Alex Bentley training for professional pole vault success

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Tomball native, UH alumnus Bentley training for professional pole vault success

UH Sports Information
Tomball native, UH alumnus Bentley training for professional pole vault success
Tomball High School and University of Houston graduate Alex Bentley won his third Conference USA pole vault championship and qualified for his first NCAA Outdoor Championships as a senior. He his currently training for the USA Indoor Championships.

Posted: Thursday, November 17, 2011 4:00 am | Updated: 3:46 pm, Wed Nov 16, 2011.
By Jack Marrion | 0 comments
Tomball native Alex Bentley was at a crossroads as an athlete entering his senior season at the University of Houston.
A promising college career had not progressed past the NCAA regional level while a broken ankle hampered his junior season and ultimately sidelined him as a medical redshirt in 2010.
When he returned to action for the 2011 indoor and outdoor seasons Bentley was driven to make the most of his final year, surrounded by personal and external expectations.
“You have your coach and everybody on your side, but at the same time you’re still that guy who’s still here in his fifth year,” Bentley said. “All the guys you came in with are gone. But once you get past all that you’re really just competing for yourself in track and field. I wanted to prove I could go to nationals. I always had that over my head, that I was brought in to go to nationals and hadn’t gone yet.”
Bentley’s senior season altered the trajectory of his career in pole vaulting. An outstanding year, complete with his first national qualification, not only fulfilled but renewed potential. The Tomball High School and University of Houston graduate is now an Olympic hopeful.
Little more than a month after competing in the NCAA Championships, Bentley signed with Team Elite Athletics, an organization whose roster includes United States pole vault record holder Brad Walker (6.04 meters/19 feet, 9.75 inches) and Olympic Trials finalist Melinda Owen.
Bentley, who turns 24 in January, is a full-time pole vaulter, training twice per day when not meeting with sponsors or flying to the Olympic training facility in San Diego to meet with Team Elite coach Ty Sevin. A two-time All-American in the javelin at Texas A&M, Sevin was also an assistant coach with the Aggies before eventually gaining a position directing pole vaulters and throwers at the Olympic training center.
“He said ‘I’ll write your workouts,’” Bentley said. “It was amazing to hear considering he’s one of the best in the nation, if not the world, when it comes to training regiments. My workout right now, is set up in four-week increments all the way up to the U.S. Indoor (Championships), which is at the end of February. It’s very structured.”
Sevin and Bentley have been acquainted since his freshman year at THS. The two met again prior to the 2011 outdoor season, with positive results.
“He came out this past season to visit my parents and hang out and see how I was doing,” Bentley said. “He was concerned because I hadn’t been improving quite as much as he thought. I could go through an injury and a few other things. He felt there was a missing link.”
Sevin watched Bentley compete at one meet and offered a few tips and corrections. The following meet for UH was the Shirley Crow Invitational, April 3 in Humble. Bentley cleared a personal record of 5.25 meters, roughly 17-2.75 in feet, at his first meet of the outdoor season.
That performance started a string of medalist finishes for Bentley, who was third at the Penn Relays, won his flight at the Texas Relays and set his current personal record of 17-3 (5.26), April 23 at the LSU Alumni Gold event. He followed with his third Conference USA championship, the first two coming during his freshman year.
After deciding to make the leap from NCAA athlete to Team Elite, Bentley said he was encouraged by Sevin’s analysis of his progress.
“When I went to San Diego a few weeks ago Ty did some assessments with me,” Bentley said. “He tested my speed, strength, tested what kind of athlete I am. He really came to the realization that what I need to do right now is learn to pole vault a little better. With my speed I should be able to jump 18-2 right now. That’s phenomenal to hear from the Olympic trainer.”
Bentley has gratefully received assistance and support from several individuals and groups as he makes his career transition. He works regularly with Rice University pole vault coach David Butler and does weight training at Tomball Sports Medicine Center.
Tomball remains his hometown. Six years after winning the UIL Class 5A state championship at THS with coach Macon Hughes, the 2006 graduate is back on school grounds working out on the track and training facility. Bentley said he received permission from his former football coach, THS Principal Greg Quinn, and athletic trainer Gordon Graham.
During his down time Bentley provides private instruction to a local family of pole vaulters. Tomball has also been instrumental in helping him develop a sponsorship base, with assistance from Tomball Chamber of Commerce President Bruce Hillegeist.
“It’s a phenomenal town,” Bentley said. “It’s good to see you can come back to your roots and really settle in and be accepted with what you’re doing. The Olympic trails is something not a lot of people have the ability to get to. It’s really cool to see how lively people get when you meet with them. They really look to help and go out of their way for you.”
Bentley estimated he needed to raise more than $30,000 for one year of living, training, travel and coaching expenses. He continues to meet with sponsors, traveling to Louisiana on occasion, to help with the expected costs of his 2012 competition schedule. Among other opportunities, Bentley and Team Elite offer sponsorship levels ranging from $75 to $1,000.
“I’m an emerging elite,” Bentley said. “It’s that in-between where I’m out of college, I’m a professional athlete but I’m not picked up by Nike or anybody like that because I haven’t been on a major USA team or anything like that.”
The UH graduate looks to make his next mark during the indoor season. After a meet hosted by his alma mater Bentley heads to the National Pole Vault Summit, Jan. 20-21 in Reno, Nev.
“It’s the biggest venue in the nation for the event,” Bentley said. “You’ll have thousands of pole vaulters in Reno at different levels. I’ve been going to it for years. That’s one of the first things that got me pumped for pole vaulting.”
Meets in New Mexico, Nebraska and Houston are in his plans before his first major test, the USA Indoor Championships Feb. 23-26 in Albuquerque.
If he needs inspiration for reaching the next level in his sport, his day at the 2011 NCAA West Regional offers such. Battling rain, wind and cool temperatures in Eugene, Ore., Bentley needed to clear a few more heights to accomplish his career-long goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
Having failed on his first attempt at 17-0.75 feet (5.2 meters), he had two more shots to become one of the elite 12 to advance to Drake University. A long day of delays and restarts and challenging conditions came down to one height. To Bentley, his successful attempt still has a dream-like feel.
“When I landed, it was like doing a back flop in the pool,” Bentley said. “The pit was that wet. The water comes flying up and drops on top of me. Water’s pouring in my eyes, I’m looking up at a dark, gray sky and all I can see is this neon crossbar that’s still up there. All I think is – nationals. It was very emotional for me to show that I wasn’t done, I wasn’t washed out. It helped set me up to where I am right now.”
Though Achilles trouble contributed to a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, Bentley had already found his springboard into his post-collegiate career. His next memorable vault might propel him to another elite group.