Cameron Sovick Article (VA)

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Add Sovick to Atlee's list of vaulters

BY FRED JETER
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Jan 13, 2006

In the art of pole vaulting, it's Atlee High vs. the Capital District . . . perhaps even the whole Central Region.


Raiders don't have to join the Air Force to be a force in the air.

At least on the boys side, Atlee goes three or four deep in an event where many schools struggle to enlist even one capable vaulter.

Junior Cameron Sovick, who has sailed as high as 13-6, ranks third in an Atlee pecking order that features seniors Justin Varner and Jordan Cole.

"I feel we have one of the best programs on the East Coast," Sovick said. "I've found a whole new level I felt I'd never achieve."

About 15 Raiders have earned their wings under Kyle Bishop, who prefers to train the vaulters at his home-made facility off Studley Road.

"Yea, I've got a runway and landing pit in my backyard," he said with a bit of a laugh.

So how does the neighborhood react to this unusual activity?

"It helps that my next-door neighbor [Lee Withers] is an assistant [track] coach," Bishop said. "He understands. Some others stop by to look . . . kind of entertaining."

Sovick says this of the residential training site: "We get the music going, and it's fun with no pressure . . . a lot of laughs."

Varner and Cole are the most celebrated of the Raiders. The 5-10, 155-pound Sovick is starting to crowd their air space, however.

"Cam is hot on their heels," Bishop said. "He'd be a No. 1 vaulter almost anywhere else."

Sovick says his inspiration comes from watching Varner and Cole and "by just walking by our records board each day."

The Atlee records of 14-9 indoors and 15-0 outside both are held by Val Osipenko.

"That's what I'm shooting for," said Sovick, who gave up soccer to concentrate on the vault.

As a freshman, Sovick's best jumps were 8-6 indoors and 10-0 outdoors. Last, year, he went 10-6 and 11-6.

This season, he's taken off literally.

"I've gotten a lot faster and stronger," he said. "I went to a vaulting camp in [Kutztown] Pennsylvania along with Jordan and Justin and learned a lot there."

Playing third fiddle has its downside for Sovick. Many of the weekend invitational meets allow only two vaulters per school.

So Sovick has to make hay while he can. He sailed a personal best 13-6 at the Cormack Invitational at Virginia Military Institute.

He also cleared 13-0 at Fork Union and at the Ashe Center in the Dragon Relays.

Sovick missed the Christopher Newport meet last week where Varner and Cole were second and fourth, respectively.

Also at CNU, Atlee girls Emma Dejarnette and Hannah Gormanlove were third and fourth.

There will be no limit on Raiders vaulters at the Capital District meet Feb. 17-18 at the Ashe Center or at the Central Region meet Feb. 24-25 at the same location.

Those meets figure to feature plenty of competition among teammates.

"We all benefit," Sovick said. "They push me as much as I push them. We make each other go higher."