Macon (GA) decathlete needs pole for national meet

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/sports/15078332.htm

Macon decathlete needs equipment for national meet
By Jonathan Heeter
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER
Javarous Faulk has experienced success on a state and national level.

His coaches believe that will be the case again beginning July 25 at the USA National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Baltimore.

That is, if he can go.

Faulk qualified for the nationals in the decathlon by finishing second in the intermediate division at the Region 3 meet earlier this month. He won the state championship in June.

But Faulk, a member of the Macon/Middle Georgia Striders, doesn't have a pole to compete in the pole vault, one of the 10 events that make up the decathlon.

"The plan is to drive up Sunday and hopefully we have a pole for him," Striders coach Jerome Hutchins said. "It would be a shame if he can't compete because I think he can win."

Faulk, 15 and a rising sophomore at Central, received aid from some of the Atlanta-area teams at the state and region meets with a pole, Hutchins said.

But they haven't been able to procure one that meets the regulations that go with Faulk's 185-pound weight.

"The Atlanta people have been really nice to us and we're really hoping that we get some help from Macon," Striders assistant coach Robert Thomas said. "We're not asking for money, just a pole."

Thomas said the pole vault is one of Faulk's weaker events because he can't practice the event. Faulk, who is also hearing impaired and often has to read lips, still vaults about 10 feet.

"That is one of the biggest problems we face with having a decathlete with the Striders," Thomas said. "Javelins and poles are expensive."

Thomas said Faulk's best events are the discus, long jump and 200 meters. Faulk finished sixth in the state in the long jump and second in the discus. He also finished sixth in the region in the long jump.

"He really competes well in those events," Thomas said. "With 10 events, you hope that he can get the points he needs from those events to cancel out some of his bad events. He has problems with footwork in the high jump, and then the pole vault because he doesn't practice it."

Faulk's coaches know he won't have problems with the scope of the meet. He finished fifth at the nationals last season in the discus in the youth division.

"We expect him to go and win, then do the same next year," Thomas said. "That's why I call him Superman. He always delivers."

[cdmilton]

I think that schools that can't afford to have lots of poles and a pit should but a 13' 190 and be done with it. Every HS kid should be legal on that and everyone just straight poles.