Tessa Fraser article (CA)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2006/0 ... 060428.txt

On the move
Flame foursome running, vaulting to next level
By Ted Mero
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Last updated: Friday, Apr 28, 2006 - 06:48:33 am PDT
Comments(4)
Four Lodi High track and field athletes will be headed for college competition next season.

For the three track standouts, they credit their success to a dedicated coaching staff and, well, each other. For the pole vaulter, she attributes much of her progress to teammates that have since moved on to the next level.

Alex Goldberg has signed with Long Beach State, Tessa Fraser with UC Davis and Matt Council with UC Santa Barbara, while Jeff Merrill has decided to walk-on to either the University of Michigan or the University of Illinois.

For Fraser, having Greg Wright as her pole vault coach as well as the head coach has been both positive and negative.

"It's good because he always knows what's going on, but at the same time he's busy and stressed out taking care of everything for all the other events and that takes away from his time (with pole vaulting)," Fraser said.

Fraser says the departure of fellow pole vaulters Sam Weaver and Brooke Cranston, who are freshmen on the track and field squads at the University of Hawaii and Fresno State University, respectively, has made her senior season more challenging.

"We really pushed each other and it was good having them around," said Fraser, whose best mark in the pole vault was 11 feet, 9 inches during the section meet last season. "They really helped (my development)."

The senior considered joining Weaver at Hawaii, as well as UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and the University of New Mexico, but decided Davis was the best fit.

"I like the fact that it's close enough to home, but far enough away at same time," Fraser said. "I like the atmosphere and the campus."