Brad Gebauer Article

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.michigansthumb.com/site/news ... =461&rfi=9

PAUL P. ADAMS, The Huron Daily Tribune
12/24/2004


EAST LANSING - When Brad Gebauer was pole vaulting in high school, he wanted to be the best in the state of Michigan.

He accomplished that with three state titles at Bad Axe.


Now that Gebauer has taken his skills to the next level at Michigan State, his goals haven't changed.

He still wants to be the best - not only at MSU or in the Big Ten - he's already accomplished both of those.

As Gebauer prepares for the indoor and outdoor seasons, his goals have switched to possibly being the best in the country.

"I'm hoping to carry the momentum of last season, and go even higher this year," said Gebauer.

"I want to repeat as Big Ten champ and place well enough at the NCAA meet to become an All-American.

"I've always been driven by goals, and that hasn't changed during my time at Michigan State."

During the Big Ten Outdoor Championship in May, Gebauer accomplished the first of his many goals as a collegiate competitor with his vault of 17-3/4 to capture the Big Ten title in only his sophomore season.

Since then, he's been consistently vaulting near 17 feet, but this year he's looking for more.

"I want to go over 18 feet this year, and do it consistently," Gebauer said. "I know I can get there.

"Once I reach a new personal best, it seems like I can reach that mark more consistently. In pole vaulting, being consistent with your vaults may be one of the most important aspects of the sport."

As the indoor season quickly approaches, Gebauer said he's excited about working with a new coach at MSU named Ty Sevin, whose resume is very impressive.

Sevin worked with pole vaulters as a volunteer coach at Texas A&M from 1999-2001 and 2004.

During his tenure at Texas A&M, Sevin coached several vaulters to Big 12 Championships, including 2001 when three of his male vaulters qualified for the NCAA Championships - all of whom went for personal bests by clearing 18 feet.

"He has a great track record, and I couldn't be more excited to get a chance to work with coach Sevin," Gebauer said.

"He knows what it takes to get the most out of his vaulters."

Last year, Gebauer admits that he may have crept up on some people in the Big Ten by capturing the championship.

He knows this year that will be a different story, but welcomes the challenge and responsibility of being the guy everyone is gunning for.

"I'm such a competitive person, I've always wanted to be the best at whatever I did," Gebauer said. "I want to be the guy everyone is chasing after, that just drives me even more.

"I guess I like the pressure for some reason."

During his freshman season, Gebauer suffered a leg injury during the indoor season. It was an injury that served to drive him even more after he returned.

"I've never suffered a major injury before, so it was hard just to sit there and do nothing," he said.

"When I had to sit out, I couldn't stand it."

The injury earned Gebauer a medical redshirt which means he still has 2 1/2 years of competition left.

Although attending MSU has given him the opportunity to take his vaulting to the next level, Gebauer said there's no place he'd rather be during his down time than back home in Bad Axe.

"I love this town - and this place," he said.

"A lot of my teammates wonder why I come back here all the time. I tell them, “This is who I am.â€Â

[bjvando]

i agree with that article- while attending my one year at Mich. State, Brad became a very good friend of mine. If he continues to work hard and stay healthy this guy has HUGE potential.....

can't wait to beat him at reno though!

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=35306

Gebauer leaping to new heights with pole vault


By ANGELA BIANCHI

The State News



Gebauer

Years ago, he was a small-town kid begging his dad to let him pole vault like his older brother.
Now, senior Brad Gebauer has taken his family's tradition of pole vaulting to new heights after placing fourth in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 10, earning All-America honors with his 17-foot, 10.5-inch jump.

Gebauer, seeded fifth for the meet, said he was pleased with the fourth-place finish among the nation's top 16 pole vaulters.

"My goal was to become All-American and place fifth or better," he said. "I knew I could be right up there with those guys."

Gebauer automatically qualified for the championship meet after jumping 18 feet, 0.5 inches at the Big Ten Championships on Feb. 25.

"Jumping over 18 was special," Gebauer said. "It really sets you apart from other athletes. I was one of five in the country this year to jump that high."

He said jumping so well was especially meaningful because he reinjured his hamstring earlier in the season, forcing him to sit out for three weeks.

"I'm not good at sitting out knowing that I should be out there," Gebauer said. "So it was even better that I was able to jump that well after sitting out for so long."

Hard work, dedication and maybe even genes have helped Gebauer develop his pole vaulting skills, he said. His dad pole vaulted in high school and then taught his older brother, who later became a state champion.

There's not much pressure to perform well from his dad, he said, but he feels that sometimes his dad and brother live vicariously through him.

