Living Large: John Large defies age

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/story. ... 2&catid=48


iving Large: Belding pole valuter defies age
Tom Clyde Matt Campbell
Updated:7/6/2010 6:43:51 PM - Posted: 7/6/2010 6:12:44 PM Comments


BELDING, Mich. (WZZM) - John Large of Belding has found the fountain of youth -- and it's come in the form of pole vaulting.

Large, a 1967 Greenville High School graduate, has rediscovered his passion for his high school sport.

Large held the Greenville school record in the pole vault for nearly a decade after graduating and says he would have liked to pursue a career in the sport. But service in Vietnam, followed by a 40-year career as a professional musician kept the dream from becoming reality.

Now a 62-year-old retiree, Large has a pole vault pit in the front yard of his Belding home and is a volunteer assistant coach for the Belding High School and Middle School track teams. And he competes at a national level, this year with the second-best indoor vault in his age group.

"I'd watch the Olympics and I'd see these guys and my heart would just pound because that was what I really wanted to do when I got out of high school," says Large. "Go to college, some small college and vault. But I went right into the service and obviously I didn't do it.

"But now," he adds with a smile, "it's my turn."

Large stays in extraordinary physical shape and says he rarely eats large meals. And he excercises every day.

"I mean it's like being 16 again and that's really why I do it," Large says. "It just keeps you young and I'm going to do it until I can't do it anymore."

[master]

Great fun to see a fellow masters vaulter get some press! You're looking good.

[Bubba PV]

It's ashame that John's personality doesn't show through. What a great guy. Always look forward to seeing him at the big meets. Bubba

[souleman]

Excellent! Super story on a really good athlete.

[Vaulting prof]

Way to go Johnny, back to healthy and looking good.