Wapak frosh Chelsea Lucas vaults to new heights (OH)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.wapakdailynews.com/index.php ... &Itemid=33

Wapak frosh vaults to new heights
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Staff Writer
Gymnastics is at the heart of athletics for a Wapakoneta High School freshman who has excelled at track and diving this year.
Chelsea Lucas, the 15-year-old daughter of Kristie and Steve Lucas of Cridersville, began taking gymnastics lessons before she could walk. She's now completed a level that is one step away from the highest level a Junior Olympics gymnast can achieve.
The skills she's developed with gymnastics have led to interests and success in other sports, as well, because of the upper body strength she has built through the years with the sport.
Two years ago, in seventh-grade, the 5-foot tall, petite middle schooler thought pole vaulting sounded like fun. The first year she didn't do so well, but by the second year, her upper body strength propelled her to break the middle school record of 9 feet. "I've seen a lot of girls a lot bigger than me do real good, but there are a lot of girls bigger than me who don't do so good," Lucas said. "It's a hard sport that I think has a lot to do with strength. Size doesn't really matter."
Lucas, who admits she had no idea what she was doing when she began pole vaulting, received a lot of help from her middle school coach Todd Crow and the high school girls varsity coach Mark Cook.
"Basically, it's all about speed," Lucas said. "You've got to approach the pit as fast and hard as you can. It's about being aggressive. You can't have any fear."
The sport can be scary sometimes, she said, talking about a time last year when she broke one of the fiberglass polls at almost 10 feet, but it takes dedication and she had to get right back out there and try again.
For Lucas, whose best height is 9-foot-6, acceleration is still something she would like to work on to improve her skills.
Her current goal is 10 feet, which she's hopes to achieve Friday at the Western Buckeye League meet, but beyond that she's looking to beat the 10-foot-1 high school record set this year by fellow vaulter Hannah Tabler. Lucas said by the time she graduates, she's hoping to get a lot higher.
This year she's had success, winning a few home meets and placing second at several others.
Together Tabler and Lucas have been a dynamite relay team placing first in all but one meet.
In track, Lucas also competes in long jump and the 400-meter relay, but this year was injured so focused mostly on pole vaulting.
In the winter, she competed in diving for the first time, and placed first at the WBL championships, set a new sectional record, and went on to the state competition.
Using strength and skills, Lucas said, she built through gymnastics is the key to her success on the diving board.
"Gymnastics has given me the strength, flexibility and motivation to help me succeed in other sports," Lucas said. "It's taught me to stay with it and not give up. You've got to push yourself."
Being so involved in sports doesn't leave a lot of time for other activities, said Lucas, who also is on the junior varsity cheerleading squad for football.
After school she practices until at least 5 p.m., but usually stays up to an hour later doing a few more run thrus. Her parents have put a pole vaulting pit in there Gymstars USA building in Lima, and Lucas likes to go there and practice as much as she can.
In the gym, Lucas runs through trampoline and bar drills that simulate what she does on the pole so she can work on her technique.
"Pole vaulting is really challenging," Lucas said. "It takes a lot of hard work. It's something not many girls can do. There are very few girl pole vaulters and very few girls who are good pole vaulters because it is so hard.
"If I had to give any advice to someone wanting to pole vault, it would be to not get too frustrated or get down on yourself," she said. "Keep with it. Keep trying. It's a hard sport, but if you keep with it and keep working, you will be successful.
"No matter what sport you do, they take a lot of the same things, hard work and dedication."