Summer training pushes vaulter over 15 feet (IN)

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Summer training pushes vaulter over 15 feet



By Al Stilley
Star correspondent


Danville High School's Derek Cullison won the pole vault title in last year's Plainfield Sectional with a career best 14 feet, 4 inches, but he knew he had to get better.


"I love vaulting when I'm challenged," said Cullison, a favorite to repeat as champion when this year's sectional gets under way today. "I wanted to train against the best."
Last summer, he trained under two-time Olympic trials qualifier Paul Babits, who owns and operates Vault High Athletics, an indoor training facility in Fort Wayne. Cullison trained there with the top three vaulters from last year's state finals meet.
"I learned a different technique," Cullison said. "They changed my run to a longer run and showed me how to push through the top (of the vault) and swing through with a long leg drive."
The result? This season, Cullison's turned in a vault of 15 feet, 6 inches in the indoor Hoosier State Relays at Indiana University.
Outdoors, Cullison vaulted 15 feet Saturday to win the Sagamore Conference championship, breaking a 24-year-old record by 11 inches. He won his second straight Hendricks County championship at Carroll Stadium at IUPUI with a vault of 15 feet.
"It's a great feeling to come down from (vaulting) that high," Cullison said.
Cullison's 15-foot outdoor vault is seventh-best among Indiana high school vaulters this season, according to the www.hoosierauthority.com Web site.
Danville track coach Bill Bradshaw has seen Cullison improve.
"He is one of the hardest-working athletes I have coached lately," Bradshaw said.
Cullison has developed as one of the state's top pole-vaulters despite coming back twice from injuries.
In March 2006, Cullison was on his approach to vault at a meet at North Montgomery High School when a youngster inadvertently walked in front of him.
In a horrendous moment, Cullison rammed the pole into the mat instead of the pit. The end of the pole came up and cut through his cheek.
He was taken to St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital where he underwent minor plastic surgery and required four staples and 16 stitches in his cheek. He was vaulting two days later.
His most disappointing setback came last year just a few days after his sectional win. He suffered a pulled thigh muscle while warming up for the Lafayette Jefferson Regional but still managed to finish fourth. Brownsburg's Jeremy Brading won the regional at 16 feet, 9 inches.
Cullison remained on the sidelines most of the summer and missed several preseason drills with the Warriors football team. He later starred as a linebacker and safety.
Cullison became interested in vaulting through the encouragement of his dad, Steve Cullison, a former vaulter at Ben Davis High School. Former Danville track coach Henry Hopkins taught him how to vault in middle school.
"I liked it because it was different," Derek Cullison said. "Besides, no one else vaulted in middle school, and it was fun."
Derek Cullison's younger sister, Nikki, a Danville sophomore, also vaults. She went 8 feet, 3 inches in the conference meet.
Cullison plans to attend Purdue University, major in physical education or physical fitness and continue pole-vaulting.