Steve Warr Dedicated to the pole vault

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/ ... ch_cyf.txt

Dedicated to the pole vault

Klein High teacher/pole vaulting coach Steve Warr, 68, was ranked No. 1 in the world for pole vaulters, ages 65-69, in 2006. He’s still competing in the sport and will participate in a meet later this month in Finland.
By Michael Sudhalter
Updated: 07.01.09
Steve Warr claims he’s not athletically gifted, but his accomplishments tell another story.

Warr, 68, is a computer science teacher and pole vault coach at Klein High, but unlike many coaches, he’s constantly competing in the sport himself.

The California-born, Oregon-raised educator is traveling every week to a different pole vault competition throughout the United States and in countries like Austria and Italy.

At the end of the month, he’ll be going to Finland for an international pole vaulting competition.

“It is hard work and lots of fun,” Warr said. “I’ve never been a natural athlete. I always had to work at it. The hard work paid off it.”

In 2006, Warr was ranked No. 1 in the world -- with a 10-foot-8 effort -- for men’s pole vaulters in the 65-69 age group; he said about 5 to 10 pole vaulters compete at each meet in that age division.

“It’s tougher to do because I’m getting older and slower, everything hurts,” Warr said.

“As we get older, there’s fewer and fewer of us (competing). I know most of them. It’s a nice thing to have the camaraderie.”

Warr is constantly perfecting his approach to the event; he also runs and does pull-ups to improve his heights, and he has no plans of slowing down.

“As long as I can still run down the runway and hold a pole (I’ll compete),” said Warr, who is encouraged by the fact that some vaulters compete into their 90s.

Warr was an unlikely candidate for a pole vaulting champion at any level.

He never competed in track and field, instead playing high school football in Coos Bay, Ore. and junior college basketball at Southwestern Oregon Community College.

After that, he joined the Army, met his wife while stationed in Germany and completed his college degree at the University of Rhode Island – in her home state.

The couple moved to Oregon in the early 1970’s, and Warr became interested in pole vaulting while serving as an assistant coach at a junior high in Springfield, Ore.

The following year, 1973, he coached the event at Lowell High on Oregon.

“That was a lot of fun,” Warr said. “I had some kids that were interested in doing it and we basically learned together. It’s a really challenging event. The kids that are interested in doing it are very interested in it.”

In 1981, Warr and his family relocated to Houston because there were more jobs opening than in Oregon.

While he simultaneously taught and learned the event, it wasn’t until 1986 that Warr began seriously competing as a pole vaulter.

He coached pole vaulting at Cy Creek High for 10 years and Magnolia for eight. In addition to coaching the Bearkats, he works with some junior high pole vaulters in Klein ISD to prepare them for the high school level.

“It’s easier if they’ve had the practice,” Warr said. “Regardless of if they’ve had good coaching or not, they have the muscle memory and the repetitive skill and interest. When they first start in high school, it’s not important that they have solid technique because I can bring that around.”

Warr knows that he’ll stay with the pole vault and steer clear of other events.

A few years ago, friends told Warr that he was really fast after watching his approach on the pole vault.

So, he attempted the 300-meter run.

“I was right and they were wrong - I was still pretty slow,” Warr said.

Friends and family will get the opportunity to watch Warr compete next summer at the National Senior Olympics in Houston; he’s won the gold medal in his age division most years.

[Bubba PV]

Steve's a super guy who does a ton for our sport in our local area. Congrats and well deserved notice Colonel!! Bubba