Kitsap Vaulters Set the Bar High (WA)

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http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/ ... -bar-high/

Kitsap Vaulters Set the Bar High

By Nathan Joyce | njoyce@kitsapsun.com
Thursday, May 1, 2008



Lenna Himmelstein | Kitsap Sun Bainbridge's Cheyne Clark should be in the mix for a Class 3A state pole vault title. Clark was second in the fall at the state diving championships.

Tale of the Tape
A look at where Kitsap's best pole vaulters rank:

Vaulter Mark State rank Class rank

Cheyne Clark, Bainbridge 14-9 t4 t3

Aaron Bilboa, Kingston 14-0 t13 t3

Lindsey Porter, South Kitsap 11-6 t3 t3

Note: All three vaulters have broken school records

State Leaders

Boys: Wes Chamberlain (Ephrata) 15-5.5

Girls: Jessica Christian (Richland) 12-1

One had to help revive his school's pole vaulting program to begin his ascension in the sport.

Another began vaulting because he was stuck at school with a flat bicycle tire.

Despite their strange introductions to the sport, both are among the best boys pole vaulters in the state.

And later this month, if things go according to plan, they will take shots at state titles.

CHEYNE CLARK

When Cheyne Clark started pole vaulting as a sophomore, that part of Bainbridge's track and field program had been dormant for a few years.

Bainbridge has a few coaches with some knowledge in the event, but no expert in the field, but that hasn't stopped Clark, one of the state's top divers, from becoming one of the state's best vaulters.

Clark's picked up coaching where he could. He's watched countless videos online. He'll pick up some coaching at meets; he's been to camps. Sometimes, the Spartans will find somebody with some vaulting background to stop by practice.

It's worked out. Last season, Clark, who uses his 12 years of gymnastics training to his advantage, broke the school record by clearing 13-feet, 9-inches.

This season, his best mark is 14-9, which is fourth in the state and third the 3A classification (Clark's competition at state). Only Justin George of Yelm and Eastmont's Carter Nell, who have cleared 15-0, have gone higher among Class 3A jumpers.

Clark feels a big vault coming on. Last week in practice, he was making 16-0 while jumping over a bungee cord.

Clark's been working with a bigger pole, and he's still not entirely comfortable with it. He figures that should come in the postseason. He figures he'll hit 15-0 pretty soon and once he clears that hurdle some big vaults should follow.

"He's one that rises up to when he has competition," Bainbridge track coach Andy Grimm said.

Clark was second in the fall at the Class 3A state diving championships. He said he didn't have his best meet, which makes the state track and field meet in Pasco in a few weeks all the bigger for him.

"I want a state title in something, and pole vault's my last chance," Clark said.

Clark is headed to the Air Force Academy, where he's planning to do some diving.

Clark is hoping to eventually become a pilot.

"You don't get to fly commercial jets upside down," he said.



Lenna Himmelstein | Kitsap Sun Kingston's Aaron Bilbao broke the school record at North Kitsap and now he's setting a record at Kingston that could take years to break.

What's this?
AARON BILBAO

Aaron Bilbao didn't set out to become a pole vaulter.

He became one because his bike tire went flat after school when he was a sophomore.

After that flat left Bilbao stuck at school, he wandered into track practice, and tried the pole vault.

It's become an "obsession."

Bilbao watches a lot of video — of himself and the sport's best. He did camps all summer and went to the University of Washington every Wednesday over the winter to jump and get some coaching.

Normally with obsession comes improvement, and that's been the case with Bilbao.

Last season, he broke a 34-year-old school record at North Kitsap, clearing 13-7. Now that he's at Kingston for the school's first year, he's setting a school record that will likely take a long time to break.

Bilbao has been slowed by shin splints this year, but he's still cleared 14-0. That mark is tied for 13th in the state. He's third in the 2A classification. The top vaulter in the state — Ephrata's Wes Chamberlain, who has cleared 15-5.5 — is in the 2A classification, giving Bilbao a tough road at state.

Bilbao's confident he'll be in the mix.

His goal is to clear 15-0 Saturday at the Olympic League championships. He's planning to clear 15-6 "minimum" before the season is over.

Bilbao is looking for a place to vault in college. He'd like to go to Washington, but he needs to be clearing 16-0 to be a factor there. He's also considering Washington University in St. Louis and Willamette College in Salem, Ore.

Bilbao been playing with idea of trying the decathlon, which includes the pole vault. He's a decent hurdler and high jumper.

"I'm thinking about the decathlon because I'm averagely good at everything," he said.