Whitney Friel Article

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http://www.dailysentinel.com/sports/con ... ULTER.html

High Flyer: Friel excels at pole vault

Kevin Gore, The Daily Sentinel


Wednesday, April 27, 2005


The thought of running down a lane with a pole, sticking it into the ground and then riding the pole upward before catapulting into the air and over a bar was never a priority for Whitney Friel.


She played the normal sports like volleyball and basketball, instead.


But a former Nacogdoches track coach talked her into trying the event about four years ago.


Two district championships and one second-place finish in district later, Friel will make her third straight trip to regionals this week at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.


She won the pole vault competition with a height of 9-6 at the District 16-4A meet in Hallsville on March 13.


She is optimistic about placing in the top two at regionals, which would give her a berth in the state track meet in May.


Friel, who is 5-7 and 113 pounds, doesn't especially look like a pole vaulter.


But this is a case of looks being deceiving.


“It takes a lot of upper body strength and a lot of practice,â€Â

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[i]“You've got to be darish and willing to try something new, especially in the pole vault.â€Â