Craig Curless passed away recently (IL)
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:37 am
http://www.qctimes.com/sports/high-scho ... 03286.html
Panthers honor former coach with dominant victory
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Shannon Heaton | Posted: Saturday, April 11, 2009 5:55 pm | 1 Comment
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Craig Curless might be gone, but United Township pole vaulters Chase Pavelonis and Josh Stice did everything in their power to make sure their assistant coach's legacy lived on Saturday at the Soule Bowl in East Moline, site of the UT Kiwanis Invitational.
Pavelonis and Stice won their flights, defending the pole vault pit where Curless helped coach both of them, but it was his friendly approach to coaching that the pair of UT juniors might remember more than the individual wins and gold medals they bagged.
Curless, the 2006 Western Big Six champion in the pole vault, passed away February 1. There was a moment of silence at Saturday's meet for Curless, who returned as a vaulting assistant for the Panthers after graduating from UT in 2006.
"Craig was just a fun guy to be around. He was always loose, but he still had us practice hard," Pavelonis said. "To remember him, we made shirts with him on them. I taped my pole exactly like the way he taped his. I put his name on it. I was just hoping he'd lift me up today."
As the UT No. 1 vaulter, Pavelonis faces annual pressure at this meet, which also features polevaulting powerhouse Plainfield South in the field. But Pavelonis outdueled South's Andrew Haney on the basis of fewer misses, as both cleared 13 feet, 6 inches in the A flight.
"I'm happy with the wins (at Kiwanis and last week in the Shipley Invitational at Moline). The height, maybe, I'm not so happy with, but I've got a new pole coming in and I'm hoping to podium (top nine) at state," Pavelonis said. "It's just each week, getting better and better and better."
Stice enjoyed his moment in the sun, too, clearing 13 feet - a personal best - to knock off a Plainfield South vaulter in the B flight.
"Coaches are still coaches, but he was more like a friend to us. He coached us, he gave us tips, but he talked to us and treated us like he was still back in high school with us," Stice said of his former coach.
Panthers honor former coach with dominant victory
* Story
* Discussion
Shannon Heaton | Posted: Saturday, April 11, 2009 5:55 pm | 1 Comment
Font Size:
Default font size
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Craig Curless might be gone, but United Township pole vaulters Chase Pavelonis and Josh Stice did everything in their power to make sure their assistant coach's legacy lived on Saturday at the Soule Bowl in East Moline, site of the UT Kiwanis Invitational.
Pavelonis and Stice won their flights, defending the pole vault pit where Curless helped coach both of them, but it was his friendly approach to coaching that the pair of UT juniors might remember more than the individual wins and gold medals they bagged.
Curless, the 2006 Western Big Six champion in the pole vault, passed away February 1. There was a moment of silence at Saturday's meet for Curless, who returned as a vaulting assistant for the Panthers after graduating from UT in 2006.
"Craig was just a fun guy to be around. He was always loose, but he still had us practice hard," Pavelonis said. "To remember him, we made shirts with him on them. I taped my pole exactly like the way he taped his. I put his name on it. I was just hoping he'd lift me up today."
As the UT No. 1 vaulter, Pavelonis faces annual pressure at this meet, which also features polevaulting powerhouse Plainfield South in the field. But Pavelonis outdueled South's Andrew Haney on the basis of fewer misses, as both cleared 13 feet, 6 inches in the A flight.
"I'm happy with the wins (at Kiwanis and last week in the Shipley Invitational at Moline). The height, maybe, I'm not so happy with, but I've got a new pole coming in and I'm hoping to podium (top nine) at state," Pavelonis said. "It's just each week, getting better and better and better."
Stice enjoyed his moment in the sun, too, clearing 13 feet - a personal best - to knock off a Plainfield South vaulter in the B flight.
"Coaches are still coaches, but he was more like a friend to us. He coached us, he gave us tips, but he talked to us and treated us like he was still back in high school with us," Stice said of his former coach.