PoleVaultPower.com

http://www.mlive.com/sports/grpress/ind ... 644710.xml

Beach Vault competition draws athletes from Midwest
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
By Steve Fox
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND HAVEN -- Sit on the beach, soak in some rays, swim in the lake and watch people soar nearly 20 feet into the air this weekend at Grand Haven City Beach.

The fourth annual Grand Haven Beach Vault is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, with more than 175 pole vaulters competing in divisions ranging from 14-under to masters. It will include Holland High School graduate Jennifer VanderMeer.

Co-organizer Kevin Patterson, who coaches pole vaulters at Rockford High School and Cornerstone University, said participants include three collegiate women who have gone over 14 feet and a handful of men who have cleared 18 feet.

"That's pretty good competition," Patterson said.

VanderMeer is a two-time NCAA Division III national runner-up in the pole vault for Hope College. She cleared 12 feet, 2 1/2 inches both years and holds the Hope record after winning the 2003 Division 1 high school state track and field title with a record-setting height of 11-6.

Patterson said that after holding pole vaulting events at street festivals and dealing with high temperatures, organizers and vaulters agreed to take their poles to a new location. They wound up in Grand Haven and have been there ever since.

He said the event has gained national attention because of its unique location. The vault now draws a number of entries from outside Michigan.

"It's grown like crazy. The first year, we had 75 people in it," Patterson said. "It's nationally known now. We get people from all over the Midwest."

Friday's competition begins at 10 a.m. and includes boys and girls age divisions for 14-under, 15-16 and 17-18. Boys and girls will vault simultaneously on separate pits.

Saturday's competition begins at 9:30 a.m. and includes divisions for masters, open, university men and women, and high school elite men and women. Sunday will be used, if necessary, to make up for any rain delays.

Cash prizes will be paid to the top three placers in the elite competition, excluding collegiate competitors.

Patterson co-organizes the event with East Kentwood High track and field coach David Emeott. For more information, call Patterson at (616) 560-7204 or Emeott at (616) 656-9510

http://www.mlive.com/preps/grpress/inde ... 140050.xml

Vaulting champ headed to beach
Thursday, July 07, 2005
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
Christi Kettelhut knows she needs to keep working hard to stay on top.

The Rockford senior won the Division 1 state championship in the pole vault with a leap of 11 feet, 1 1/2 inches.

She would like to double up in the event in her last year on the Rockford girls track team.

So she continues to work and compete during the summer months.

But even Kettelhut questions if she'll be working, or relaxing, at the 4th Annual Grand Haven Beach Vault on July 15-16 at Grand Haven City Beach.

"I've only competed in the first one because the last two years I was at dance competitions, but it was so much fun," Kettelhut said. "Spending a day on the beach and doing something that you love to do is absolutely fun."

Kettelhut will be one of about 200 jumpers who will compete.

Expecting 200 vaulters

Rockford pole vault coach Kevin Patterson, who organizes the event, says it should be another year of growth at the beach vault.

"Right now have 120 entry fees, but we should get another 100 late entries, so we should be over 200," Patterson said. "At this time last year we were sitting at 105, and got another 70 in late.

"This is getting more nationally known. We are going to have four guys that go over 18 feet and three girls that can go over 14, so the field just keeps getting stronger, especially the elite field."

Along with Kettelhut, other local athletes scheduled to compete are Rockford vaulters Dan Smith and Caitlyn Gager and former Rockford vaulters Bethany Hecksel, Stacy Orosz and Janine Rosloniec.

Word of event spreading

Sparta's Lisa Krupp, who was this year's Division 2 champion, and Lakeview's Katie Shaw, the Division 3 champion, also are expected to participate.

"People are seeing how fun this is, and the word is spreading," Patterson said. "The Division 1, 2 and 3 state champions will be attending in both boys and girls and the Division 4 champion for the boys.

"You won't see like that anywhere else.

"There are a couple things the kids like. It is a unique event and it is on the beach, that is a big draw.

"Also it is the level of competition, and the meet is run well. It's just something different."

Kettelhut hopes to keep working on her form at the meet.

"We just went to a couple of meets and jumped, so I'm still working hard," Kettelhut said. "Every meet is a big meet, so you have to go in there with a good mentality. You can't go in and blow off a meet. It will be a good workout.

"My practices have been going very well. Better than they did at state. Right now I'm working on a few different things. Hopefully they will work for next season."

http://www.mlive.com/preps/grpress/inde ... 665430.xml

Jump over to Grand Haven for the vault
Thursday, July 14, 2005
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
If you feel like hitting the beach for some sun and fun, why not try the Fourth Annual Grand Haven Beach Vault on Friday and Saturday?

Action begins at 10 a.m. Friday at City Beach and at 9 a.m. Saturday. The rain date is Sunday.

About 200 pole vaulters of all ages will be competing on two runways set up on the beach.

