Jordan Thull Article (CT)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.courant.com/sports/highschoo ... highschool

Valuable Traits In The Vault
East Lyme Senior Has Combination Of Athleticism, Technique
January 26, 2006
By REID L. WALMARK, Courant Staff Writer

Jordan Thull of Salem, an East Lyme High School senior, is well-versed in the mechanics of the pole vault, where he stands in that mix of skill and technique and what's needed to get him to the next plateau. Thull is aiming to soar past his official and unofficial state and New England indoor records for the balance of the season.

Thull's 16-foot effort Dec. 23 at the Jack Long Invitational in New Haven is ranked seventh in the country this season on DyeStat.com's Elite List.

Any further progress by Thull will emerge from the harmony of technology - a new pole is in the offing - athleticism and skill improvement. And Thull still struggles for the consistency that East Lyme assistant coach Russ VerSteeg says is so elusive in the event.

Coaches say there are more components to pole vault technique than any other field event; more variables to overcome before a pole vaulter can reach his top height.

"Speed puts all the energy into the pole and that causes the pole vault to happen," Thull said Saturday before winning the Yale Interscholastic Track and Field Classic at a height of 14 feet, 6 inches - far off his season's best.

Thull, who will attend Northeastern University, will continue to focus on skill refinement before he and VerSteeg agree it is time to switch to another pole, one better suited for higher vaults. That and developing consistency are his goals before a longer, 16-foot Pacer pole, on order by the school, replaces the 15-6 Pacer purchased by Thull's parents, James and Trudy, for close to $350.

Thull has been up and down. He hit 14-6 in his first meet this season and went two inches higher his next time out, followed by 15-7 in an unsanctioned meet Dec. 13, 16-0 for the unofficial records Dec. 23, then 15-6 for the official state record Jan. 7. At Yale, Thull opened at 14-0 and later cleared 14-6 to win before failing in three tries at 15-43/4. Before his first attempt at Yale, 16 of the 17 other competitors had been eliminated at lower heights.

Thull maintains the better and longer the pole, the easier it is to reach greater heights. But a novice pole-vaulter can't pick up a longer pole and increase height automatically. A pole-vaulter less sophisticated than Thull would be wasting time with such a pole if there isn't sufficient speed for the approach and command of the four other techniques that flow in succession - plant, takeoff, swing and fly-away - and bring athletes to the bar.

"You need the speed of a sprinter, the power of a thrower and the gymnastic ability of a gymnast," said Brenner Abbott, Northeastern's pole vault coach. "It's a partnership of speed and energy. You put energy into the pole and the pole gives energy back to you. Basically, the more efficient you are, the more the pole gives back to you.

"Beyond that, pole vault is the only event that not only are you controlling your body, but you are controlling which pole you use. It's the only event where the athlete is the projectile. You are actually being thrown by the pole."

Doug Lang of the Patriot Pole Vault Club in Westborough, Mass., says there are no official records kept for New England indoor pole vaulting. Only Connecticut and Maine conduct the event officially and there's no pole vault competition in the New England Indoor Championships. Brad Holtz of Barrington, R.I., a freshman at Tennessee, jumped 15-9 at the New Haven Invitational in 2004. Before Thull, that was acknowledged as the highest vault in New England.

Lang conducted loosely structured pole vault competitions last summer - yet sanctioned by USA Track and Field - in which Thull first cleared 15-0 and 15-6.

"I've seen him do some stuff at the top of the pole that most normal human beings can't do," Lang said of Thull, who is 6 feet and 150 pounds. "His gymnastic ability is incredible. His body awareness is off the charts."

Lang and Abbott both say Thull's progress is being aided by VerSteeg's expertise. Each calls VerSteeg among the best coaches in the Northeast. East Lyme also has two of the best girls pole-vaulters in the state, Alix MacDougall and Lauren Bennett.

Jan Johnson, assistant coach at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, Calif., is familiar with Thull from his Skyjumpers Vertical Sports Club camps in Kutztown, Pa., that Thull attended the last two summers. Johnson was bronze medalist in the 1972 Munich Olympics and the former indoor world record holder at 17-7.

"He's clearly the best kid I've ever seen come out of Connecticut," said Johnson, who rates VerSteeg among the best high school coaches in the U.S. "Jordan's a real good athlete. He stands out as a blessed athlete. When I first saw him [in 2004], he was unpolished and fairly new. He's getting better and better."

Thull began pole vaulting as a freshman in 2002-03. He was runner-up in the indoor State Open (13-6) last winter, won the outdoor Class L (13-0) May 31 but was fifth at the State Open (12-6) June 7. But he was in form for the New England championships June 11 in Saco, Maine, and won in a jump-off over then-junior Mark Westover of Concord, N.H., at 14-6.

Westover's twin brother, Andrew, was runner-up at the Yale meet at 14-0.

"You can see he's been practicing a lot since outdoors last year," Andrew Westover said of Thull. "He's like a machine."

The biggest difference in Thull's technique was incorporated over the summer: a twist-and-turn move as he is about to release the pole. It occurs between the swing (when the vaulter has finished the takeoff and is upside down) and the fly-away (when the pole is uncoiling and throwing the vaulter over the top of the bar). VerSteeg says this move, done properly, can add at least a foot in height.

