Street vaulting takes off (NE)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.theindependent.com/sports/x3 ... -takes-off

Street vaulting takes off
TRACK AND FIELD
Photos

Scott Kingsley/Independent
Alecia McMahon vaults toward the 8-foot mark during the street vault June 28 at the Central Nebraska Ethnic Festival.

By Bob Hamar
bob.hamar@theindependent.com
Posted Jul 01, 2008 @ 12:00 AM
Like so many sports, pole vaulting isn't just an in-season activity any longer.

It used to be that high school vaulters would pick up a pole in March and be done by May. It doesn't work that way now.

At least not for the good ones.

The good ones will practice their craft throughout much of the year. Now they also have what is called "street vaulting" to give them added competition during the summer months.

Grand Island Northwest pole vault coach Dave McNeel said it all began with some of the top pole vaulters out west.

"They put a runway out on the beach in California," McNeel said. "Then they started vaulting out there. Then people started saying, ’Well, if they can do it out there, we can do it in the city.'

"Any big event they started putting it down in the main streets where people can see it."

Now street vaulting has moved into Central Nebraska. This past weekend, Nebraska director of track operations T.J. Pierce brought his wooden runway to downtown Grand Island.

For the second year in a row, street vaulting was a part of the annual Ethic Festival. This year's event drew about 35 vaulters ranging in skill level from very high -- like former Nebraska vaulter and Grand Island native Gabe Baldwin -- to youngsters just getting into the sport.

"The turnout is very similar to last year," said event organizer Geoff Cyboron, who is also Grand Island Senior High's pole vault coach. "We have a variety of kids from around the area. There are more local people then not, but we do have some people from Lawrence, Kan."

One of the newcomers to the sport is Alecia McMahon, a recent graduate of Grand Island Senior High. McMahon had never vaulted before this past track season.

"That's kind of an interesting story," McMahon said when asked how she got started vaulting. "One of my friends wanted to go out. She didn't want to go out by herself so I went out with her. She ended up quitting and I stuck with it."

The results were worth it. McMahon cleared a personal-best of 9 feet, 6 inches and finished fifth at Senior High's district meet. The top four advanced to the state meet.

McMahon, who didn't go out for track her freshman and sophomore years, still got to be part of a state championship team in 2007 and a runner-up in 2008.

She also ran a leg on the fourth-place 400-meter relay team this spring.

"I was very happy with that," McMahon said. "I got fifth at pole vault in districts and I was really hoping to make state, but I got it in the (400-meter relay)."

Now that her track season is over, McMahon is looking at continuing her pole vaulting career. She cleared 9-0 on Saturday.

McMahon is going to attend Nebraska and hopes to walk-on to the track team.

"She has a lot of work to do, but she has a lot of potential for somebody who never vaulted before her senior year," Cyboron said. "She didn't qualify for state this year. You have to work for years and years for that to happen.

"She's a powerful girl who has a pretty good runway. She has a lot of potential."

For now, McMahon will continue with several street vaulting competitions this summer. Cyboron said summer work is important to the development of any pole vaulter.

"Summer is where you make it happen," Cyboron said. "You can't really get too much done in the three months of the spring season. When you don't have the facilities to jump inside all year, summer is where it happens. It's a blast getting to work with the kids in the summer."

Pierce will be taking his wooden runway to Burwell on July 26 as part of the annual Burwell Rodeo. Several of the contestants this past weekend will be part of that event as well.

"That will be interesting, taking it to Burwell and seeing different people," Cyboron said. "That is what's fun about pole vault. About all the pole vaulters get along. It's a good fellowship. It's a friendly competition where you hope for the best for everybody, and you want to see everybody jump high.

"We hope to draw crowds of people so the next generation of vaulters see it and want to give it a shot."

One unique feature is the handicap scoring system that allows different levels and even genders of vaulters to compete against each other. For example, a vaulter with a best of 8 feet will get a 4-foot handicap when going against a vaulter who has cleared 12 feet.

"It's a cool competition because some of the middle schoolers who aren't vaulting very high can beat somebody who goes 12," Cyboron said.

Baldwin said he enjoys street vaulting and plans to compete some thissummer. Baldwin, who has graduated from Nebraska and is now living in Omaha, said he considered trying to make the Olympic Trials, but he was too busy finishing his degree and helping coach at Nebraska.

Baldwin said he hasn't given up on possibly trying to make the 2012 Olympic team.

"I'm not going to say no for sure," Baldwin said. "I would like to keep jumping. I love it. It's a lot of fun. I would like to keep coaching too.

"Anything is possible, but we'll see."

[gymnastsrock]

Very cool. Now if only it would take off in WI...