logo
Write this down: Guerin Catholic sophomore Amelia Smith is a state contender in pole vault

Write this down: Guerin Catholic sophomore Amelia Smith is a state contender in pole vault

Be confident. Control the controllables. Choose to make changes.
These words, repeated in Amelia Smith's head at different points during her competition in every track meet, are written in her journal entry for March 29. That day, the Guerin Catholic sophomore won the state indoor meet with a pole vault of 13 feet, 3 inches.
That jump is marked in her journal, too, with this feedback to herself: 'Whoa keep it.'
Journaling takes on a different context for Smith, who meticulously keeps notes at all of her meets, jotting down thoughts to herself to review later – and during – her competition.
'When she turns in her journal to the coaches, she always gets an 'A' or 'A-plus,'' Guerin Catholic pole vault and high jump coach Kevin Horrigan joked.
Putting pen to paper works for Smith. Her pole vault at the Hoosier State Relays on that day in March is the sixth-best performance – indoor or outdoor – in Indiana girls' high school history. Smith's mark of 12-6 at last week's sectional meet at Hamilton Southeastern is the second-best during the outdoor season behind only Franklin junior Addison Martin's 13-0 mark in the sectional meet last week.
If you flip through the pages of Smith's pole vault journal, you will find her entries are not limited to meets. She records every practice attempt, too. Some portions read as motivation to herself, while others note the details: bar height, pole size, where her steps are, her grip on the pole. Then, of course, whether or not the attempt is successful.
'It helps me stay consistent during the meets,' Smith said. '(During the sectional meet) I moved back to get a different run. I went from eight steps to 10 steps in the middle of the meet. I was just kind of able to look at stuff from the past and say, 'My steps are usually here.''
Smith, a competitive gymnast until she was 13, takes the journal home after meets to review. She got the idea from a former pole vaulter she follows on Instagram, Shawn Francis. Francis, now a pole vault coach, wrote a book called 'The Pole Vault Toolbox.' Part of his philosophy for pole vaulters, especially those just starting out, is to write down the details of every attempt.
'I got a journal last year and started writing stuff down,' Smith said. 'It helps especially at the end of the season when we start to go back to basics to remember what pole I was on and where my steps were at and everything.'
Writing everything down helps Smith 'control the controllables.' While her goal is to reach the qualifying standard for the USA Track and Field U20 outdoor championships (13-7 ¼), there are some days when the weather conditions make those goals impossible.
'If you have a bad day in pole vault, it's a bad day,' Smith said. 'There's only so much you can do. You can't control the wind. Obviously, I was a little frustrated with that (during the sectional meet). It's something I just kind of have to push off to the side and say, 'My training is worked into this' and do the best you can.'
Horrigan said pole vaulting can be a bit like 'riding a roller coaster.' But the veteran coach said Smith's ability to absorb what she has learned and put it to use is invaluable.
'She can process almost anything instantaneously,' Horrigan said. 'Her work ethic is unbelievable and she's strong and fast. In this event, there are so many things that go into it that all those little components are so important. She's a student of the pole vault and an absolute joy to coach. I'm fortunate to be able to work with her.'
Horrigan said the close-knit pole vault community 'can help lift each other up on a bad day.' Smith is close with several of her top competitors in the event.
'They are all in the same boat,' Horrigan said. 'They know what it's like to have a bad day. The all know exactly what each other is going through.'
In Smith's case, she is more focused on the process than the end goal of winning a state championship.
'(Winning state) is definitely something I've thought about but I don't want to focus on it too much,' she said. 'Because if I let the season play out how it's supposed to, then it's going to work out.'
If she wins or not, Smith will have the story written. Just check the journal.
The first, second and third place regional winners in all individual events and relays advance to the state meet, along with any individual or relay team meeting the three-participant standard in the regional finals of their event.
>>>Ben Davis and Lawrence Central will host regional meets with the qualifiers from the Hamilton Southeastern going north to Lafayette Jeff. That includes top-ranked Carmel and No. 3 Hamilton Southeastern. Carmel won the sectional last week with 171.5 points to 138.5 for second-place HSE.
>>>Heritage Christian senior standout Kya Crooke will compete in the regional at Lawrence Central. Crooke has the top time there in the regional in the 100 (12.35 seconds) and is the defending state champion in the high jump and former champion in the long jump (19-3 in the sectional). Warren Central's Kira Smith could give her some competition in the high jump at Lawrence Central, ranking third in the state this spring.
>>>The 3,200 at Lawrence Central could be an interesting race. Bishop Chatard's Julia Score and Pendleton Heights' Ava Jarrell are in the field. Lucy Wood of Brebeuf Jesuit and Kelsey Rehmel of North Central could also contend. The 1,600 with Pendleton Heights' freshman Anya Zoeller and Franklin Central's Savana Miller could also be interesting.
>>>Brownsburg's No. 1 4x100 relay team will be tested by Pike and Terre Haute South in the regional at Ben Davis. The Bulldogs also have the top 4x400 relay team in the regional and one of the best in the state.
>>>Three of the state's best 400 runners – Omema Anyanwu of Zionsville, Amiah Rhodes of Ben Davis and Kylee Regalado of Tri-West – will compete at Ben Davis. The 100 and 300 hurdles will also be competitive with Pike's Jai Brown and Franklin's Aubrey Runyon the top contenders in the 100 hurdles and Brownsburg's Sophia N'Gbesso potentially the favorite in the 300 hurdles.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Nolan Smith reveals what's fueling his potential breakout Eagles season
Nolan Smith reveals what's fueling his potential breakout Eagles season

