Caitlin Gale Article (NJ)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/apps/pbc ... 006/NEWS01

Gale, Byrd routinely rise above



By GEOFF DODD
Staff Writer
gdodd@thedailyjournal.com
 
Staff illustration/John Elbertson

The beauty of track and field is no matter how good you think you are, there's always room for improvement.

During the 2004-05 winter track season, Vineland High School senior Jamar Byrd and Millville junior Melissa Gale emerged as the area's dominant athletes. Byrd, a sprinter, burned up each and every track he set foot on; Gale continually soared to new heights in the pole vault.

But ask either of The Daily Journal's 2004-05 Winter Track Athletes of the Year if they looked at this season as a success, you'll get the same answer:

Said Gale: "I wanted to get higher, but it was a pretty good season."

Gale hit her current pole vault peak -- 11 feet, 6 inches -- twice this season, once at HIP Athletic in Mount Laurel, and once during her winning performance in the Group IV state meet.

A high school girl who can clear 10 feet in the pole vault is talented. Eleven feet or better is superior. When you consider that she has only been jumping for 14 months, Gale's accomplishments are mind-boggling.

"When I started, I just wanted to hit nine, and maybe 10," Gale said. "I never thought I'd get this high."

Gale seems born for the pole vault. A longtime gymnast, she has the strength -- at one point she was bench pressing 170 pounds -- speed and flexibility.

She became a vaulter largely because her spring track coach, Bill Hoover, mentioned the college possibilities if she could get to 12 feet or higher. Now, she's only 6 inches away, and she has three full track seasons remaining -- two outdoor and one indoor.

To get an idea of how far Gale has come in such a short period of time, consider this: two years ago, Shawnee's Danielle O'Reilly won the outdoor Meet of Champions by clearing 11-6.

Gale has her sights set on a title.

"I want to win a MofC," Gale said. "Whichever one it is, I don't care. Just one."

In a couple months, Byrd and Gale likely will have a chance to prove themselves on the outdoor stage. They've already done so indoors.

The rest of The Daily Journal's Winter Track All-Stars:

Dave Allonardo, Delsea -- A junior pole vaulter, he took seventh at the Meet of Champions with a leap of 12-6. His 13-0 was an area best.