WholeHogSports
UA’s Stripling is ready to talk now
Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2008
URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/225781/
FAYETTEVILLE — Probably the worst part of being good at pole vaulting for Katie Stripling is getting interviewed about it.
Stripling is a shy, soft-spoken sophomore for the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks, and she just happens to be one of the best pole vaulters in college. She is the reigning SEC Indoor champion and the odds-on favorite to win the outdoor title this weekend at Auburn.
If Stripling wins the SEC outdoor title, she will become the first Lady Razorback to win pole vaulting conference titles indoors and outdoors.
Her on-track success has brought attention, something Stripling is learning to deal with. Learning to pole vault three years ago was easier for the Jonesboro native.
When she cleared 13 feet, 8 / 4 inches indoors at the Arkansas Invitational in January, Stripling insisted that Phil Pierce, then the women’s track sports information assistant, stand next to her when she was interviewed for the first time in her life.
“She needed that security blanket,” Lady Razorbacks Coach Lance Harter said, laughing at the memory. “Up until this year, I would think it would be a struggle to get an interview out of her. She’s like that with everybody, universally.
“ She didn’t want to be in that position.”
Her vaulting has put her there, repeatedly. Stripling followed her SEC indoor title with a disappointing finish at the national meet, but she has put that poor showing behind her.
At the John McDonnell Invitational in April, Stripling cleared a personal-best 14-2, breaking the school record held by April Steiner, a four-time All-American at Arkansas. The clearance was the best mark in the nation at the time and still ranks second.
That, naturally, has put her in the spotlight again. This time, Stripling flew solo, although her feet bounced a mile a minute with nervous energy.
“Once I get to know people, I talk a lot more,” Stripling said. “I get better. It just takes a little bit. I’ve had to overcome a lot of [shyness ] to be able to be out in front of people more.”
Stripling said she doesn’t get bothered by crowds while she competes, laughing that it’s easier because those people are in the stands and she doesn’t have to talk to them. It also helps Stripling because, as a Lady Razorbacks vaulter, she is one face among many.
She’s having the best year of the vaulters, but Arkansas has perhaps the most depth of talent in the event of any school. Already five Lady Razorbacks have qualified for regionals, and four Lady Razorbacks finished in the top seven at the SEC indoors.
“What makes her such a weapon in the vault is not just her natural gifts, but the cadre of vaulters we have,” Harter said. “She doesn’t have to stand out by herself. She has that opportunity to share the experience and share the spotlight.”
A year ago, the Lady Razorbacks scored 24 points in the pole vault at the outdoor meet when Jodi Unger, Stephanie Irwin and Stripling finished 1-2-3. Indoors, the Lady Razorbacks scored 25 points in the vault.
If the Lady Razorbacks have any chance of upsetting No. 2 LSU this weekend, the pole vault crew will have to turn in another dominating performance.
“They expect a lot of points, and we try to do our best to get as many points as we can,” Stripling said. “It’s kind of a lot of pressure. But it’s fun, too, when you look at it. The pole vaulters are just going to try to get as many points as we can to back the team up. We can potentially win it if we all do what we’re supposed to do.”
Few expected Stripling would develop into the formidable pole vaulter she has become. She didn’t vault until her senior year in high school and then only as a lark.
Arkansas vault coach Bryan Compton was one of those who saw her physical attributes and thought she had the makings of a great vaulter. Stripling was dubious at first but has since come around. Harter said Stripling’s success is a reflection to her competitiveness that is hidden by her personality. “I didn’t expect it this early, I know that,” Stripling said. “People were saying I could, that I had a lot of potential. But I didn’t think I’d prove that much this early.”
“I thought they were crazy the day they told me to come out and pole vault. I told them they were crazy. No, I didn’t see this happening.” Stripling now looks at vaulting as a possible post-collegiate career. To vault on that level, Stripling knows she has to improve her consistency and finetune her rudimentary mechanics. “Every time I get a new [personal best ], I want to continue jumping higher,” Stripling said. “It makes me want to jump and see how high I can go.” SEC Outdoor Championships WHEN Today through Sunday WHERE Hutsell-Rosen Track, Auburn, Ala. DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Men: Tennessee; Women: LSU TOP CONTENDERS Men: No. 3 Florida, No. 4 LSU, No. 8 Auburn, No. 14 Tennessee and No. 15 Arkansas; Women: No. 2 LSU, No. 9 Florida, No. 13 Arkansas and No. 23 Tennessee.