Terrell Grizzle article (IN)

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http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... 7/SPORTS02

Pole vault is now wrestler's passion
What began as a way to stay in shape in offseason now is priority for athlete

By Derrek Mallory
Star correspondent
Wrestlers often use track and field and other sports to maintain their weight and stay in shape during the offseason.

He's taken off: Ben Davis' Terrell Grizzle started improving last year (above, in regional meet) during his second year of pole vaulting. This year, he's set a personal best of 14-9 and is aiming for 16 feet. - DOUG McSCHOOLER / For The Star

When Ben Davis wrestler Terrell Grizzle decided to compete in track, he not only stayed in shape, he discovered he had the potential to become a pretty good pole vaulter.
"When he finished wrestling his sophomore season, he told me that he just wanted to be a part of the team but didn't know much about track," said Ben Davis track and field coach Mike Davidson.
"We had him run the 800 meters in his first practice, but he didn't think that he was an 800 runner. He tried sprinting next, but that didn't work out, either, so he thought about the pole vault. It took him a while to pick it up, and he wasn't exactly the typical pole vaulter physically."
During his junior season, Grizzle improved.
"He came out and took off," Davidson said. "He vaulted 13-6 and just missed qualifying for the state meet. When the season ended, he worked all summer long. We would find him at the pole vault pit all the time. He was really enthusiastic about it."
Grizzle finished his senior wrestling season with a 36-6 record and qualified for the state individual finals. He has shown no letdown moving over to track
During the indoor season, Grizzle finished second in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference Championships with a 13-foot vault and fifth in the Indiana Relays, where he tied his personal best of 13-6. He set another personal best in the Giants' April 12 win over No. 1 Warren Central with a vault of 14-9.
For Grizzle, the pole vault has taken priority over wrestling, and he sees a future in it.
"I just wanted to stay in shape in the offseason, but it has grown into a passion," he said. "It's been my favorite thing to do. I've been wrestling since the sixth grade, but I've only been pole vaulting for two years. If I can have this much success this quick, then I've got a future in the event.
"It seemed natural, and after the first week, I cleared 8 feet and have kept going from there. My goal is 16 feet, which would put me among the top vaulters in the state."
Ben Davis has built a tradition in the pole vault under Davidson, with three athletes topping 15 feet in the school's history. Ray Scotten, a 2002 graduate, holds the school record at 16-10, and Grizzle is fifth on the all-time list.
Although Ben Davis never had a full-time pole vault coach in the past, the Giants have produced quality vaulters. With the hiring of Andy Aspaas as a full-time pole vaulting coach for the girls and boys teams, Grizzle has excelled and continued the tradition.
"We're very fortunate to have a full-time coach," Davidson said. "It's made a huge difference."
Davidson said Grizzle's dedication has picked up where it left off last year.
"The day after the state wrestling finals, he was ready," he said. "He cleared 13-6, which tied his personal best, then he got a new pole at the Indiana Relays and almost cleared 14 feet. His confidence and the new pole, which is 6 inches longer, helped him clear 14-9 against Warren Central.
Grizzle says that he will continue to move up in poles to soar higher.
"I cleared 14-9 with a 14-foot pole. I weigh 150 pounds, and I'm using a pole rated for someone who weighs 170. That's what you do. You keep moving up, and now, in order to go higher, I need to add more length."