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http://www.theunion.com/article/2005013 ... /101310143

Pole vaulting pair shares bloodline

BY Stacy Hicklin, stacyh@theunion.com
January 31, 2005

Forget a sibling rivalry, forget the fights regarding who gets to take the car on a Friday night and forget any kind of jealousy. These emotions or conflicts simply do not exist for Jamie and Paul Litchfield, and to their memory, never have.

While growing up, Paul was the older brother Jamie always emulated - to Paul, Jamie was the younger brother he always looked out for and included in his life, something not all older siblings would be willing to do.

Paul - 24 years old and a 1999 graduate of Bear River High School -and Jamie -20 years old and a 2003 graduate of BRHS - have now grown to share more than just being brothers: their love for pole vaulting.

The funny part, since so much of their lives revolve around pole vaulting, is that it began on a dare.

"My high school track coach (Chris Davis) dared me into doing the decathlon," Paul said. "And in order to do the decathlon, I would have to pole vault. At the time, I thought pole vaulting was ridiculous."

However, once Paul began to pole vault, he realized how much fun he was having. So much so that he went to a pole vaulting clinic at Placer High where he met Stacy Draguila and her coach Dave Nielson, who coached Draguila to the World and Olympic Championships and also coached at Idaho State.

"I had never considered leaving California before," Paul said. "But I saw how successful Stacy was after training with coach Nielson and I loved all the outdoor stuff to do around the college."

Paul was eventually offered a full-ride scholarship to Idaho State, where he competed for five years. He had to take a medical red-shirt his sophomore year after breaking his collarbone - an injury that occurred while snowboarding.

He was originally recruited for the decathlon, but after enduring such a rigorous and intense training schedule and sustaining frequent injuries, Paul decided to focus his energy on pole vaulting full time.

Meanwhile, Jamie began to visit his older brother at school and see Paul compete and meet members of the Idaho State track team.

He hadn't, however, caught the pole vaulting bug - yet. It wasn't until Jamie's senior year at Bear River he began to like the event.

"I didn't start pole vaulting in high school until I was a senior because the few years before that I got kind of burnt out on track," Jamie said. "But my senior year we got a new track coach and a new pole vaulting pit and I decided it was a good opportunity."

Before long, Jamie decided he too wanted to be a pole vaulter in college and made the choice to attend college at Idaho State with Paul, despite not being offered a scholarship.

"I always looked up to him while I was growing up and wanted to do whatever he did," Jamie said. "And when I got to college he really helped me to adjust to college track."

Last year was the only season in which the two competed together as Paul graduated with a degree in marketing last spring. Paul's graduation, however, did not change life drastically as Paul and Jamie now share a house with a teammate as Paul continues to pursue his pole vaulting dreams and Jaime continues his college career.

Paul hopes to qualify for the summer Olympics in 2008 and is training for that goal while working part-time in the marketing department for the newspaper in Pocatello, Idaho, and working out with coach Nielson. In 2004, Paul missed qualifying for the U.S. Olympic trials by one centimeter - the width of a fingernail.

While Paul is excited about his future in pole vaulting he remains more enthusiastic about someone else's career - his brother's.




"I think it's more fun to watch him do well now, than do well myself," Paul said. "We have really gotten close over these past few years. I can't wait to see how successful he becomes."

This past weekend at the Multiple Duals hosted by Idaho State, Jamie eclipsed his personal best, by clearing the 15-feet, 5-inch mark - with his brother standing right there to watch Jamie take home first place in the meet.

"Right now, Jamie is a walk-on," said Bob Litchfield, father of Paul and Jamie. "He has the potential though to be just as good, if not better, than Paul. He'll clear 16 feet before the end of the season or I'll eat my hat.

"I just feel really blessed right now. Not just because of Paul and Jamie, but all four of our kids are really close. Just watching them all laugh and carry on together is really touching."

And get along they do, except for the intense frisbee golf matchups they so like to play.

