Anthony Curran Article
Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 5:23 pm
http://www.canyon-news.com/artman/publi ... e_2130.php
Guiding Athletes to New Heights
Posted by Christine Ahn on Nov 14, 2004, 13:10
He casually strolls to work wearing sunglasses and flip-flops, sporting a surfer-dude hairstyle and a carefree grin. He is laid-back yet enthusiastic, treating every high school student he meets as his best friend. Meet Anthony Curran, one of the most well-known and well-respected pole vault coaches in the United States.
Coach Curran drives out to Santa Monica High School four days a week to share his expertise with pole vaulters of all ages and abilities. He holds clinics in the evening, coaching mostly local high school vaulters but occasionally throwing 10- or 60-year-olds into the mix. Sixty-year-olds, pole vaulting? "It's one of those sports you get addicted to," explains Curran.
The 45-year-old pole vault guru hasn't been able to stay away from the sport either, as he has been coaching for 21 years. Before that, he was an extremely talented vaulter with a long string of accomplishments: California State Meet champion two years in a row in high school, four-time All-American at UCLA, PAC-10 champion in 1982, three-time Olympic Trials competitor in '80, '84 and '92. He broke the national record in high school by jumping 17 feet, 4 1/2 inches and later went on to achieve a personal best of 18' 8 1/2".
Southern California vaulters flock to Curran to experience his combination of knowledge and enthusiasm. "I'd say my coaching style is very lighthearted but passionate," he says. "I love to see people learn and improve, and I'm very excitable when they do." Indeed, an especially good vault has been known to elicit a celebratory yell or even a dance from Curran.
He works with both novice and elite vaulters, as he also coaches college and professional athletes at UCLA. He guided an impressive four female vaulters to the elusive 15-foot mark, and three of his athletes, Korean Yoo Kim and Canadians Dana Ellis and Stephanie McCann, competed at the Olympic Games last summer.
Despite his elite vaulters' international success, Curran says he gets the most joy out of helping his lesser-known high schoolers develop from tentative beginners to confident athletes. "I love seeing kids progress and increase their self-esteem," he explains, adding that he hopes to help them "enjoy their lives."
Although he is by nature upbeat, Curran can toughen up on vaulters who don't pay attention or put their hearts into the event. "It frustrates me when kids don't have the passion to be as good as they can be," he says.
Aside from coaching, Curran, who no longer competes in the pole vault, keeps busy with his other hobbies-turned-professional pursuits. Dubbed the "Renaissance Man for the new millennium" by vaulters around the country, he has produced eight surfing videos and last year released a CD titled "On My Way Home." He also holds summer surf camps in Hawaii and Carlsbad, Calif.
Guiding Athletes to New Heights
Posted by Christine Ahn on Nov 14, 2004, 13:10
He casually strolls to work wearing sunglasses and flip-flops, sporting a surfer-dude hairstyle and a carefree grin. He is laid-back yet enthusiastic, treating every high school student he meets as his best friend. Meet Anthony Curran, one of the most well-known and well-respected pole vault coaches in the United States.
Coach Curran drives out to Santa Monica High School four days a week to share his expertise with pole vaulters of all ages and abilities. He holds clinics in the evening, coaching mostly local high school vaulters but occasionally throwing 10- or 60-year-olds into the mix. Sixty-year-olds, pole vaulting? "It's one of those sports you get addicted to," explains Curran.
The 45-year-old pole vault guru hasn't been able to stay away from the sport either, as he has been coaching for 21 years. Before that, he was an extremely talented vaulter with a long string of accomplishments: California State Meet champion two years in a row in high school, four-time All-American at UCLA, PAC-10 champion in 1982, three-time Olympic Trials competitor in '80, '84 and '92. He broke the national record in high school by jumping 17 feet, 4 1/2 inches and later went on to achieve a personal best of 18' 8 1/2".
Southern California vaulters flock to Curran to experience his combination of knowledge and enthusiasm. "I'd say my coaching style is very lighthearted but passionate," he says. "I love to see people learn and improve, and I'm very excitable when they do." Indeed, an especially good vault has been known to elicit a celebratory yell or even a dance from Curran.
He works with both novice and elite vaulters, as he also coaches college and professional athletes at UCLA. He guided an impressive four female vaulters to the elusive 15-foot mark, and three of his athletes, Korean Yoo Kim and Canadians Dana Ellis and Stephanie McCann, competed at the Olympic Games last summer.
Despite his elite vaulters' international success, Curran says he gets the most joy out of helping his lesser-known high schoolers develop from tentative beginners to confident athletes. "I love seeing kids progress and increase their self-esteem," he explains, adding that he hopes to help them "enjoy their lives."
Although he is by nature upbeat, Curran can toughen up on vaulters who don't pay attention or put their hearts into the event. "It frustrates me when kids don't have the passion to be as good as they can be," he says.
Aside from coaching, Curran, who no longer competes in the pole vault, keeps busy with his other hobbies-turned-professional pursuits. Dubbed the "Renaissance Man for the new millennium" by vaulters around the country, he has produced eight surfing videos and last year released a CD titled "On My Way Home." He also holds summer surf camps in Hawaii and Carlsbad, Calif.
(I just want to copy edit.) By the way, my editor cut out some info due to space constraints, so if anyone has any questions, I do have more information on Anthony.
Thanks for the reference!