"Sometimes they want me to succeed more than I do," Gebauer said. "However, I'm very driven by my own goals. I don't need outside influences. But it's nice having them into it â€â€

[rainbowgirl28]

http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-tr ... 06aac.html

Brad Gebauer: Flying High

All-American pole vaulter has won Big Ten indoor and outdoor titles this season.


June 6, 2006

A Field of Dreams for pole vaulters awaits in the backyard of Michigan State junior Brad Gebauer's home in Bad Axe, Michigan. Complete with a cement runway, pole box, padded landing pit and first-class standards and bars, the All-American pole vaulter got his start in the unique sport at an early age. In sixth grade, Gebauer followed in the footsteps of his family and first tried the sport, spawning an illustrious career that has seen him win four Big Ten titles, two indoor and two outdoor, and one regional championship. This week, Gebauer heads to Sacramento, Calif., for the NCAA Track and Field Championships. The qualifying round begins Wednesday, June 7 and the finals are scheduled for Friday, June 9.

At first, Gebauer was simply emulating his high school brother, Aaron, who was regularly practicing at home. Aaron was a positive role model for Brad, as the older sibling went on to vault at Central Michigan and win the indoor MAC title in 2001. Brad's own talents came to light in middle school, as he cleared 12-3 in seventh grade and 14-0 in eighth grade, both exceptional heights for that age. He continued to blossom in high school under the direction of his father, Ron, who himself was a pole vaulter in high school.

Ron was the creative force behind the homemade pit. After a local high school dropped its program, Ron snatched up the unwanted equipment and set everything up in his backyard.

"It was great - we had everything," said Brad. "Bungees, bars, poles, standards, you name it. It was in excellent condition, better than most high schools, and we had plenty of room out there."

Ron runs several pole vaulting camps, and even has his own club that has open pits every Sunday. In this atmosphere, Brad was destined to succeed. He gained the attention of numerous high-profile coaches after attending camps during his high school years, attracting offers from UCLA, Texas A&M and Kansas. But with his family such a vital part of his life, Brad decided to stay close to home and attend Michigan State.





"I've always been driven to succeed," Brad said. "When I was in the top 10 in the country in high school, I know I could succeed anywhere."

After honing his skills as a freshman and redshirting his sophomore indoor season, Gebauer has competed in four Big Ten Championships - and has won all four. He first won the 2004 outdoor title, then followed with an indoor title in 2005. He redshirted last spring with a hamstring injury before storming back onto the scene this year with an indoor and outdoor title. His leap of 18-0 1/2 at the Big Ten indoors in February set an Iowa Fieldhouse record and was the second highest jump in school history. Brad earned All-America honors for the first time in his career by placing fourth at the 2006 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Of all his accomplishments, perhaps the most gratifying arrived this past May in East Lansing as he fought off a nagging hamstring injury in a steady, cold rain to win his fourth Big Ten pole vault crown.


Gebauer vaults his way toward a 2006 Big Ten outdoor title




"This year's Big Ten Outdoor Championships was by far the hardest meet mentally of my career," said Gebauer. "My hamstring was sore, but I knew I just had to push it. My body and mind wouldn't allow me to lose. I just couldn't stop after knowing all of the hard work I had put in over the years."

Gebauer accepted his first-place medal with a stoic glance, as if he had been there before. He of course has. But inside, he was glowing.

"I was ecstatic," he said. "I'm by nature a very humble person. I've learned you get more respect that way. Knowing everything I had gone through, it was an incredible feeling."

It's scary to think of Gebauer's prospects with a healthy hamstring after his banner year in 2006. But Gebauer takes it all in with a broad perspective.

"My hamstring has not been 100 percent all season," he said. "It's more of mind over matter. Being hurt is part of athletics, and other athletes are dealing with the same thing. I believe the biggest challenge to pole vault is the mental aspect. When you are up over the ground, 18 feet in the air with a pole, stuff can go wrong. Once you get past that barrier, you can start focusing on technique. Every meet could be your last. You can never look past the bar you're at."

Brad had two weeks of rest before the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, and he showed what he can do with a healthy hamstring. Gebauer captured the regional championship with a leap of 17-5, besting his nearest competitor by four inches. Now, he is ready for the biggest meet of the season.

"The regional meet gave me increased confidence," Gebauer said. "I was clearing the bars by the most I have all season. My hamstring is feeling better, and I was getting in some longer runs at the regional. My goal is a top-three finish at nationals. I feel like I can be a sleeper in the competition."