Ian Jansen Article (UT)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.sltrib.com/sugarhouse/ci_4711575

Vaulting champ raises his own bar
By Matt Thurber
Special to The Tribune
Article Last Updated:11/23/2006 10:43:22 AM MST

For track and field champion Ian Jansen of Juan Diego, choosing a college was almost as hard as clearing a 14-foot, 9-inch pole vault, only less dangerous.
When schools began contacting him with scholarship offers, the decathlete and 18-year-old senior developed his own criteria of choosing an institution to meet his athletic and academic needs.
Jansen debated whether to attend schools from Arizona State to Rice University. But one of Utah's best pole vaulters recently singed a letter of intent to compete for the University of Wisconsin. On Nov. 9, he signed with friends, family and local coaches on hand to help celebrate the occasion. While local colleges showed interest early on, the senior, with top finishes in regional meets and in junior national championships, thinks he will probably grow more by starting over in an entirely new environment.
“I got a letter from Utah State and thought about what they could offer, but this a chance for me to see the country and go to one of the top five public universities in the nation. When I toured the campus and met the coach, I felt like I was at home right then,â€Â