http://www.theindependent.com/stories/0 ... en16.shtml
Published Friday, January 16, 2004
Green vaulting to new heights
Former GICC standout sets conference record
Last modified at 11:50 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, 2004
By Bob Hamar
bob.hamar@theindependent.com
Jenny Green had a rather modest goal for her first track season at the college level.
Green, a Grand Island Central Catholic graduate who won four straight all-class gold medals in the pole vault, had set a goal of 13 feet, 6 inches for her Nebraska debut.
It didn't take her long to surpass that mark. Last weekend, in her first college competition, Green cleared 13-9 1/4 to win the college women's division at the 2004 Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev.
That performance shattered the Nebraska indoor school record and is also a Big 12 Conference indoor record.
"I was telling myself that 13 feet would be a good starting point for the season," Green said. "I sat down with my coach before the season and said my goal would be 13-6 for indoors and 14 feet for outdoors. I'll have to reset those now."
If Green reaches the 14-foot mark in either the indoor our outdoor season, she will likely travel to Sacramento, Calif., for the Olympic Trials in July. Fourteen feet is the provisional qualifying height for the women's pole vault.
Green -- who holds the all-time state high school record at 13-3 -- said it wouldn't automatically put her in, but any athlete who clears 14 feet will probably qualify.
Nebraska vaulting coach Rick Attig said he was very happy, but not that surprised, with Green's performance.
"She has really made some great technical improvements in certain parts of her jump," Attig said.
Attig said there's one area where Green needs no more improvement: Strength.
At some point this past summer, Green suffered a stress fracture in her foot. It wasn't discovered until just after the fall semester began.
Green was unable to vault for about six weeks, but she was able to do upper body weight lifting during that period.
Green lifted so much that she got to the point where she could bench press 222 pounds. That's when her coaches told her enough is enough.
Attig said a lift like that from a vaulter was "kind of mind boggling," and that most female throwers can't lift that much.
"We're getting a new weight room. We're not going to give her directions to the weight room," Attig joked. "There's certain things you look for in a vaulter. She's definitely over qualified in the area of strength. She actually has more strength than you use in the vault.
"We'll kind of focus on some different areas. She'll definitely continue lifting, but getting stronger at this point won't help her much."
The Pole Vault Summit offers vaulters at all levels an opportunity to learn more about their event. There were several featured speakers on Friday, followed by the elite competition Friday night.
Women's world record holder Stacy Dragila won the women's competition, and even attempted to set another world record.
"She just missed it," Green said. "It was pretty motivating to watch Friday and then compete the next day."
Green isn't the only former GICC vaulter at Nebraska. Gable Baldwin, who like Green is a freshman with the Huskers, cleared a personal indoor best of 16-10 3/4 at the Pole Vault Summit to take second in the second division of the college men's competition.
"Gabe is one of those guys who seems to technically gets better each time," Attig said. "He started putting things together right at the end of the season last year. He's continued to improve while he's been here."
Baldwin, who set the all-time state high school record of 16-4 last spring, cleared 17- 3/4 last summer at the USA Track and Field National Championships. Attig said he thought Baldwin, who set the Nebraska high school all-time state record last spring, might end up in the mid 17's last weekend.
"But once he got to the next height, he pressed a little bit and had a couple of jumps where his run wasn't quite what he needed," Attig said. "His last run came up a little bit short. He might have been a good foot over the bar.
"He's definitely ready to get some good heights in.''
