those strange “small world” moments, Fraley actually remembers seeing Whiting jump. Although he only would have been about 5 years old at the time, he still has the autographed piece of cross bar he caught that Whiting tossed out into the crowd. Twelve years later, Whiting had relocated to California and became his high school coach.
And while it may not be quite the same level of coincidence, Fraley’s great uncle, Bob Fraley, is the man responsible for starting the Clovis Street Vault at the Farmers Market in 1995. Bob Fraley was a track and field coach for 48 years. He taught at California State University, Fresno for 28 of those years. He specialized in pole vaulting. It became his passion during childhood when he grew up living next door to Cornelius “Dutch” Warmerdam, one-time pole vaulting world record holder.
Warmerdam went on to be the track and field coach at Fresno State — the athletic field would later be named in his honor — before retiring in 1980, when Bob Fraley took his position. This year’s Clovis Street Vault event is being dedicated to Warmerdam’s memory. Warmerdam grew up in Hanford. Team Hanford, which Kyle Fraley will be a member of and named as a nod to Warmerdam’s legacy, will be throwing out autographed pieces of bamboo poles in Warmerdam’s honor. Bamboo poles were used for pole vaulting before being replace by the carbon fiber poles used today.
Tonight’s competition in Old Town Clovis will be a unique opportunity to see athletes from across the nation in a sport that is enjoying a renaissance of sorts. In addition to Kyle Fraley, 10-year-old Mondo Duplantis from Louisiana will be participating. Duplantis is the youth world record holder for pole vaulting. Television star Erik Estrada’s son, Brandon Estrada, will also be among the competitors.
“It’s not uncommon to have people come from other countries to see how we do it,” says Shawn Miller, business development manager for the city of Clovis. He says last year there was a contingent from Japan. “It’s very different, very unique. The bar they jump over is as high as a lot of the buildings down here.”
Whether there are visiting dignitaries in attendance or not, Kyle Fraley doesn’t care. He is just excited about this second opportunity to compete in the prestigious Clovis Street Vault.
“It’s different than a regular track meet because it focuses on pole vaulting,” he says. “To be in it is a real honor, a real privilege.”
The Clovis Street Vault is 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, in Old Town Clovis.
