Take 5 with Noreen Petrash

NOREEN PETRASH

Class: Senior, Central Catholic

Age: 17

Of note: After 12 years as a gymnast with the Parkettes, Petrash switched to pole vaulting as a sophomore and finished third in the Lehigh Valley Conference meet this year. She plans to attend Loyola College in Baltimore.

What went through mind when you went to accept the bronze at the LVC meet? I'm good friends with Brook Hamscher from when we were both in gymnastics together, so I got kind of nostalgic. I was very happy, because I had so many medals from gymnastics, and now I finally had one for pole vaulting.

How did the Parkettes' program help you with pole vaulting? It taught me a lot about athletics, life and health. It helps you as an overall person. It teaches you to exercise every day. It helps with eating habits. And it helps with perseverance, that even though there are obstacles to overcome, you can if you keep trying.

What about with the actual pole vaulting techniques -- is there a carryover from gymnastics? I go to Vertical Assault and there are a lot of gymnasts there. The technique of at one point being totally upside down and vertical, and moving the body in ways it's not supposed to move, is part of gymnastics, too. So it definitely translated over.

If you could pick anywhere in the world to go on a trip, where would you go? Italy. I'm very Roman Catholic. I just want to see Catholicism and all the history of it there.

What kind of music do you listen to? Mostly alternative rock. Some pop. Also some Christian bands that are alternative.

What would surprise people about you? I don't know what would surprise people. But people know me at school for pole vaulting. The school didn't even have poles; I had to go out and buy them myself. And I think people would know I have a good work ethic for school and everything I do. I keep trying and trying. Like with the SATs; I'm not good at them. But I rank fourth in my class because I just persevere with school work.