MHS vaulters get jump on sectional titles
Xu, Smith are Cougars' champs
Friday, February 15, 2008
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Two of the three individual North Jersey 2, Group III titles for Montgomery High School came in pole vault won last Friday, three days before the rest of the field competed.
That meant few were there to witness the Cougars’ Kan Xu win the boys’ title with a clearance of 11-feet and Madison Smith capture the girls’ title at 8-feet-6 while teammate Jennifer Hydresco tied for second at 8-feet.
”It’s basically me, Jen and Kan,” said Smith of the trio of juniors that double as competitors and each other’s biggest fans. “(MHS girls’ coach Jim Goodfriend) went with us and our pole vaulting coach from Vertical Assault was there.”
The MHS pole vaulters are accustomed to a little different treatment. In the winter, the mats are not even up outdoors so they can’t practice their event with the team.
”Madison has done really well for us,” said Goodfriend, whose team finished second to Ridge on Monday. “Considering the only place she can vault is when she shows up to Vertical Assault. She shows up every day to practice with us. She usually goes to weight room or she’ll do some running.”
The competitors will be trying to move on to the Meet of Champions. In searching for new heights, the Montgomery vaulters go once per week on their own to Vertical Assault, a pole vaulting club in Pennsylvania where they receive coaching from Mike Lawryk. It is their only instruction.
”They really do help you,” said Xu, a junior who has been going since the summer after his freshman year. “They work closely with you.”
Xu needed plenty of work. He shares a phobia that seems counterproductive in the pole vaulting world.
”I’m really scared of heights,” Xu said. “I just close my eyes and do it. Going up there, you don’t feel it until you’re falling. It’s over in a couple seconds.”
Said Milich: “He’s turned into a very good pole vaulter for us. We’re counting on him as a junior for points.”
Like Xu, Smith has a challenge. She didn’t start with the gymnastics background of so many vaulters. But she has been at it for three years for the Cougars.
”In middle school, I did a bunch of events and I wasn’t very good at all of them,” Smith said. “When I was on the middle school track team, the high schoolers would always pole vault next to us. I thought it was really cool. I decided to try it out.”
Pole vaulting isn’t an event that athletes pick up quickly. It took plenty of hard work to steadily climb from 7-feet as a freshman up to approaching 9-feet now.
”Definitely being able to swing up and get good form when going over the bar was hard to learn,” Smith said. “I’m hoping to get my turn down. That will help me go higher. And getting more upper body strength.”
The winter season is a perfect time for the pole vaulters to prepare for the spring, when they will get more regular practice. That should pay off with some higher clearances.
”Last year, I didn’t really know what to expect of winter,” Xu said. “It was my first winter season. It’s kind of different from spring. I just keep trying to progress. I’ve gotten farther than last year, so I just want to keep getting better.”
The next chance comes Sunday against more difficult competition in the Group III state meet.
”I’m really excited,” Smith said. “I really, really hope I get over 9-feet. I’m going to do my best. I know there’s going to be good girls there. I’m going to work my hardest.”
