Eagles pole vaulting squad soars to new heights

LAURA STARK/Special to The Acorn UP AND OVER- Freshman Madison Stark made a record jump this year for Oak Park High School, clearing 11 feet 3 inches, nearly four feet higher than any previous female freshman. It was a good track and field season this spring for Oak Park High pole vaulting.

With 17 athletes on the squad, it was the largest pole vaulting team at Oak Park since the sport was resurrected five years ago following a 10-year absence.

Senior Ken Sugai broke the school record, jumping 14 feet; and freshman Madison Stark made a record of her own, jumping 11 feet, 3 inches, nearly four feet higher than any previous female freshman vaulter at Oak Park, launching herself into the top 30 high school female vaulters in the state.

On the boys' side, three seniors- Sugai, Charlie Blomquist, and Mark Toyama- who vaulted the last three years finished 1-2-3 in the Tri-Valley League Finals and advanced to CIF.

Four of the younger boy vaulters cleared 10 feet.

On the girls' side, four team members scored at TVL finals. At CIF, Stark, Sugai and Blomquist qualified for the finals.

"This year we really reaped the benefits of the vault program," Oak Park track and field coach Kevin Smith said.

The athletes' work ethic and enthusiasm helped bring them success, said Oak Park pole vault coach Eric White.

"This team dominated. They won every league meet. They always got first," White said. "No one slacked off. They all tried their best."

Sugai plans to continue pole vaulting first at Moorpark College for one year, then at UCLA after transferring. Blomquist will attend University of California Davis in the fall and may continue vaulting.

There's no pole vaulting team at the University of San Diego where Toyama will study but the administration is open to starting one, Toyama said.

Madison Stark will have her younger brother, Connor, an incoming freshman, joining her on the team next spring.

Connor Stark is already jumping 12 feet, Dale Stark said. The 13-year-old earned fourth place in vaulting at last summer's Junior Olympics.

"I love the pole vaulters. They're some of the best people. Everybody has such energy. It makes you feel alive," Madison Stark said.

Under the tutelage of Smith and Dale Stark, Oak Park's pole vaulting program has come a long way in the last five years.

When the school team was regenerated there was only Dale Stark's oldest daughter, Aubree, then a sophomore. She got Toyama, a freshman, interested in the sport.

"Freshman year it was just me and Aubree jumping," Toyama said. "You have to be crazy, a risk taker, fearless. You're going upside down. You don't have anyone else to rely on, just yourself."

Aubree Stark knew her father had been a pole vaulter in high school and thought it would be fun to try. When she was a sophomore Dale Stark started taking Aubree to Santa Monica High for practices.

She began competing, becoming one of the top high school female vaulters statewide. She is now a freshman at UCLA and a member of its pole vaulting team where her jumps were measured at 12 feet, 6 inches before she suffered a high ankle sprain early in the season.

"Our vaulting program has turned into a great program, probably the strongest in the area," Dale Stark said.

He credited Oak Park track coach Kevin Smith with supporting the program. Smith returned Stark's compliments.

"I may have greased the administrative wheels to get the pole vault back at OPHS, but the true force behind its resurrection is Dale Stark. His passion and commitment to keeping the event alive in high school athletics has created a home for athletes willing to do the 'crazy,'" Smith said.

"Dale has supported the event countywide, bringing additional poles to meets and helping schools whose athletes lack the proper equipment."

Blomquist also had good things to say about Dale Stark, who drives the athletes to UCLA several times a week for coaching by coach Anthony Curran, holder of the boys' state record.

"Dale's always there. His enthusiasm is incredible," Blomquist said.

Like her older sister, Madison is fearless, said Dale Stark. She is working to improve her trail leg to get it vertical with the rest of her body. She trains three to four days a week at UCLA.

"Pole vaulting is kind of a rush. Every time you go up you're not exactly sure what's going to happen," Madison Stark said. "You could be off your step or the pole could break. When you get off the ground you blank out and just let it happen. It's a cool feeling."

Smith said he will be looking to Madison for team leadership for the next three years to help further expand the school's pole vault program.

"Madison excels because of her competitive nature. Away from the event she appears friendly and outgoing, but once the event starts and she is on the runway, she is as competitive as they come," Smith said.

"She is a great role model for both genders. Her technical excellence and competitive desire will elevate our program."