Pole vaulters compete in early meet
By Daily Bruin Staff
Jan. 10, 2002 9:00 p.m.
 Daily Bruin File Photo Sophomore pole vaulter
Jared Drake attempts to complete a jump in a meet
against USC last season.
By Susana Zialcita
Daily Bruin Contributor
The pole vaulters start off their season this weekend in what
UCLA pole vault coach Anthony Curran predicts to be the biggest
pole vaulting meet in the history of the sport.
The 2002 Pole Vault Summit, held in Reno, Nevada, will host
athletes from all over the U.S. and Europe. Last year, over 1,000
pole vaulters competed in the meet, and summit director Steve
Chappell said that it attracted “the largest crowd the Hilton
has had in over 15 years.”
“The event brings coaches, staff and athletes together to
better the sport of pole vaulting,” Curran said.
Five female pole vaulters will participate in the meet for the
Bruins, with NCAA national champion Tracy O’Hara competing in
the Elite division and Heather Sickler, Karen Bewley, Gail Larsen
and Jamie Koler competing in the collegiate division.
UCLA is also sending Yoo Kim and Jared Drake from the
men’s team, while teammates Pat Luke and Joey Snee are
competing as individuals.
“This meet will be good for us to warm up for the
season,” Sickler said. “Everyone can relax. It’s
a good chance to open up some bars, hopefully get some qualifying
times for the NCAA’s.”
The meet starts on Friday, with O’Hara of the Elite
division competing.
“The meet’s early, but I am not really taking it as
a practice meet,” O’Hara said. “I am taking it
seriously. I want to blow through some poles, get my step on, get
good marks, jump 14 feet.”
“This will be a really good opener for Tracy,”
Curran said. “She’s been having really, really good
practices.”
On Saturday, the other divisions compete, which include high
school, collegiate and even divisions for coaches and parents.
“This is our chance to see where we’re at with the
rest of the NCAA,” Curran said. “We’ve been
training for five months, beating ourselves up. This is a meet to
get pumped up for the season.”
The meet takes place a week earlier than it did last year, so
the team is adjusting to having one less week of training before
competition.
“It’s an early meet, so I feel a little rushed, but
I am just going to go and have fun,” Kim said. “I can
get back into the groove of jumping, so it will be a good
experience.”
Women’s track and field tryouts will be held at Drake
Stadium Monday, Jan. 21, from 12 to 3 p.m. Interested participants
need to call UCLA women’s head coach Jeanette Bolden at (310)
206-6769.
