Flying Dragons PV Camp!

This past weekend my coach and I went down to Bloomington, IL to the Flying Dragons Pole Vault Club to help with a camp.  I always look forward to visiting the Flying Dragons because they have been some of my biggest supporters during my journey as a professional vaulter.  Their entire clubs success & the comradery they have between their amazing coach Mike Cockerham, the parents & the kids is simply inspiring.  Since day one I have felt like a part of the Flying Dragons family, but this weekend I think I became an official member when I was given both a Flying Dragons fleece AND T-shirt!  I cannot say enough about this club and how wonderful they have been to me.  I am so touched.   

So the camp was Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday from 9-2pm consisted of pole plants, pole runs, lots of gymnastics related drills, straight pole jumping into the pit, then finally some bent pole jumps.   Saturday evening the kids had an option to come “practice with Mary”.  About 20 kids came and followed me through a typical vault practice, including my warm up drills, short run vaults, a sample of a running workout I do, and some strength exercises.  I had a blast working with each and every vaulter & I hope they had fun seeing what a practice in my shoes is like!  Sunday went from 9-2pm again, beginning with a brief overview of everything we worked on the previous day.  Then around 11am the bar went up and Mike made sure that every single vaulter went home clearing a bar!  He didn’t care if the bar was 5 feet or 20 feet, everyone cleared a bar!  There was a handful of kids that had never pole vaulted before so it was fun watching them develop over the two days.  It’s always exciting seeing vaulters clear a new PR, and there were certainly a few of those!  I have been around the Flying Dragons for a few years now and I just love seeing how each of them has developed! So proud of each and every one of them!  I feel truly blessed to have been invited down for this camp and for all the amazing support from the campers, the parents, the club, & especially Mike Cockerham!  I had so much fun and I can’t wait to see the Dragons & vaulters from all over the country at Reno next month!

P.S. Be sure to check out a few pictures from the camp mixed in on my photos page :)

Mon Dec 3rd, 2012