She is dedicated to a vault

[Papa_Bull]

April 28, 2005

She is dedicated to a vault

St. Lawrence out to better Penn result

 

  By Ken McMillan

  Times Herald-Record

  kmcmillan@th-record.com

 

  Goshen – Lynn St. Lawrence is used to going the extra mile in order to compete in the pole vault, so her decision to attend college in Florida should be no surprise.

  Since Goshen High School does not have a sanctioned pole vaulting pit, St. Lawrence has had to split her practice time. Several days a week the girls' team captain spends two hours at Goshen practice, then travels 11 miles to Warwick to practice two hours with her pole vaulting club.

  "I am not going to lie,'' she said, "it's frustrating. I wasn't going to give it up and let it stop me. I was going to do whatever I had to do. ... It would be easier if my school had a pit.''

  St. Lawrence rose above the inconvenience to become a top vaulter in Section 9. She placed fifth at the indoor state meet and 12th at indoor nationals. A recent vault of 10 feet, 6 inches would place her second in the state, although the mark has not been posted yet with the rankings.

  The 10-6 mark has added significance since that was the opening height at the Penn Relays last year. St. Lawrence failed to clear that, and she's eager for redemption as the annual track and field carnival in Philadelphia opens today.

  "I no-heighted at Penn,'' St. Lawrence said. "I had only done 10 (feet) at that point. I was coming in at what would have been my (personal record), so it didn't work out. It was a disappointment, but I had fun when I was down there."

  Being in the midst of a positive track environment at the Penn Relays is something in which St. Lawrence revels.

  "It's always a fun experience and a great place to jump,'' she said. "Just to be in that whole atmosphere ... there are so many people and it's just like everybody loves track. ... You feel good to be there.''

  St. Lawrence is riding an emotional high. She was thrilled to medal at the state meet and a week later she cleared a personal-best 10-7 at the national meet. Last week, she signed a letter of intent to attend the University of South Florida in Tampa. The school is moving from Conference USA to the Big East next school year. The honor roll student received a partial scholarship, and plans to major in psychology.

  "I went down there in December and loved it,'' she said. "I fell in love with the other kids on the team, the coach and everything about the school.

  "I always wanted to go south. It just seemed better that way for pole vaulting because the weather up here is so terrible.''

  USF coach Greg Thiel has only seen St. Lawrence on videotape, but statistics don't lie.

  "She is a wonderful young lady who we think has some potential in college,'' Thiel said. "We liked her attitude and enthusiasm. ... We want the athlete that wants us as much as we want them. She is going to be a solid little vaulter for us.''

  Standing 5-foot-2, St. Lawrence has done just about all she can with the 12-foot pole she uses, but the transition to a 13-foot pole, which would enable her to make higher vaults, has been difficult.

  "It's a lot different because the poles have different bend stages,'' she said. "When you take off, you have to be a lot taller and jump on it more. It has a completely different bend, so you have to be more patient with it and not rush the jump – that is the tricky part.

  "I know it's going to come.''

 

http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/04/28/losporta.htm

Welcome Lynn to USF!