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Rockford vaulters still flying high
Sunday, June 05, 2005
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
ROCKFORD -- Christi Kettelhut kept the winning tradition going for the Rockford girls track team Saturday at Rockford High School.

For the third time in the past four years a Ram won the pole vault at the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 track state finals.

Kettelhut follows Bethany Hecksel, who won the state title in 2002, and Stacy Orosz, who was the state champion last year, as Rockford vaulters to win the event. Kettelhut, a junior, won this year's championship with a vault of 11 feet, 1 1/2 inches.

Kettelhut was one of two area state champions at the Division 1 meet. Forest Hills Central senior Katie LaValley won her second state title in the 300 hurdles.

LaValley, who won the event as a sophomore, won this year's championship with a time of 44.22 seconds.

In a rough day for area athletes at the Division 1 meet, only two others earned all-state status with a top-three finish.

In the girls meet, Rockford senior Megan Gregory was third in the long jump with a leap of 17-4 1/4. And in the boys meet, Rockford junior Jeremy Kline was third in the high jump and long jump with leaps of 6-7 and 22-9, respectively.

Kettelhut, who gave up a promising dance career last year to concentrate on the pole vault, saw her sacrifice and hard work pay off Saturday.

"I danced for 13 years, and we were national champions four years in a row for Rockford School of Dance," Kettelhut said.

"The last time I danced was last July in Las Vegas, and it was extremely tough to give that up. I cried when I made the decision, but I gave it up to concentrate on track and the pole vault."

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Another leap year for vaulters Kettelhut, Gager
Thursday, March 23, 2006
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
Kristi Kettelhut returns as the defending Division 1 state champ in the pole vault for the Rockford girls track team and she is hungry for more.

Kettelhut and pole vault coach Kevin Patterson have been working hard on her technique.

"We have been changing a lot of things, and it is starting to come together now," Kettelhut said.

"During last summer Kevin and I wanted to change my form, and now it feels like things are coming together.

Room for improvement

"There are always things you can improve on. There is always something you can perfect in pole vaulting.

"To go even higher there were things that needed to be change."

Kettelhut won the state championship last June with a jump of 11 feet, 2 inches. During the summer, she recorded a leap of 12 feet.

"It would be nice to defend my title," Kettelhut said. "Mostly I just want to improve my height. I went 12 feet during the summer, and my goal is 12-6. It would be nice to go for another state championship, but I really want to improve for myself. The state record is 12-5, so it would be nice to get the state record, too."

To get to that height there are still some improvements to be made.

Kettelhut, and teammate Caitlyn Gager competed at the Michigan Indoor Track Series indoor state meet Saturday at the University of Michigan.

Gager took second with a leap of 11 feet, and Kettelhut was third at the same height.

Used small poles

"They could have done better, but I kept them on small poles because we are working on some technique," Patterson said. "They could have gone higher, but we don't want to peak them now, we want them to peak in May and June."

Patterson was extremely pleased with the way Gager jumped.

"She has been doing gymnastics all winter, so she has jumped once in the last month," Patterson said.

"So to take second is phenomenal."

Patterson thinks both of his leapers are going to have big years.

"I'm expecting big things from both of them this year," Patterson said. "For them to jump this well this early in the year, it is very promising."

Both girls will are planning to compete in college. Kettelhut will attend Grand Valley State University next year, while Gager will be competing at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Ind.

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Teammates are rivals in pole vault
Thursday, June 01, 2006
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
Christi Kettelhut is the defending Division 1 state champion in the pole vault for the Rockford girls track team.

But the senior vaulter really wanted to hold the school record in the event.

She claimed it May 15 when she vaulted 11 feet, 7 inches at the O-K Red Conference meet at East Kentwood High School.

But Kettelhut did not hold the record long, as teammate Caitlyn Gager jumped 11-8 just four days later at the Division 1 regional at Muskegon Reeths-Puffer High School.

It's become a friendly rivalry within the ranks for the Rams, even though Kettelhut doesn't feel that way.

"Caitlyn is one of my best friends, so I don't consider it a rivalry," Kettelhut said. "I don't know what I would call it -- we do push each other, though."

Said Gager: "We are really doing well right now. I think we are peaking right now. Our heights keep getting higher. It keeps getting easier to get to 11 feet right now."

Kettelhut tied Gager for the school record at 11-8 at the John Bos Invitational on May 24 at Houseman Field.

"It wasn't that nice of a day for jumping," Kettelhut said. "I'm just peaking right now. My jumps feel really good and everything is working."

So Kettelhut and Gager share the school record heading into Saturday's state meet at East Kentwood High School.

Both are confident they will do well Saturday, but won't make predictions about how they'll finish.

"We haven't seen anybody on the other side of the state right now," Gager said.

Said Kettelhut: "It would be nice to repeat, but it is more important I do my best. I would hope it would come down to Caitlyn and I -- I would like for us to go 1-2 at state, but there are a couple of girls in the state that have gone 11-1 and 11-4, but I think that was their personal best."

Rockford pole vault coach Kevin Patterson enjoys just watching his two talented vaulters compete.

"They are peaking at the right time," Patterson said. "These are the first two girls from the same team who have gone this high. They are setting the bar for teammates. It has been really fun to watch."