Camel vaulters have high hopes (KY)

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http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbc ... 1077/Local

Camel vaulters have high hopes
BY JAMES WEBER | COMMUNITY RECORDER STAFF WRITER
ALEXANDRIA - Drew Long may not be the best pole vaulter in his family, but he's happy with his progress. And he has time to outdo his older brother, Chad, a senior.

The Campbell County High School teammates hope for big things from each other as the 2007 high school track and field season unfolds.

"I've got a few years to catch up to him," said Drew, a sophomore. "It's a lot of fun. It's definitely the best thing in track. It's the most exhilarating. We have a good time."



Chad won the pole vault event at the Camel Classic Saturday, March 31 at Campbell County Middle School.

A state qualifier last year, Chad cleared 11 feet at the meet, six inches short of his personal best.

"It takes a lot of skill," Chad said. "It's more than just running."

Drew Long and senior teammate Jesse Rawe each cleared a personal best 10-0 at the meet to tie for second with Bishop Brossart's Brad Ostendorf.

The Camels had six pole vaulters in the meet, although only Rawe and Chad Long were eligible for team points. Chris Porter, Caleb Schneider and Mikey Kuper also competed.

"We just come out and practice like crazy," Rawe said. "It's fun, it's not like any other event because you're running in one direction and then you go straight up. It's a rush."

The Longs and Rawe have practiced for the past year with Richard Christoph, a coach based in Cincinnati. They hope to get other Camels involved this spring.

Chad Long, who wants to break the school record of 13-1 this year, has actively coached his brother and the others with tips learned from Christoph.

"I try to see what he's doing, make sure their plants are right, make sure they're running through the whole time," he said. "A good plant is the most important, that's where it starts."

Pole vault is the high-wire act of track and field, but the Camels have no fears when they get up there.

"There are a few times I've landed off the mat, so that was scary," Rawe said. "But I'm used to it."

The Camels finished third in the team standings in the meet in both boys and girls. The meet had nine boys teams and eight girls squads. A couple of them were originally going to be in the Newport River City Classic, which was canceled at the last minute.

Long's pole vault championship was one of seven event wins for the Camels.