Sarah Savage article (CA)
Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 12:49 pm
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/hs/stor ... 8800c.html
Buchanan, Clovis net titles
Savage's pole vault effort highlights girls' victory while Cougars best among boys.
By Maggie Thach / Special to The Bee
(Updated Friday, May 5, 2006, 4:35 AM)
Sarah Savage feels rushed at every track and field meet. As she gets into position to take her next attempt in the pole vault, Savage says a prayer.
Nothing too fancy, though. She just says enough to unrattle her nerves.
"It's quick. I say, 'Please God, I know this isn't the time but just let it be. Thanks, amen,'" said Savage, who also took first for Buchanan in the long jump in the Tri-River Athletic Conference meet at Buchanan High on Thursday. "People are always saying, 'only 30 seconds left.' I always take a long time."
With the other events over, and her teammates and coaches watching, Savage, a junior, attempted a vault of 11 feet, 6 inches and cleared it to break Clovis' Andrea Greenman's mark of 11-5 for the best mark in the Central Section.
"Coach [Brian Weaver] doesn't want anybody to leave until all the events are over," said Nick Paramo, Savage's pole vault coach. "All the attention was on her but I don't think that gets to her at all. As I coach, all I was doing was looking at the bar and thinking 'stay, stay.'"
But Savage did feel the pressure.
"It was nerve-racking," she said. "I felt the eyes boring into me but I felt this was going to be it.
"I've been trying for this record for a couple of meets and I've been really close so I knew I had to get it this time."
Savage's first place in the pole vault and long jump helped Buchanan to the girls' title, with a 99-point gap between the Bears (200) and Clovis. The Cougars took the boys' title with 164 points.
Buchanan, Clovis net titles
Savage's pole vault effort highlights girls' victory while Cougars best among boys.
By Maggie Thach / Special to The Bee
(Updated Friday, May 5, 2006, 4:35 AM)
Sarah Savage feels rushed at every track and field meet. As she gets into position to take her next attempt in the pole vault, Savage says a prayer.
Nothing too fancy, though. She just says enough to unrattle her nerves.
"It's quick. I say, 'Please God, I know this isn't the time but just let it be. Thanks, amen,'" said Savage, who also took first for Buchanan in the long jump in the Tri-River Athletic Conference meet at Buchanan High on Thursday. "People are always saying, 'only 30 seconds left.' I always take a long time."
With the other events over, and her teammates and coaches watching, Savage, a junior, attempted a vault of 11 feet, 6 inches and cleared it to break Clovis' Andrea Greenman's mark of 11-5 for the best mark in the Central Section.
"Coach [Brian Weaver] doesn't want anybody to leave until all the events are over," said Nick Paramo, Savage's pole vault coach. "All the attention was on her but I don't think that gets to her at all. As I coach, all I was doing was looking at the bar and thinking 'stay, stay.'"
But Savage did feel the pressure.
"It was nerve-racking," she said. "I felt the eyes boring into me but I felt this was going to be it.
"I've been trying for this record for a couple of meets and I've been really close so I knew I had to get it this time."
Savage's first place in the pole vault and long jump helped Buchanan to the girls' title, with a 99-point gap between the Bears (200) and Clovis. The Cougars took the boys' title with 164 points.