Well, this may be somewhat over the top. But here goes...
Indoor season went great for me, jumped a lot of 16's and finished off with a fourth place finish at NIN and an Indoor State win at NSR. Then outdoor season started and it got off to a not so good start with a bad meet for me down at Texas Relays. I kept going and nothing really felt right, back pain, couldnt plant the pole, so on. I ended up only being able to jump from 10 steps, and jumped decent for most of outdoors, with TONS and TONS of run throughs, something just didnt feel right. After an amazing indoor season for me, the best jump I had gone outdoors was 15'9''. The further the season went on, the more things got out of whack, and the more pain I felt in my back while running and planting the pole. Lead to more run throughs. By the time I got to sectionals, I could not even put a pole up from 6 steps, mental, physical, I dunno, but it was bad. I ended up starting at 12'6'' and making it on my third attempt to barely get through to the regional meet. Regionals I pulled myself together to make qualifying for state at 14'4'' from 10 steps. Then the whole week before state I knew I was gonna have to move back to a longer approach to even stand a chance. So I ended up somehow figuring something out for state, and made it back to a long approach. Warmups at state went really well, I was ready for a big jump. Started at 15 and missed on my first cause I blew through. Second made 15 clean. I passed 15'3'' and came back in at 15'6'', on my first and second attempt I got hit really bad from being under and bailed. On my last attempt I was still under about a foot and a half, but somehow managed to muscle the jump. Things began to not feel so right after that, then my first two attempts at 15'9'' I ran through

, and once again came back for a third attempt make. With two competitors left the bar went to 16, me losing on attempts so far. I made 16 on my first and clenched the state championship in the pole vault.

Then the next week I went to the doctor to get all checked out about all the pain I had been having. I found out that I had broken my back (A bi-lateral pars fracture on L4) The doctor told me that I could continue jumping with pain and probably have to quit in a year, or I could have surgery and be able to jump again. EASY DECISION! I had surgery very promptly after the state meet and have been recovering ever since. Healing is going VERY well and I cant wait to start jumpin again!
Hunter