With a Leap and a Roar, Regan sets State Mark

Easton sophomore is first girl to clear 13 feet in pole vault at states.

 

By Beth Hudson
Of The Morning Call

SHIPPENSBURG | She never abandoned her sense of humor, and maybe that's why Lindsay Regan is so good at this.

More than once, the Easton sophomore has mentioned the importance of enjoying her sport. If she didn't love pole vaulting, she wouldn't practice with so much vigor.

And, if she didn't practice with so much vigor, maybe her story would have been different Saturday at the PIAA Track & Field Championships.

As it was, Regan was one of the stories at Shippensburg University. She vaulted a state-record 13-0 and won her first title at Seth Grove Stadium, after finishing third in the event as a freshman.

What helped Regan become a bigger story, however, is the location of the vaulting pit in the stadium. Many of the field events are difficult, if not impossible, for fans to watch from the stands. However, the vaulting pit sits directly in front of the home bleachers.

When a competition is intense or a vaulter is going for a record, the crowd cheers or sighs with every attempt. On Saturday, Regan already had won the state title, and her older sister, Courtney, had claimed the silver medal with a vault of 11-6. But Lindsay Regan, who vaulted 13-2 at the Lehigh Valley Conference meet, wanted to clear 13-0 at states. The former record was 12-3.

Despite everything else happening in the stadium, the crowd was ready each time Regan attempted the height. When she picked up the pole, the fans began to clap their hands in anticipation.

''The crowd here is so big,'' Regan said. ''They cheer everyone, not just their own son or daughter. It's nice to have a track where the pole vault is right there, getting the attention.''

Once they started their steady clap too soon; Regan had to set down the pole and start all over, she said with a grin. When she missed and the bar fell down, Regan heard the crowd groan with disappointment. Each time, though, she jumped back to her feet with a smile on her face. And when she cleared 13-0, several thousand people gave her a standing ovation.

''Thirteen was my main goal, just because people haven't seen any girl hit that height,'' Regan said. ''It's nice to show people girls can do this.''