USA Today

time3 hours ago

  • USA Today

Nolan Smith reveals what's fueling his potential breakout Eagles season

Nolan Smith speaks with clarity, wisdom, and fire ahead of what could be an exciting Eagles season. Nolan Smith is an absolute soundbite machine. That man has a lot of wisdom and is really good at communicating his thoughts & he shoots down a question regarding all the winning he's done in his career and also talks about picking out a new book at Barnes & Noble We live in a microwave society. You've probably heard someone you admire teach that to you a few times. As it turns out, they were right. Patience isn't something we place in high regard. That's especially true of the Philadelphia Eagles fan. Once upon a time, there were teams that wanted their young quarterbacks to sit and learn before throwing them into the fire. Nowadays, those same franchises hope those guys get up to speed and begin constructing Pro Bowl-caliber numbers before the calendar reaches Thanksgiving. If drafted higher, the clock is sped up. Here's the thing. Most acknowledge that quarterbacks need reps. Less often do we hear that sentiment when discussing young edge rushers. Nolan Smith's quiet confidence says everything Eagles fans need to hear Believe it or not, we're already entering year three of Nolan Smith and Jalen Carter's era in Philadelphia. We knew the latter would be a sure thing upon his entry into the NFL. Some had their doubts about the former. His size was mentioned as a potential weakness. He was staring up the depth chart at a Pro Bowler, Haason Reddick, so much of Smith's first season was spent on special teams. There was also a shoulder issue he was trying to labor through. Wouldn't you know it? That's all it took for some to shackle him with the 'bust' label. Bust? Are you serious? Those in the know, including this platform, knew all he needed was experience and time, and in his sophomore campaign, he turned the corner. Now, he has his sights set on achieving even more. That's what some refer to as quiet confidence, but as we've gotten to know Smith, we've found something out about his personality. Sometimes, that confidence is expressed at a higher decibel. Nolan Smith says he's looking to have more than 12 sacks next season!'That's on the low side' Did he just say he's on the hunt for double-digit sacks? Let's take an inventory. Last season, he trumped his single sack as a rookie by notching 6.5 in 16 games with ten starts. Then, he led all defenders with four sacks and four tackles for loss during the Eagles' march to another Super Bowl win. That being said. One of two things is possible. He could wear down by playing more snaps now that Bryce Huff and Josh Sweat are gone, or he could rise to the occasion with more responsibility and opportunity. We all have our opinions. This way, wagers are being placed on the latter scenario.

Spartans talk about Jonathan Smith's leadership traits, 'brilliant football brain'
Spartans talk about Jonathan Smith's leadership traits, 'brilliant football brain'

USA Today

time6 hours ago

  • USA Today

Spartans talk about Jonathan Smith's leadership traits, 'brilliant football brain'

"He's definitely a brilliant football brain." That was what one of the three Spartans in attendance at Big Ten Football Media Days had to say about head coach Jonathan Smith. The leadership and ability to trust his staff were two notable items called out by a pair of Spartans during a round table discussion on the Big Ten Network's season preview show on Thursday from Las Vegas. "He gives the other coaches that authority," Spartans wide receiver Nick Marsh said. "He lets them take course for the team. We have a few other coaches that act like the head coach (as well)." "He's more of a reserved guy -- cool, calm and collective," Michigan State offensive lineman Stanton Ramil added. "When he really wants to make that point, it's definitely made. He's definitely a brilliant football brain." Smith is entering his second season as the Spartans head coach, with fans expecting a better outcome than year one under Smith. The Spartans failed to reach bowl eligibility, finishing the year with a 5-7 record. There seems to be more momentum, though, for Michigan State to bounce back this season and reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2021. Check out the complete video clip of Marsh and Ramil talking about their head coach below: Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin gives injury update on TE Jonnu Smith at training camp
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin gives injury update on TE Jonnu Smith at training camp

USA Today

time9 hours ago

  • USA Today

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin gives injury update on TE Jonnu Smith at training camp

Mike Tomlin said TE Jonnu Smith, who participated in indy drills but not team periods, is considered "day-to-day." No specifics on an injury, but Tomlin said there were the usual bumps and Patterson was out there but didn't participate and is also day-to-day The first practice of 2025 Steelers training camp is officially in the books — and while many new and familiar faces stole the show, Pro Bowl TE Jonnu Smith was notably absent from team drills, sparking buzz about any lingering health concerns. At Thursday's press conference, Steelers HC Mike Tomlin was asked about the status of Pittsburgh's newest tight end — and he downplayed the undisclosed injury as a short-term setback. "[Jonnu Smith] can just be described as day-to-day," Tomlin told reporters. "We'll get him out here, sooner rather than later, I'm sure." It remains to be seen what sort of injury Smith is dealing with, but more details surrounding the situation will likely come out as training camp continues to roll on in Latrobe. The Steelers recently acquired Smith and All-Pro CB Jalen Ramey from the Dolphins in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a late-round pick swap. Smith factors to play a major role on offense this upcoming season, potentially creating a three-headed TE monster with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington — one that fans would love to see soon at camp. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store