Katie Stripling Trackshark Interview

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.trackshark.com/features/entr ... h&e_id=351

Interview with Katie Stripling of Arkansas
15 January 2009 at 02:24 - 0 comments - link
Stripling already punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships (Arkansas Sports Photo)

Congratulations on hitting a new indoor personal-best clearance of 13-09.25 at home. Now that your ticket has been punched to the NCAA Indoor Championships, how does it feel to have that pressure off your back?

Thanks! It feels really good to take the pressure of qualifying for nationals off my back. It helps to know that I already have a spot in that meet. I think that not having that pressure will make it easier to relax and jump even higher.

Over the summer, you reset the school record with a clearance of 14-03.25 and a title win at the NACAC Championships in Toluca, Mexico. How much did that experience help you as you prepared for this season?

The experience in Mexico really helped me to expand my comfort zones. Being in a different country with a different coach and having to travel with poles by myself for the first time was definately an interesting experience that really helped me to grow in the sport.

At the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships, you finished 14th with a height of 13-01.50. Although it's a performance I'm sure you'd like to forget, what did you learn the most from that now that you're in your junior season as a Razorback?

It's always disappointing when you don't perform as well as you would like or reach certain goals during a performance. After this happened to me at indoor nationals, I gained a new determination not to let it happen again. I learned that you have to have confidence in yourself that you can clear every bar and perform at your best. I am taking that appraoch going into my junior season.

How did your fall and winter break training go? Did you and your coach Bryan Compton change anything in your routine for this season?

We got alot of work done in the off season as far as getting stronger and faster. Our workouts were a little more intense and we began vaulting alot more alot earlier this year. Coach Compton has really been helping me to work out the technicalities of my run and plant in order to improve my performance. We have been alot more focused this year on all the little things instead of just the basics.

You've got an advantage of training at one of the best facilities in the world. How much does it help you to train at the Randal Tyson Track Center, let alone host many meets during the indoor season where you don't have to travel much?

It's definately helpful to be able to train in the facilities that we have here at Arkansas. The runway that we have here is one of the faster runways we jump on and it helps to maximize performance. We always have everything we need to get work done. Not having to travel is a great advantage; it makes meets much less stressful and relaxed so that the athletes can perform at their bests.

What is your runway approach and did you plan on taking a full approach at your first indoor meet of the season?

My runway approach is 13 steps total or 7 lefts and 6 rights. Coach just moved me back to 7 lefts a week or so before the first meet. He said that if I was ready to move back before the first meet we would try it out; it seemed to work so we went with it. It is the same approach I had before the first meet last year.

Who are some of the pole vaulters that you look up to and strive to compare yourself to? What have you learned from their techniques as you've watched them over the years?

I have had the advantage of getting to train with April Steiner Bennett throughout my career at Arkansas. Being able to watch her train has been really helpful to me. Her positive attitude and strong work ethic rub off on everyone including myself. I have looked up to her since the first day I met her and have always tried to be more like her. Coach always has my teammates and I watch her run down the runway and plant the pole in hopes that we could learn and develop some of her technique.

As a two-time SEC Champion, how difficult is it to compete with some of the best athletes in the country who reside in your conference?

It is difficult but it is also very helpful in finding the motivation and determination to train hard and do things right. It is always easier to jump higher when you have such great competition.

You certainly didn't have to travel far to the University of Arkansas coming from Jonesboro. What led you to enrol at the University and how great is it to have your family and friends close by to watch you compete?

I had actually already chosen to go toArkansas before I was offered a walk-on spot on the track team. I came to the University because it was away from home but not too far and alot of my friends were going to be at school with me. Getting to pole vault was just a bonus at the time that I enrolled. I really like that my friends and family live close enough to watch me compete. My parents come to almost every home track meet and having their support really motivates me to do my best amd means more to me than they could ever know.

How do you enjoy your free time when you're away from the sport?

With both school and track practice, there is barely enough time to get homework done let alone have free time. In the free time that I do have, I enjoy spending it hanging out with my teammates and other friends. I really like doing anything involving the outdoors as long as it is above 50 degrees.