By Chris Hagan
Review Staff Writer
Colleen Campbell has great springs.
What does that mean?
It means the Lake Orion sophomore has some serious power in her legs and the numbers are starting to show that she’ll be a top state contender in the pole vault this year.
At the Michigan Indoor Track Series (MITS) state meet held at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids on February 27, Campbell cleared the cross bar at 11-feet-3 inches, earning her the best jump in the state for a sophomore girl and seventh place overall. Her accomplishments are impressive on so many different levels. Campbell earned an All-State title before the spring track season has even started.
The current Lake Orion record for girl’s pole vaulting is 10-foot 3-inches set by Madeline Martindale in 2013. Even more impressive, Campbell was only clearing the 10-foot mark just 10 days prior. Campbell’s rapid improvement in the sport of pole vault is making her a top contender in the 2016 track season and head coach Adam Russell believes she’s hasn’t peaked yet.
‘She kind of fell into it and sky rocketed right to the top of the rankings particularly in her age bracket,? he said. ‘She’s been kind of slow to acknowledge how good she is and I’ve been encouraging her and telling her parents that this is not a fluke. That this kid is as real a deal as you can get.?
In Russell’s 11 years of coaching he can count on one hand the number of athletes he’s witnessed that have made an impression on him like Campbell.
Campbell never tried pole vaulting or track and field events in middle school but what made her such a natural at the sport was being a gymnast. Russell explains that gymnasts are natural pole vaulters and long jumpers given their experience and muscle training.
Martindale, who holds Lake Orion record for pole vaulting, told Russell about Campbell and as a freshman she began making great strides. She qualified for the MHSSA outdoor state meet as a freshman and was the Oakland County freshman pole vault champion with a vault of nine feet in 2015. With no prior experience she also qualified in the high jump, clearing five feet in the indoor season.
Though school records can only be broken during the MHSAA spring outdoor season, Russell expects a solid performance from Campbell when the season starts March 14.
‘She’s focused and just about the most game-day athlete as I have ever seen,? he said. ‘She’s a natural born leaper. She has great springs.?