Madeline Hartman Article (CA)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cct ... 129931.htm

Knights pole vaulter ready for takeoff

By Curtis Pashelka

STAFF WRITER

Madeline Hartman saw U.S. Olympian Stacy Dragila compete in the women's pole vault on television one day and the light bulb immediately went off.

"It got me thinking," Hartman said, "that maybe I could try that."

A little more than two years later, the Las Lomas High School junior is poised to become one of the better pole vaulters in the area.

After winning the frosh/soph division at the Diablo Foothill Athletic League meet as a freshman in 2004, Hartman made it all the way to the North Coast Section's Meet of Champions in May this year.

She reached a personal best of 10 feet, which was the fifth best mark in the area this season. Las Lomas teammate Katie Vo finished tied for the best area's best mark at 11 feet, which is also a school record.

"(Hartman's) a very strong athlete," said Las Lomas pole vault coach Randy Kramas, who has been with the Knights track and field program for 15 years. "There's a couple of things she needs to work on, but as soon as she masters those, she'll be jumping 11-12 feet no question. She'll probably fly right past 10-6 and go right to 11 feet.

"I can just see it. She's ready to bust out big time."

Hartman has had a successful summer so far. She took second at the Pacific Association Junior Olympic championships in late June with a mark of 10 feet.

Then last weekend, she took second again, this time with a mark of 9-6, at the Region 14 (Northern California/Northern Nevada) Junior Olympic championships.

That mark qualified her for the National Junior Olympic meet in Indianapolis July 26-31, but Hartman will not attend.

For the rest of the summer, Hartman will attend a few all-comers meets and work on her technique. She attended a camp at UCLA in June, working with some of the best prep pole vaulters in the state.

Hartman said she wants to improve on her speed on the runway leading up to the plant, as well as the plant itself, getting the pole down from as tall an angle as possible.

"As soon as she gets that technique down, she'll be going well over 11 feet," Kramas said.

"I want to work on really being dialed in at every meet," Hartman said. "There were times this year where I felt I didn't do as well as I should."

Hartman was a gymnast for two years before giving the pole vault a try. The speed and explosiveness needed for gymnastics has helped her become one of the area's best pole vaulters in a relatively short period of time.

She said the goal for next year is to advance to the California Interscholastic Federation state meet., something that Kramas said should happen if she continues to progress at a fast rate.

"She has an amazing amount of potential," Kramas said. "She's already pretty good. But when she puts it all together, she could be very special."

[flyingfox21]

maddy is awesome!! and she has a teammate thats the same year goin 11' (katie vo). Randy is a friggin great coach and people from the entire league come to las lomas to vault w/ him. both girls should be over 12 by the end of this upcoming season!!

[pvpole]

the tri valley is bless with some good pole vault coaching like Randy & Roger from SRV.

[vaultguru6]

its nice to see some people in here reprentintg the tri valley league. Randy was a great supporter in all four of my years vaulting at miramonte.

[flyingfox21]

randy is awesome. he could teach anyone. i wish i was still goin to las lomas, but im too old haha. roger is nice too. we used to go over and practice at srv sometimes. tri valley is the best!!