The area should be represented. Sparta's Lisa Krupp, this year's Division 2 state champion in the event, will be taking part.

http://www.mlive.com/preps/grpress/inde ... 165430.xml

The joy of jumping
Thursday, July 14, 2005
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
Bethany Hecksel is a fixture at Grand Haven City Beach this time of the year and it's not just because she loves Lake Michigan and getting a tan.

The former Rockford High School track star loves to pole vault. For the past three summers during the second week of July, Grand Haven City Beach has hosted the Grand Haven Beach Vault.

This year the event takes place Friday and Saturday and Hecksel will be competing for the fourth time.

"This is definitely something I look forward to during the summer," Hecksel said. " Everybody comes from all over the place. The location and atmosphere, everybody is there, it makes it so much fun."

Besides the fun, Hecksel says the competition continues to get stronger and stronger.

"It is a tough competition," Hecksel said. "Especially because there are more people coming in from different areas. It is becoming a bigger event, and drawing a lot of people."

Event organizer, Kevin Patterson, who also is Rockford and Cornerstone University's pole vault coach, says this year's field probably will be the strongest meet yet.

"We expect 200 vaulters over the two-day period," Patterson said. "The age range is from 8-years-old up to 75-years-old. We also have an elite competition that includes five men that can jump over 18 feet and four women that can jump over 14 feet."

Hecksel, who was the Division 1 state champion for Rockford, and now jumps for Grand Valley State University, has never won her age group. Her best finish was third place, and her best jump at Grand Haven is 11 feet.

Some of Hecksel's competition this weekend will include Calvin Christian's Rachel Duthler, who also vaults for Grand Valley State and Rockford's Stacy Orosz, who is jumping at Western Michigan University.

"I don't think it is harder (jumping on the beach)," Hecksel said. "It is competitive, but more fun. You don't have to worry like it was a dual meet or conference meet. It's fun but challenging."

Hecksel, who has a best jump in college of 11 feet, 7 3/4 inches.

"It is going well at Grand Valley," Hecksel said. "Each year it gets better. I have a lot of fun there, so I love it."

She plans to have a lot of fun Friday and Saturday as well

http://www.mlive.com/sports/grpress/ind ... 116390.xml

Vaulting newcomer wins 14-under age group at Beach Vault
Saturday, July 16, 2005
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND HAVEN -- Sarah Birkmeier is new to the sport of pole vaulting, but it didn't take her long to taste victory in competition.

Birkmeier, 13, a Rockford eighth-grader, won the girls 14-under age group in the first day of competition at the 4th Annual Grand Haven Beach Vault at Grand Haven City Beach on Friday.

Birkmeier won with a jump of 8 feet, 6 inches.

"I just started pole vaulting the week before the 4th of July," Birkmeier said. "I was a gymnast and my uncle (George Pavey), who was a pole vaulter, said I would be good at it.

"When I first did it I liked it a lot. It is really fun to see how high you can go."

Weather conditions included a tail wind coming from the north to help lift the vaulters.

Birkmeier said she wasn't paying too much attention to what was happening around her.

"I don't know what was going on, I just go," Birkmeier said. "I never expected to win. I just came to have some fun."

Birkmeier wasn't the only gymnast to do well Friday.

Caitlyn Gager, a Rockford senior who competes on the Rams' gymnastics team as well as the track team as a pole vaulter, won the 15-16 age group with a leap of 11 feet -- her personal best.

"I didn't expect to win," Gager said. "I have been in a slump lately, so this is nice. Everything seemed to be off, but my steps were on today and the wind definitely helped."

Other winners Friday were Corey Shank, of Fort Wayne, Ind., who won the boys 14-under age group with a jump of 12-6; Joe Noonan, of Frankfort, Ill., who won the boys 15-16 age group with an event record leap of 15 feet, and Noonan's sister, Diana, who won the girls 17-18 age group at 11 feet.

The final winner of day one was Brian Hancock of Monroe City, Mo., who went 15 feet to win the boys 17-18 age group

The final day of competition is today. Vaulting begins at 10 a.m.

"We are going to have some area college athletes and the elite jumpers go (today)," beach vault organizer Kevin Patterson said. "To come and watch is free.

http://www.mlive.com/sports/grpress/ind ... 293370.xml

West Ottawa senior takes second in beach pole vault event
Monday, July 18, 2005
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND HAVEN -- Even though it's summer, Natalie Stitt still can't get away from her fiercest competitors.

Stitt, who competes in the pole vault for the West Ottawa girls track team, took part in one of the summer's biggest competitions in vaulting over the weekend.

Stitt was one of 200 vaulters that took part in the fourth Annual Grand Haven Beach Vault at Grand Haven City Beach on Friday and Saturday.

Competing in the girls 15 and 16 age group Friday afternoon, Stitt found herself going up against Rockford's Caitlyn Gager and Christi Kettelhut.

