12 y/o pole vaulter flying high (Canada)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://winnipegsun.com/Sports/OtherSpor ... 6-sun.html

Young pole vaulter flying high
Multi-sport athlete turning heads

By DANIEL FALLOON, FOR SUN MEDIA

Even when you consider that kids spend a lot of time swinging from monkey bars and leaping off of platforms, Connor Zubrecki has spent a lot of time in the air for someone his age.

Actually, judging by his results in the pole vault, the 12-year old has spent more time in the sky than many older than him.

While he hasn't leapt over the sport's giants yet, Connor has held his own against competitors four to five years older.

Connor's father, Doug, remembers a recent competition where some of the older athletes were looking on.

"They were saying 'Do you know he's only 12?,'" said Doug.



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Not only is Connor young, but lacking experience, as this is his first season in track and field. However, some of the necessary skills have been honed for awhile.

Connor used to participate in artistic gymnastics such as the parallel bars, rings and horizontal bar. He was on the provincial men's team, and was a member of the Flairs up until last season.

"Gymnastics helped with the flips and to lift," said Connor.

When he finished with gymnastics, he took up pole vaulting as a complement to another sport.

"I didn't really like gymnastics any more, and I wanted to do something else," said Connor.

Doug suggested Connor go into athletics to develop his skills for football, as Connor is a running back for the Fort Garry Lions.

While Connor's specialty is in the pole vault, he also competes in the shotput. He said his coach's philosophy is he should train in the other disciplines of track and field, including the 60m, hurdles, long jump, high jump and javelin.

Connor says practices are run in such a way the drills build up in difficulty through the session.

"We do running to get warmed up, then a close-in jump with no bar," said Connor. "Then we put in the approach, but with no bar, just a bungee."

Though Connor has spent a lot of time off the ground, he aims to have a lot more experience in the air soon. Not just in the sport, but flying to meets all over the world.

He's trying out for the team Manitoba will send to the Hershey Games in Hershey, Pa., July 31 - Aug. 3.

[LHSVaulterJJR]

thaatttssss greaat???? so what hieght is he jumping? lol honestly just because hes jumping with high schoolers doesnt mean he clears any more than 7 ft////////// im just wondering?