Chelsea Wackernagel, senior, from Muskegon, Mich., holds the school record for pole vaulting. She sat down with The Collegian this Saturday before practice.
How did you get into pole vaulting?
I’ve been pole vaulting since sophomore year. I ran distance before that, but I kind of hurt my hip. I was looking for a shorter event, and we didn’t have a school record. I got a scholarship to come [to Hillsdale] to pole vault mainly but also do some running. I looked at Grand Valley and Michigan Tech, but I really liked the people at Hillsdale.
What do you think of as your best moment?
Findlay, at the beginning of this season, I jumped 12 feet 7.5 inches and broke the school record. And that will take me to Nationals. I think I’m still number one in the nation. I’m not sure, but I was as of last week. The record before then was 12 feet 6 inches I think. So that’s exciting.
What’s the most difficult aspect of pole vaulting, and what’s the most fun aspect?
It depends on the vaulter, first of all. For me, the most difficult aspect would probably be the swing once you’re in the air. I’m not very fluid with that. But when I get it right, it’s probably the most fun aspect. For some vaulters, it might be the plant. It depends on what you’re good at. I really worked on my runway when I was in high school. And so my runway and my plant — which is when you take off — those two are the best parts of my vault. Kayla [Caldwell], our other vaulter — who had the school record — her best part is when she’s in the air because she did gymnastics in high school, middle school, and elementary school. So that’s really easy for her.
What does it take to be successful in this sport?
Ideally, you should be mentally strong. Because it’s an event that a lot of head cases are a part of. It’s hard. It’s nerve-wracking, so you have to be mentally strong. You have to be fast. You have to have body awareness. Daring. Those are some important things.
What do you plan to do when you graduate?
Well, I’m getting married in June.
Congratulations! Where to from there?
I plan on teaching. I think I’ll get a job. Public school, hopefully. I’m majoring in chemistry, minoring in biology, and studying education. I really love people and I love working with people, and I feel like high school is a place where you can impact people a lot. My high school coach really impacted me. He really poured into me and just cared for me and was always working to better me.
What have you learned through pole vaulting at Hillsdale?
What’s important for me to remember with vaulting or any sport, it’s just using the talents that God gave you to glorify Him. And so that’s really what I’m starting to get now, finally. Eight years into the sport, I’m finally starting to get that we train our bodies and do what our coaches say, and from then on, it’s letting God do what he’s going to do.
