Theresa Raub article (IL)

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs ... -headlines

Always taking it to next level


Published June 18, 2006

Theresa Raub is not afraid of heights.

That has come in handy in the pole vault, where the Prospect senior is one of the top performers in the state, and in the classroom, where she has soared about as high as you can get.

In four years at Prospect, Raub never has received a grade lower than A, even though she has taken nine advanced-placement courses, four of them as a senior. This mind-boggling achievement makes her a no-brainer pick for the 2005-2006 Tribune Scholar-Athlete Team, our 16th annual reminder that grades and games can be friends, after all.

The most stunning thing about Raub's record, though, is that it's a family tradition. Her older brothers, Tim and Chris, and older sister, Diane, also graduated from Prospect as straight-A valedictorians.

As streaks go, this is almost the stuff of Joe DiMaggio, and Theresa didn't want to mess it up with a B in the 16th and final school year that one of David and Judith Raub's kids would attend Prospect.

"It was big shoes to fill, but I liked the challenge," she said.

It was nonetheless a relief to exit high school with the streak intact, not only for family pride but also for her own sake.

"One of my goals for a long time was to have straight A's and be valedictorian," she said.

The streak's secret, however, is that perfection was more a byproduct than a goal.

"To us it was more important what you learn," Judith Raub said. "The emphasis all along was not, `We want you to get an A,' but rather do your best and be truly interested in the subject you're taking."

Theresa's academic interest is strongest in science. She has taken both honors and AP courses in biology, chemistry and physics. In 8th grade, she took honors biology at Prospect so she could get all those classes in.

Raub was a budding star in the rocks and minerals part of the Science Olympiad from 6th through 9th grades but gave that up for something she loves even more: the pole vault.

She followed her sister into the event the summer before her freshman year when Diane, then a junior-to-be, attended a pole-vault camp in Arkansas. Theresa and her parents went along.

"My parents said, `You can either sit and watch with us or try it,'" said Theresa, who was leery of the event until former world record-holder and Olympic bronze medalist Earl Bell, who ran the camp, showed her the ropes. "It seemed like a scary event, going high in the air over something; but once he started helping me, it's really not scary at all--and it's fun."

David and Judith used a discarded high-jump landing pad to help build a pole vault pit in their back yard. They also have been volunteer girls pole-vault coaches at Prospect the last two seasons.

Prospect girls track coach Dave Wurster admits he didn't envision a future star when Theresa took up the pole vault. She exceeded his expectations by using the formula that has also worked so well in the classroom: hard work and determination.

"She had a goal in mind getting over a bar, and she figured out how to do it," he said. "At first she was not real polished, but she willed herself over the bar in some cases, and I'm sure a few times in the classroom she willed herself to an A doing whatever it took to get it done.

"She figured out what she had to do to excel."

Theresa used her knack for science to help her become a pole-vault standout. As a senior she did her research paper in an independent study course on how to increase one's foot speed, and in advanced-placement physics she produced a demonstration about the physics of the pole vault.

"It's really a technical event, so there's always something you can work on," said Raub, who has signed a letter of intent with California. "You have to be a student of the sport. Understanding the physics of it helps you to get better."

Raub qualified for the Class AA state track meet in the pole vault the last four years.

After finishing sixth as a junior, she placed fifth May 20 at 11 feet 6 inches despite being hampered by shin splints all spring.

A week later, she cleared a personal best 12 feet during a meet at Bell's facility in Arkansas, where she has been a regular visitor throughout high school.

Raub also has competed in gymnastics and cross-country all four years of high school. Three-sport participation has made for a grueling schedule, especially in May, when the climax of the track season coincides with advanced-placement tests.

"I'm busy all year, but it's what I wanted to do and I manage to get the work done," she said. "I knew all along I wanted to do three sports for four years because I like to do sports so much."

A strong competitive spirit drives her in athletics. As in the classroom, though, the battle is mostly against her potential and high expectations.

"I just like trying to be the best I can be," she said. "I'm really focused and have a strong positive attitude during meets because I want to do my best, and if I win, great, but it's not all about winning."