But despite any trash talking during the round, by the end of the round Paul goes back to being the proud older brother of "Jimbo" and Jamie goes back to being the youngest, yet the tallest of the Litchfield clan, who always has and always will look up to Paul.

http://www.auburnjournal.com/articles/2 ... 1litch.txt

Vaulted ceiling: Litchfield aims higher
Bear River grad training, competing all over Europe after impressive performances in the U.S.

By: Todd Mordhorst, Journal Sports Editor
Thursday, July 21, 2005 12:55 AM PDT


Photo Courtesy to the Auburn Journal Bear River High graduate Paul Litchfield set a school record in the pole vault while at Idaho State University. Litchfield is currently training and competing in Europe as a professional.
Paul Litchfield certainly isn't the most well-known Idaho State University graduate in professional track and field. That distinction would go to Stacy Dragila - the Placer High graduate who went on to the 2000 Olympic gold medal in the pole vault.

But Litchfield hopes to follow a similar path to greatness in the pole vault. The Bear River graduate had a stellar career at Idaho State, setting the school record before graduating in 2004.

Then Litchfield had a breakthrough performance in February, taking third at the USA Indoor National Championships and followed up with a tie for ninth at the USA Outdoors in June.

Litchfield is currently in Europe, competing and training.

Editor's Note: The following is an E-mail interview with Bear River High graduate Paul Litchfield.

What have you been doing since graduating from Idaho State?

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I have been working part-time at the Idaho State Journal (our local newspaper) doing marketing and promotions for circulation. When I am not working, I am training or competing.

Are you pursuing pole vaulting as a full-time career for the forseeable future? If so, was that a tough decision to make?

I am pursuing pole vaulting because it is my passion. If someday I am able to live off of my abilities then that would just be a bonus. Until then, I will find ways to make ends meet so that I can continue competing. I can't think of my life without the pole vault. I might not live off it, but I live for it.

Was there a meet or a performance that made you believe you could compete with the best pole vaulters in the world?

Actually I always dreamed of competing against the best, but it didn't feel like the fantasy could become a reality until this last indoor season (2005).

I noticed something changing in my technique, without any changes in my speed or strength, that allowed me to jump higher more consistently and easily. It was at that point that I realized that heights I had always thought were out of reach weren't that high. I felt like I could become a threat instead of just another name on the start list.

What's been your best performance so far this year?

Well it's hard to say what's been my best performance. The most rewarding performance of the year was when I jumped my new personal best of 18 feet, 4.5 inches on our home runway indoors, breaking the stadium record in front of all my friends.

I really felt invincible that day. It was the first time that I jumped over 18-0 in two years. The mark also qualified me for my first USA Indoor National Championships, where I had a surprising third place finish.

What's been the coolest experience so far as a pro?

My coolest experience as a pro is in the making right now. I am currently training in Holland and competing all over Europe for the next five weeks. This is my first time overseas, first time competing internationally, and it is an opportunity that was made possible because of pole vault. There was no way I was going to pass this up.

What's life like on the road as a professional track athlete in Europe?

Well, the first few days were very fasted-paced. After USA Nationals I got on a plane the next morning and flew for 16 hours (with connections) to Holland.

I could not sleep on the plane so I was in a daze. I got picked up at the airport and taken straight to my first competition in Uden, Netherlands, where I placed third. Directly from that competition we drove six hours to Freistet, Germany, arriving at 2:30 a.m. and competing at 11 a.m. that day, where I placed third once again.

Then we drove to Zoetermeer, Netherlands, where I am training. So needless to say it was a lot of travel in a short period. It took me a few days to get my bearings, now I am ready to fly high, and show everyone that I am not just another name on the start list.

Have you gotten any advice or coaching from Stacy Dragila?

Over the years Stacy has given me all kinds of great advice. Training with her was very inspiring and helped keep me motivated through injury and failure. The most important lesson I have learned from her is to never give up.

If you care enough about something you can make it through any obstacle. That is how she lives her life, and that is how I try to live mine.

What's your goal for the summer?

I plan on jumping 5.75m (18-10.5) this summer. It is the A-standard for the IAAF World Championships. Although I can not attend Worlds because the team is already chosen, I would still feel great accomplishment if I could achieve the A-standard. I know that I have the ability to do so, it's just a matter of putting the pieces together.