Friday, May. 02, 2008

Theodore nabs state bid

For Keller’s Taylor Theodore, taking a break from pole vaulting and returning with renewed focus has yielded a trip to the Class 5A State Championship Track and Field Meet.

Theodore, a senior, placed second at last week’s regional meet, behind Mansfield’s Shade Weygandt’s record-setting performance. Weygandt broke her own state record, jumping 13 feet, 10 inches. Theodore jumped 11 feet 6 inches.

“I’ve competed against her a lot of times,” Theodore said. “It’s not a big deal for me.”

With one of the nation’s best vaulters a shoo-in for the championship, Theodore was competing with the rest of the field for the second spot at state.

Coach David Coker said that Theodore’s determination was a big deal.

“Everyone knows they’re vaulting for one spot,” he said. “Unless some unexpected catastrophe happens, you have 23 people looking for one position. That can be very intimidating.”

Theodore has been consistent all season at 11-6. At the Fossil Ridge meet March 27, she vaulted her personal best of 11-11, also a meet record.

All this from a girl who said, “I wasn’t even sure if I was going to vault this year.” After finishing seventh at last year’s regional meet, Theodore said she was burned out. She didn’t participate in summer track, not vaulting at all until January.

Her father, Hal Theodore, is Keller’s pole vaulting coach and operates the Pole Cats vaulting club on a lot he owns right next to their house. His work with area vaulters has made Keller consistently strong in the event. But being able to vault every day might have added to Theodore’s feelings of burnout.

When she decided to return to the sport at the beginning of the year, she said she had a renewed sense of purpose.

“I made up my mind and started lifting weights more. That was the missing link,” Theodore said. Coker said of Theodore’s upcoming trip to state, “It couldn’t happen to a greater kid. She has been consistently good all year. Nobody has worked harder.”

Theodore said she was looking forward to competing at the state meet, scheduled for May 9-10 in Austin.

“I just need to stay focused and work hard,” she said.

Coker said he would like Theodore to set a new personal record. “I’d really love to see her get on the awards stand.”

The only other Keller athlete to make the finals at the Region I meet in Lubbock was freshman Bridget Jenkins, who placed seventh in the 400 with a time of 58.4. Jenkins set a new school record of 58.04 in the prelims.

Coker said that Jenkins is the top prospect in a very strong freshmen class.

“They’re a fun group,” the coach said, “very hard working. I think they are going to be even better next year.”

For Central girls, their 400 runner also set a new school record. Senior Morgan Canty ran 58.71, finishing eleventh in the prelims. Central’s 4-by-400 relay had the best finish of any of the Central or Keller relay teams, placing 10th in the preliminary round.