Erin Lipie article (WA)

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http://news.bellinghamherald.com/apps/p ... /604190357

Blaine senior Erin Lippie: Raising the bar
Blaine senior Erin Lippie has returned from a knee injury in a big way

PHILIP A. DWYER THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Blaine High School pole vaulter Erin Lippie, 17, works on her technique during practice on Tuesday. Lippie has been a pole vaulter for six years.


JOE SUNNEN
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

BLAINE - Over the last nine months, Blaine senior Erin Lippie has learned to walk again, then run again. From time to time there is still pain in her surgically repaired knee.
Something she's never forgotten while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus is the feeling that pole vaulting gives her.
"It's my passion," Lippie said. "My dad taught me how to do it in the seventh grade and it's something I just love to do."
Lippie was considered a favorite to win the Class 2A state pole vaulting title last season before an awkward landing after a vault at the last regular-season meet of the year ended her season.
Instead of competing at the state meet in Cheney she ended up having surgery.
"I really had to get over not being able to walk for a week and then not being able to run for months," Lippie said. "It's been really frustrated for me because I knew who I was and I knew how I ran. Just working back up to who I was before the knee injury has been an experience."
Coaches credit Lippie's mental and physical toughness for her quick return. It is something that helped her become one of the best pole vaulters in the state.
"Erin is like that movie 'True Grit,'" Blaine coach Mike Grambo said. "That's her. She's just tough. She's someone that will fight. The attitude of Lippie makes her who she is."
Lippie's best jump this season so far has been 10 feet, tied for the highest mark in the state. It's still more than a foot off her top mark from last season, but it's a good start for someone who had major knee surgery less than a year ago.
The state championship mark last season was 9 feet, 9 inches.
"To be where she's at after what happened is really impressive," Blaine pole vaulting coach Rob Ridnour said. "She hasn't been patient with herself and that's understandable because she's a real competitor, but her best vaulting will be at the end of the year. And hopefully she's back to where she was then."
So far, overcoming the physical pain has been a lot easier than some of the mental pain she's felt. During the Borderites awards banquet last season she broke down as she watched highlights of her teammates competing at the state tournament. And she still gets frustrated with her knee sometimes.
"Watching those highlights I just started crying because it hurt so bad," Lippie said. "I had to leave the room because I didn't want everybody to think I was a little baby. It just hurt so bad not being there at state with them."
If all goes well she will be at state with her teammates this season. And the Blaine girls' team might also have the school's first conference title to celebrate as well. The Borderites are undefeated this season.
Lippie also accepted a track and field scholarship to compete at South Western Oregon Community College next season.
"Her best attributes are speed, strength and mental toughness," Grambo said. "There is a fear factor with pole vaulting and she doesn't really feel that."
Her toughness has definitely been tested over the last few months, but so far she's proved to be up to the challenge.
"Pole vaulting is all about strength and mental toughness," Lippie said. "I'm afraid of heights, but I can vault over 11 feet. You have to be able to realize that you're going to go upside on the pole and you can hurt yourself like I did. You have to know what you're getting into."