The main benefit of the twist-and-turn is that it allows vaulters to approach the bar facing forward. Without the twist-and-turn, many vaulters swipe the bar with their backside.

Thull is not focused on the glory of setting records, so he is not upset that his 16-0 is not recognized as the state record at this point. Ron Knapp of mysportsresults.com, the unofficial state record keeper, said he has not received documentation from the Jack Long Invitational, which is required before affixing state-record status to any performance.

"I know I did it," said Thull, who is gearing to clear 17 feet this season. "It would be nice if it's the state record. I just look at it as it's an accomplishment for me, for my personal goals. And that's more important than the state record."

[Caseman33]

y doesnt thull come to the armory, id love to jump against him. that way we can both have somebody to jump against.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.courant.com/sports/highschoo ... highschool

Thull Sets Record In Pole Vault
Breaks Own State Mark With 15-7
February 10, 2006
By REID L. WALMARK, Courant Staff Writer

NEW HAVEN -- With a pole used on only five attempts in competition, Jordan Thull of East Lyme broke his own state record in the pole vault Thursday at the CIAC Class L Indoor Track Championships.

Thull cleared 15 feet, then instead of aiming at the meet record of 15-1/4, he asked officials to place the bar at 15-7, one inch above his state record Jan. 7 at the Hartford Public Invitational. Bryan Curley of Branford, who finished second to Thull, had been eliminated after clearing 14-6. As the only athlete left, it was Thull's choice to set the height.

He failed in three attempts at 16-1, an inch over his personal best of 16-0, recognized as the best ever in New England. Thull was close on his last attempt at 16-1.

"I was not aware of the [meet] record," Thull said. "I had a plan coming in and I wanted to stick with that. My next height was going to be 16-6.

"I hit the bar on my arm on the way down. My timing was off. I have to work on my timing with the new pole."

Thull first used the longer pole Thursday in his first try at 15-7, East Lyme assistant coach Russ VerSteeg said. Thull switched to the shorter pole, by six inches, that he had been using this season. He then cleared 15-7, but switched back to the new pole for his three attempts at 16-1.

The new pole arrived in late January and Thull used it once last weekend at the ECC Championships. He has not used it in practice.

"Jordan showed clearly today that on the right day he can do 16-6," VerSteeg said.

Thull said his goal at the State Open Feb. 18 in New Haven will be 16-1.

[Russ]

Rumor has it that JT will be going to the Armory for the Nationals in March.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=179a50 ... f63204f402

Clearing New Heights
Breakthrough Season Sees Thull Shatter State Records

By Owen Poole

Published on 4/11/2006 12:00:00 AM in Sports » All Area Sports


Buy Photo by Dana Jensen
• Jordan Thull broke records wherever he vaulted. Thull set the state mark at 16 feet during the regular season. He then went 15-7 in the Class M meet and 15-3 in the State Open â€â€

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http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbc ... 00327/1006

East Lyme's Thull wants to finish with flourish
Pole vaulter sets bigger goals
By JOE PEREZ
Norwich Bulletin


LEDYARD -- Breaking records and wowing crowds is not something new for East Lyme High School's Jordan Thull. Saturday at the Ledyard relays was no different. Thull, the reigning New England pole vault champion set a personal best for an outdoors vault and won his event.

Thull soared 15 feet to defeat Woodstock's Nathan Barlow.

"I felt pretty good and it was a great day to vault," he said.

You know you are watching someone special when crowds of athletes and parents from other schools gather to watch Thull in action. It is possible no other participant of the relays drew the attention of as many people as Thull.

According to East Lyme coach Alejandro Rivera, Saturday was vintage Thull.

"It's not too often you get to see Jordan put everything together," he said.

Thull used a 15-foot pole Saturday and is building up to use a pole a foot longer. He said the key to his performance was maintaining his speed, something he must continue to do if he wants to move on to use the 16-foot pole.

His day began with the boys 4x100 meter relay, where, along with Colin Scott, Josh Rhodig and Xerxes Baccus, he finished third.

But the bread-and-butter for Thull, a senior, is the pole vault.

"His desire to compete in the relays and the vaulting is amazing," said Rivera. "He wants to be the best."

The senior, who set the state indoor pole vault record at 16 feet, is only getting started.

He has already committed to attending Northeastern University in the fall, where he has received a full scholarship and will study criminal justice.

But before he can look towards his collegiate career, he has quite a full plate ahead of him. Rivera's task is hard. He needs to keep Thull fresh for the whole season. The twist is preparing his star athlete for regional, state, national and possibly other competitions that carry on throughout the summer while minimizing the physical toll.

"It's totally different seasons," said Rivera, who is trying to get Thull as much rest early in the season as possible.

"It takes a toll, especially on his back," Rivera added.

For those trying to unseat Thull, he offered the secret of his success.

"I do a lot of speed training and a lot of lifting," he said.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbc ... 006/SPORTS

Thull is tops in New England
Norwich Bulletin


NEW BRITAIN --One week after setting a State Open record, East Lyme High School senior Jordan Thull set a state and meet record by eclipsing the 16-foot mark in the pole vault in winning at the New England Championships Saturday at Willow Brook Park.

Thull's mark of 16-feet, 1 inch was 13 inches more than the second-place finisher Saturday. He became the first athlete in state history to hit this milestone.