Lauren Stelten Article

[mkolb1]

Roger Spee -]MSU Reporter did a nice write up about National Indoor Pole Vault Champion, Lauren Stelten. The title of the article sums up Lauren... she great example for the younger T&F athletes at MSU...
MSU Reporter

The humble leader
She lets her ability speak for itself. She has motivation from every different angle.
By Kyle Ratke


Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Updated: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 12:03


Wale Agboola, assisted by Shannon Rathmanner, MSU Reporter

If you were you talk to Lauren Stelten, you would think you were simply talking to a college student with a contagious smile and positive attitude. She wouldn't tell you that she's one of the best athletes in school, nor will she tell you she just won the National Championship in the indoor pole vault last weekend.


During a photo shoot or interview, she'll cooperate, tell jokes and even teach a writer how to pole vault. Seems pretty level-headed, right?

She doesn't walk with a swagger or boast.

Maybe it's her personality. Maybe it's the experiences she's been through in life. Whatever it is, it's a type of modesty that everyone wants, but can't quite grasp.

Her motivation comes from someone who can't say Lauren's name. It's her 19-year-old sister Logan, who had a brain aneurysm when she was just two months. Her vocabulary is minimal and there wasn't much hope for her. Now here we are, nearly two decades later.

"Here's a person who can't express how she's feeling or what she's thinking, but you can see something's going on," Stelten said. "She's taught me to be grateful of what I've been given and the talents I have. It changes the way you treat others."

It's not the motivation that other athletes get, but while watching her sister overcome her adversities, pole vaulting seems like nothing. And since, by looking at her numbers, it hasn't been much of a challenge.

The Cologne, Minn.-native is a four-time All-American in the indoor pole vault, finishing second in 2008, sixth in 2009, second in 2010 and first this season. But she'll be the first to tell you that it wasn't exactly a cake-walk.

"I was slow as heck," Stelten said of when she first arrived on campus. "Coaches would tell me, ‘Oh my, we have a lot to work on.' I was like, ‘What am I getting myself into?'"

If only she knew just three years later she'd be in the same field house, acting as one of MSU's premiere athletes, along with being captain of this season's team.

She won't yell at a teammate to motivate them, not because she thinks it's wrong, simply because it's not her style. Winning Nationals was her motivation to her teammates. It was her way of saying "if you give enough effort, this can happen."

"I try to tell them to keep working and have a positive attitude and good things will happen," Stelten said.

Stelten learned in high school not to talk herself up, do what you have to do, but mostly have fun.

This is an athlete that likes to eat bacon cheeseburgers and instead of listening to rock or rap, she puts Josh Groban or Michael Buble on her iPod. Because it's motivation? No, because she gets so excited before she competes, she needs to calm herself down.

When you hear Stelten tell her story of winning the National Championship and what she felt, you can't help but enjoy the moment with her.

"I remember all kinds of different things," Stelten said about how she felt after vaulting 13 feet and six and a half inches to clinch the championship. "While competing, I thought of all the words of encouragement from friends and family back home and covered my face. It was the highest I've ever jumped. I had goose bumps down to my shins. I couldn't sit down. It's something I'll never forget."

The best thing about Stelten's season is that it's not done yet.

She still has the outdoor season coming up, which she favors over the indoor season. Being very active as a youngster, she loved the outdoors.

Her goal at the beginning of the season didn't even involve the indoor season. She wants to win the National Championship in the outdoor and break the school record, which is 13 feet and nine inches.

"But if it doesn't happen, I have that memory of indoors," Stelten said. "Whatever happens, I know that my parents and coaches are proud of me. I don't want to stress and end up losing."

For someone that isn't used to losing, she sure seems like it wouldn't be the end of the world for her. Maybe it's because she knows there is something more.

Then it goes back to her little sister. And she gets that fire back in her eyes.

"There is always someone who will doubt you and your abilities," Stelten said. "She taught me to find the positives, learn and keep moving forward."

A betting person shouldn't bet against Stelten. Sure, she'll have fun, but she'll win while doing it. Whatever her motivation is, it's clearly working.

Chances are it's not Josh Groban.

If Stelten does in fact win the outdoor National Championship, don't expect to hear from her about it. You'll have to ask around.

She's not the one to talk about her accomplishments. She'll let them do the talking for her.


http://www.msureporter.com/the-humble-l ... 2011322137

[steltl]

Thank you! I was excited to finally be able to talk about my sister in an interview.. she has taught me a lot!

[ras]

Congratulations. Great article.