Juan Diego vaulter above the fray (UT)

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Juan Diego vaulter above the fray (UT)

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:03 am

http://www.sltrib.com/closeup/ci_3656194

Juan Diego vaulter above the fray
Juan Diego's Jansen not interested in controversy
By Susan Winlow
Special to The Tribune

All Juan Diego's Ian Jansen wants to do is pole vault.
He would rather stay away from the controversy.
But the ongoing debate surrounding the field event hit Jansen square in the face when Juan Diego switched from Class 2-A to 3-A this year.
According to David Wilkey, assistant director of the Utah High School Activities Association, the death about five years ago of an assistant prep coach in southern Utah "scared the daylights" out of school officials around the state and spurred changes in high school pole vaulting. The coach was killed while demonstrating pole vaulting techniques.
At a UHSAA executive committee meeting in 2002, it was suggested that pole vaulting become a non-scoring event in all classes during the state meet, but that motion was defeated. The motion, however, eventually led to each classification voting on whether to keep pole vault as a scoring event. Classes 2-A and 5-A felt they had sufficient knowledge and funds to meet the rigorous new safety standards, but the rest of the classes opted to allow pole vaulting only as a nonscoring event.
The controversy yields many different opinions and draws the ire of many coaches, including Juan Diego's Dan John.
But Jansen just wants to pole vault.
In his third year of competitive pole vaulting - and previously unaffected by the debate while Juan Diego was in 2-A - Jansen suddenly found himself affected by Utah's pole vaulting question.
It is Jansen's best event - he won the past two 2-A state titles and his points contributed to the team's 2005 state championship. Last year, he won with a vault of 13 feet, 6 inches. That vault, done on an injured foot, led all classes but 4-A, which was won by Box Elder's John Johnson with a mark of 14-6. Jansen's best vault, a 2-A state record, was 14-0 last year at the East Invitational.
"It's kind of disappointing," he said of not being able to contribute points to Juan Diego's cause this year. "I'm a decent pole vaulter so it's disappointing not to contribute."
But with the same determination that got him to where he is today, Jansen, a junior, will keep moving toward his goal of collegiate competition.
While Jansen is dedicated to the event and its technical aspects, he's had to scramble to find clubs with legal pits so he can practice. He does the conditioning elements at team practices, but because Juan Diego doesn't have legal-sized pits, Jansen spends Monday nights at a pit in Provo.
His goals, according to his father, David, are to jump between 15-6 and 16-0 this year, which would beat the 3-A state record.
"He's very motivated and it's an internal thing," his father said. "He's more competitive with himself than by saying. 'I'm going to beat that guy.' He's always trying to top himself and do a little bit better."
Jansen, who also competes in the decathlon through USA Track and Field, will compete for Juan Diego in the high jump, discus and 400-meter relay.
"The high jump is kind of the event that's taking over the pole vault so I can help the team gain points," he said.
A Cottonwood Heights resident, it would have been easy for Jansen to attend a 5-A school where pole vaulting was a scoring event. But the same dedication that helps him to excel in pole vaulting wouldn't allow him to leave his friends at Juan Diego.
"I wouldn't want to move to a school that had a full pole vaulting program just for that [reason]," he said. "Juan Diego is a really great place."
His coach praised Jansen's dedication to both the sport and the school.
"He's given up two years of inter-scholastic competition," John said. "He stayed at Juan Diego and he is contributing. I'm real proud of him."
While Jansen would rather avoid the pole vaulting debate, he does acknowledge and understands Juan Diego's position in not funding a pole vaulting program.
"My personal belief [is that] to fund a really good pole vaulting program is really expensive," he said. "I doubt anyone is going to pole vault after me."
John isn't quite so reserved about the matter and feels, like many coaches, that the UHSAA is out to cut the event.
"He works very hard. He's one of the most gifted athletes anywhere, anytime," John said. "And here you got a kid who could be bringing a legacy of greatness behind him and yet I have to tell him. 'Sorry, you can't vault at my place because I would be personally liable,' which is just sad."
Wilkey said the whole move is simply to protect the athletes.
"We are not out to cut it completely," he said. "I can dispel that myth in a heartbeat. The No. 1 concern is the safety of the kids."

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