Here's an article on him this morning. Awesome talent!! He should really be able to continue his progress at Air Force. Bubba
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_12323023Sky's the limit for prep vaulter
By The Denver Post
Posted: 05/08/2009 12:30:00 AM MDT
Updated: 05/08/2009 02:15:31 AM MDT
(Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)AURORA — Thank nicer weather for Chase Cooper, right, narrowing the gap between his best and Colorado's prep pole vault mark.
The Smoky Hill senior, last in his family's long line of male pole vaulters, cleared 17 feet, 4 3/4 inches Thursday at the Centennial League meet at Legacy Stadium. That is better than the 17-3 state-meet mark set in 1986 by Aurora Central's Pat Manson, who cleared 17-7 1/2 in a league meet leading up to it, then 18-0 a month later.
Cooper, headed to the Air Force Academy, is the defending Class 5A champion who, like every other in-state competitor, longed for warm conditions, not the dominant cold and gloom of this spring.
"Pretty exciting, I just had to have nice weather," said Cooper, who cleared the bar cleanly, then fell to fatigue at 17-8 1/4. Cooper's grandfather, Don, was a world-class pole vaulter; his father, Mark, has been the coach at Smoky Hill since 1975 and starred in high school; and his brother Kirk is a two-time 5A champion.
Guess who wants to better the family tradition next week at the Colorado meet.
"Definitely," Chase said.
Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