The trio has become familiar with each other's styles, competing several times during the high school track season.

And like they have during the spring, the three found themselves in a battle for the top spot.

In the end, Gager won the competition with a leap of 11 feet. Stitt was second at 10-6 and Kettelhut, the 2005 Division 1 state champion in the pole vault, was third at 10 feet.

Stitt, who has been pole vaulting for three years, wishes she could have won, but was still happy with her performance.

"I felt pretty good, it was a good day," said Stitt, who will be a senior at West Ottawa. "There was a good tail wind, and it was very nice out.

"I was happy with second. It is usually between the three of us, that is how it has been all year. And that's good because it pushes all three of us."

Weather nice for vaulting

It was a nice day, with a strong wind coming out o f the north that helped the jumpers on Friday.

Stitt's jump of 10-6 is only an inch-and-a-half off of her personal best. Gager's jump of 11 feet was her best jump.

Stitt was competing in her second beach vault, and said she had a great time.

"I really like this competition," said Stitt, who was sixth at the Division 1 state finals last month. "It is a lot of fun, and it is nice to be on the beach."

http://www.mlive.com/preps/grpress/inde ... xml&coll=6

Falcons fare well at Grand Haven Beach Vault
Thursday, July 21, 2005
By Steve Vedder
The Grand Rapids Press
If East Kentwood's pole vaulters can catch a glimpse of what the country's best look like, then Falcons boys track coach Dave Emeott said last weekend's Grand Haven Beach Vault is a true success.

Of course, the fact that the meet has grown into one of the most popular of its kind in the country doesn't hurt.

The Grand Haven competition attracted more than 200 high school and collegiate pole vaulters from as far away as California and Canada to the Lake Michigan shoreline last Friday and Saturday. Among the participants were six current Falcons pole vaulters as well as former East Kentwood all-stater and current Kansas State University All-American Breanna Eveland.


From Our Advertiser




Emeott, who organizes the event with Kevin Patterson, said the exposure to high-quality pole vaulters is invaluable.

"Our goal competitively is to go out and have a good meet," Emeott said. "There are kids who dominated their state meets who are here to see how they'll do in a national meet. There are a lot of good pole vaulters here."

Included in the field are about a dozen high school all-state male and female vaulters as well as college All-Americans. The overall winner at the meet was California's Justin Norberg, who had a jump of 18-feet, 6 inches.

The East Kentwood athletes who participated were Phil Rancourt, a sophomore who finished eighth with a leap of 13-6 in the 18-and-under division, Chris Berry, Spencer Jones and Everett Geerlings. Abby Shanahan and Danielle Helmer also participated for East Kentwood.

Both days of competition attracted about 200 participants, an impressive number for just the fourth year of the meet. Emeott said if the meet hadn't been organized for Grand Haven, West Michigan pole vaulters would have had to travel hundreds of miles to find a meet like it.

"There's a niche for a meet like this," he said. "There are kids working out who look for this and we're lucky enough to have one here. It's becoming a premier event, one of the biggest beach vaults in the country."

One of the highlights of the meet was Eveland's performance.

She wound up finishing second overall to Sue Denigris of North Central College in the elite division.

Emeott said Eveland is held out as a role model to Falcons track athletes.

"She had to come here with little preparation, but she did what she always does," Emeott said.

"It's just something she likes to do. She jumped 13 feet on a borrowed pole. Everyone on the pole vault scene knows who she is. It was good for our kids to see her compete."

http://www.mlive.com/preps/grpress/inde ... xml&coll=6

Schaefer crosses the bar for fourth at beach vault
Thursday, July 21, 2005
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
Coopersville's Stacy Schaefer was one of 200 vaulters at the 4th Annual Grand Haven Beach Vault at Grand Haven City Beach on Friday.

He finished fourth in the boys 17-18 age group, clearing 13 feet, 6 inches.

"I thought I did pretty good," Schaefer said. "It wasn't my best, but I was happy with it."

Schaefer has jumped 14 feet, his personal best, using a bigger pole, but couldn't get his form right Friday to duplicate that effort.

"I have been practicing, but that was my first competition since the state finals," Schaefer said. "It is a lot different than competing. We usually don't use a crossbar, and are not competing to do our best. And I couldn't get on my bigger pole for some reason. And you have to do that if you want to go 14 feet."

Schaefer said jumping at the beach didn't affect his efforts. This was his second time taking part in the beach vault, and he said he enjoys everything about jumping next to Lake Michigan.

"I had fun Friday," Schaefer said. "I like the beach vault because it is not like a big competition.

"I never really paid attention to the sand because I long-jumped all year, so the sand didn't bother me. It was just like a regular meet for me, but on the beach."

Last month at the state finals he went 13-3, which did not get him on the medal stand. He completed his high school career as a two-time state qualifier and two-time O-K Blue Conference champion.

Schaefer plans to try out for Central Michigan University's track team next month.