Holoch clears new heights at UNL

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http://www.yorknewstimes.com/stories/06 ... loch.shtml

Holoch clears new heights at UNL



By Stephen Colwell
Asst. Sports Editor

LINCOLN -- Much respect is due to a man that is afraid of heights and earns his college tuition by pole vaulting. Zac Holoch made big strides this year at the University of Nebraska, pushing his personal best from 15-11 to 16-7.


Photo by Courtney Huff York native Zac Holoch had a very good season as a vaulter at the University of Nebraska. He was able to move his personal best up to 16-7.
Holoch's interest in the sport started when he was in sixth grade.
"My brother was vaulting for the high school and I got to go out and watch him practice. I picked up a pole to try and never looked back. I started competing in the seventh grade," Holoch explained.

His love for the sport grew through high school, where he broke York High School's record. His vault of 15-11 put him in the upper echelon throughout the state. He finished three years in a row as the runner-up in Class B at the state track and field championships, and is still the fifth best vaulter in Nebraska high school history.

Holoch walked on to the UNL team his freshman year and spent his first season as a red-shirt for training purposes. His second season wasn't what he expected, but it was a building block for the future.

"I was dealing with some confidence issues my first two years," Holoch said. "I wasn't jumping very well. Something happened this year and everything clicked. I knew it was going to at some point."

Things did click. After a rocky indoor season, Holoch reached new heights during the outdoor season, solidifying his spot on the vaulting squad.

"I jumped pretty well in my outdoor season. I set a new personal best at 16-7 a couple of times. My indoor season didn't go as well because I was just working on some things, but everything really clicked when we got outdoors."

Holoch was rewarded for his hard work with an invitation to the Big XII Track and Field Championships.

"I jumped pretty well at the Big 12 tournament, it was my first Big 12 team. I got ninth or 10th place, so that was good."

His jump of 16-7 put him in second place on the four man team at UNL, and his plans are only for improvement.

"I'm going to be working on my plant and takeoff this summer. I also want to work towards using a longer pole. Right now I'm on a 15 foot pole and I'd like to be on a 16 foot pole. But that will take better speed and technique," Holoch added.

Much of his summer practice will come at "street vaults." These competitions, where they put a pole vault pit in the middle of a street, happen at city festivals around the state.

Holoch is working towards a degree in economics. He is the son of Greg and Kristie Holoch of York.