Keari Brink Eyeing School Record, State Finals (FL)

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Ridgewood Pole-Vaulter Eyeing School Record, State Finals
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By Eric Horchy of The Suncoast News

Published: March 19, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - If there is one thing Keari Brink consistently comes up short on, it would have to be spare time.

The Ridgewood senior is, or has been, involved in enough extracurricular sports that would keep two girls busy, and she also does them exceedingly well.

Competitive cheerleading has just finished up for Brink, where Ridgewood reached the state finals in the sport's inaugural year. Then there is soccer season. And diving. And gymnastics.

But when spring rolls around, that is bread-and-butter time: track and field.

While she anchors the 4x100 relay and competes in the long jump at events, it is when Brink steps onto the pole vaulting runway that she springs herself – literally – above everyone else.

She has taken to the unconventional event so well, in fact, that she is getting collegiate attention to sign and vault after leaving Ridgewood.

"Pole vaulting is my favorite out of everything," Brink said during a recent practice. "That's what is going to get me to college. I could have gone for cheerleading, but I want to go for track."

So far, Brink made mention of scholarship hopes from the University of Tennessee, Georgia and Tennessee Tech as tops on her list.

Combine the vaulting ability she possesses with eye-catching, all around athleticism and attention from these types of programs will come.

Sue Vien, coach of the Ridgewood girl's track team, said she has known from the start, when Brink gave vaulting a shot freshman year, she can compete at the next level if she puts her mind and effort into it.

"She could just walk on anywhere," Vien said, in the chance a scholarship is not awarded. "I guarantee once they get a look at her they will want to train her and she'll be fine. I have confidence in that."

Actually, so does Brink. Self-confidence issues are not a factor with much of anything she sets out to do.

Ridgewood vaulting coach John Herig dittoed that.

"She's confident and it's borderline cockiness at times," Herig said. "It's a big plus for her, but it can also be her Achilles' Heel. If she doesn't do well, then it gets into her head."

That can come with the territory when you're typically outdoing any and all competitors by two feet or more each meet.

Brink's last two official vaults were both of 10 feet even. That is 6 inches shy of the school record she is getting nearer to conquering while she still awaits her new pole's arrival.

She has been working with a heavier pole designed for boys that is harder to flex, giving less spring.

Once acclimated, Herig said the 12-foot mark is a forgone conclusion.

"It's definitely in the near future, she's got stars in her potential," he said. "It's just natural athletic ability and natural speed."

Although the 12-foot aspiration is a level Brink said she is also eyeing by year's end, that is not the main objective.

"My goal is to get first or second at regionals," she said, reflecting on the three straight fifth place finishes that have kept her a position away from reaching states since freshman year. "I don't want to finish any lower than second, that's definitely my goal."

As agonizingly as the previous three years have ended, Brink is using the past's misfortunes as motivation for the present.

Both Vien and Herig said they know she has what it takes. It is just a matter of her focusing and hitting the goals.

"Keari can do anything," Vien said of her star vaulter's overall athletic ability. "I can put her anywhere and she will excel."

"Now she's just got to get it all together and produce it at the meets."