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Pat Manson’s Elite Immersion Pole Vault Camps
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Pat Manson’s Elite Immersion Pole Vault Camps
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- Expertise: Former College Vaulter, I coach and officiate as life allows
- Lifetime Best: 11'6"
- Gender: Female
- World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
- Favorite Vaulter: Casey Carrigan
- Location: A Temperate Island
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Chilled by unseasonably cool Colorado weather, Floridian Riley Egan is shivering and his teeth are chattering. Dripping wet after several highly amusing pole vaults off a dock into a lake, the high school sophomore with Olympic aspirations gathers himself for his next takeoff.
"I'm getting inverted on this one," Egan announces to his fellow pole vaulters, meaning he intends to launch into the sky with his toes pointing at the heavy gray clouds.
Strong upper body muscles rippling with the weight of the pole, Egan scampers down the dock, plants his pole in the water just past the edge of the dock and begins to elevate, only to lose his grip and flop on his back. Egan's classmates in Pat Manson's Elite Immersion Pole Vault Camp erupt in laughter.
Except for the 60-degree temperature, this is turning out just the way Manson envisioned it, as an icebreaker on the first day of a four-day school for young vaulters who want to fly high.
"That is so much fun," says Jake Alexander, a recent graduate of Sterling High School, emerging from the water after one of his vaults. "This rocks!"
They have come here to learn from one of the masters. Manson, a former Aurora Central star who spent several seasons on the international track and field circuit, holds a world record for having vaulted 18 feet in 20 consecutive seasons. He set Colorado prep records in 1986 that still stand.
"Pat Manson is the best," says J.D. Snell, who will be a senior at Rampart High School in the fall. "Can't learn from anybody better than him."
But before the camp gets serious, the session at the lake near 62nd and Lowell loosens up the group.
"For them it's a fun way to get to know each other," says Manson, 37. "But also, it's a great drill, because when you run off the end of the dock, you do all the vaulting out over the water. You can do front flips and back flips, twisting moves, and it gives you a good feel for what you can do on a pole, what different positions feel like."
Manson had done little coaching until this spring, when he agreed to work with Ranum High School vaulter David Gray. Gray had read about Manson's world record and was intrigued.
"Just out of the blue, I decided to call him," Gray said. "I just looked up his phone number in the book and called him, asked him if he'd give me private lessons. He said he'd never done it before, but he'd try it."
After four weeks with Manson, Gray improved his personal best from 12 feet, 6 inches to 13-6. By then, Manson was helping a couple of other high school vaulters and planning the summer camps. The first one took place last week.
"Obviously there is a demand, kids are really wanting to get this," Manson said. "It's fun because I can offer something only a handful of people can offer."
Each camp is limited to five vaulters who "eat, sleep and breathe" vaulting, living in the basement of the house Manson shares with his wife, Amy, and two children in Superior. The camps cost $795.
"Your normal summer camp, there's 40 pole vaulters and you're one of a herd," Manson said. "In this one, each kid is going to get a lot of really good attention."
The camp included gymnastics workouts, pool drills, sports psychology and video analysis in addition to time at the track.
"Pat just makes it so fun, and he gets things done while he's doing it," Alexander said Sunday as the camp ended with a vaulting session at the Boulder Fairview track. "I've accomplished more since I've been here
Superior resident Pat Manson, right, the first pole vaulter to clear 18 feet in 20 consecutive years, soars off a dock at a lake in Adams County with one of his campers, 17-year-old Sam Pierson. (Post / Andy Cross)
than I did in all four years of high school."
Pole vaulters believe their discipline is the most complex in track and field, although hammer throwers will argue that.
"We say it is a long jump with a golf swing in the middle and gymnastics, all combined in 1 1/2 seconds," Manson says.
Snell kept a notebook because there was so much to remember.
"I believe it is the most technically complex sport ever invented," Snell says. "There's literally 200 things to do in one second. You've just got to make a connection from your mind to your body about what needs to be done."
A lot of high schools don't have qualified pole vaulting coaches. Egan drove from his home in Fort Lauderdale to Orlando - more than 200 miles away - two or three times a month for lessons. For him, it was worth it.
"He's determined to be an Olympian," said his mother, Jacqueline. "That's all he wants to do. He watches pole vault videos day and night."
Egan plans another trip or two to Colorado this summer to work with Manson.
"This has been a great experience, to be able to come out here and train with a professional vaulter," Egan said. "One of the biggest problems with my jump has been my takeoff. In two days, he completely fixed that for me. He's just an amazing coach."
Chilled by unseasonably cool Colorado weather, Floridian Riley Egan is shivering and his teeth are chattering. Dripping wet after several highly amusing pole vaults off a dock into a lake, the high school sophomore with Olympic aspirations gathers himself for his next takeoff.
"I'm getting inverted on this one," Egan announces to his fellow pole vaulters, meaning he intends to launch into the sky with his toes pointing at the heavy gray clouds.
Strong upper body muscles rippling with the weight of the pole, Egan scampers down the dock, plants his pole in the water just past the edge of the dock and begins to elevate, only to lose his grip and flop on his back. Egan's classmates in Pat Manson's Elite Immersion Pole Vault Camp erupt in laughter.
Except for the 60-degree temperature, this is turning out just the way Manson envisioned it, as an icebreaker on the first day of a four-day school for young vaulters who want to fly high.
"That is so much fun," says Jake Alexander, a recent graduate of Sterling High School, emerging from the water after one of his vaults. "This rocks!"
They have come here to learn from one of the masters. Manson, a former Aurora Central star who spent several seasons on the international track and field circuit, holds a world record for having vaulted 18 feet in 20 consecutive seasons. He set Colorado prep records in 1986 that still stand.
"Pat Manson is the best," says J.D. Snell, who will be a senior at Rampart High School in the fall. "Can't learn from anybody better than him."
But before the camp gets serious, the session at the lake near 62nd and Lowell loosens up the group.
"For them it's a fun way to get to know each other," says Manson, 37. "But also, it's a great drill, because when you run off the end of the dock, you do all the vaulting out over the water. You can do front flips and back flips, twisting moves, and it gives you a good feel for what you can do on a pole, what different positions feel like."
Manson had done little coaching until this spring, when he agreed to work with Ranum High School vaulter David Gray. Gray had read about Manson's world record and was intrigued.
"Just out of the blue, I decided to call him," Gray said. "I just looked up his phone number in the book and called him, asked him if he'd give me private lessons. He said he'd never done it before, but he'd try it."
After four weeks with Manson, Gray improved his personal best from 12 feet, 6 inches to 13-6. By then, Manson was helping a couple of other high school vaulters and planning the summer camps. The first one took place last week.
"Obviously there is a demand, kids are really wanting to get this," Manson said. "It's fun because I can offer something only a handful of people can offer."
Each camp is limited to five vaulters who "eat, sleep and breathe" vaulting, living in the basement of the house Manson shares with his wife, Amy, and two children in Superior. The camps cost $795.
"Your normal summer camp, there's 40 pole vaulters and you're one of a herd," Manson said. "In this one, each kid is going to get a lot of really good attention."
The camp included gymnastics workouts, pool drills, sports psychology and video analysis in addition to time at the track.
"Pat just makes it so fun, and he gets things done while he's doing it," Alexander said Sunday as the camp ended with a vaulting session at the Boulder Fairview track. "I've accomplished more since I've been here
Superior resident Pat Manson, right, the first pole vaulter to clear 18 feet in 20 consecutive years, soars off a dock at a lake in Adams County with one of his campers, 17-year-old Sam Pierson. (Post / Andy Cross)
than I did in all four years of high school."
Pole vaulters believe their discipline is the most complex in track and field, although hammer throwers will argue that.
"We say it is a long jump with a golf swing in the middle and gymnastics, all combined in 1 1/2 seconds," Manson says.
Snell kept a notebook because there was so much to remember.
"I believe it is the most technically complex sport ever invented," Snell says. "There's literally 200 things to do in one second. You've just got to make a connection from your mind to your body about what needs to be done."
A lot of high schools don't have qualified pole vaulting coaches. Egan drove from his home in Fort Lauderdale to Orlando - more than 200 miles away - two or three times a month for lessons. For him, it was worth it.
"He's determined to be an Olympian," said his mother, Jacqueline. "That's all he wants to do. He watches pole vault videos day and night."
Egan plans another trip or two to Colorado this summer to work with Manson.
"This has been a great experience, to be able to come out here and train with a professional vaulter," Egan said. "One of the biggest problems with my jump has been my takeoff. In two days, he completely fixed that for me. He's just an amazing coach."
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