Clovis event attracts pole vaulters from around the country

Elite-level pole vaulters around the country make their way to the central San Joaquin Valley each summer to participate in the annual street vaulting event held right in the heart of Old Town Clovis.

They come from as far as the East Coast, while others are more regional — arriving from Arizona and Utah to compete.

“It’s a street vault I’ve always wanted to do,” said elite-level pole vaulter Sean Young from Florida.

Even Golden State Warriors coach Ron Adams attended the 21st annual North American Pole Vaulting Association Championships on Friday.

A Laton native, Fresno Pacific graduate and former Fresno State men’s basketball coach, Adams served as the lead to a parade held in the middle of the competition, invited by event director Bob Fraley — who was Adams’ basketball coach at Laton High.

“I’ve never done pole vaulting before, but it’s pretty impressive what these athletes are able to do, clearing great heights with great fundamentals, discipline and their pole,” Adams said. “I’m a fan.”

Adams was not alone, joined by at least a couple of thousand who crowded Pollasky Avenue to watch vaulters while listening to the beat of the DJ’s upbeat music.

Fans clapped in unison to pump up athletes, cheered and screamed when they successfully cleared the bar and then yelled some more in hopes of having an NAPVA championship T-shirt thrown their direction from the pole vaulters.

“The way that the community of Clovis has gotten behind us and all these people in the San Joaquin Valley, they have made it a very, very big event,” Fraley said. “It’s something these people across the United States really look forward to being involved in.”

This year’s format grouped pole vaulters of different levels into teams of four — one boy and one girl high school athlete and one male and one female elite-level vaulter.

Cities around the country were represented.

Young, who once pole vaulted for South Florida and now trains professionally, said he’s known of Clovis’ NAPVA championships since high school in the Sunshine State.

“It’s a very well-known event,” Young said. “A lot of the elite athletes want to be here. It was definitely an opportunity I didn’t want to miss.”

But perhaps those who appreciated the event most were the athletes from the local area, especially those who live and train elsewhere.

Like elite vaulter Mallory Gilbert, a Clovis High alum and 2008 University of Hawaii graduate.

Gilbert competed in high jump in high school and college but switched to pole vault professionally in 2012. She lives and trains in Phoenix.

“Anytime I can compete in front of friends and family, it’s just the best feeling ever,” said Gilbert, who had roughly 50 to 60 family members and friends in the crowd. “I have so many people out here supporting me today, it makes me want to clear bars.

“It’s my favorite event.”

The event was also special for Brigham Young senior Anginae Monteverde, who had twice participated in the NAPVA Championships as a prep athlete at Clovis West then finally returned as an elite vaulter Friday.

“It means a lot to be back as an elite vaulter,” Monteverde said. “It’s a really fun thing to do in high school. I always looked up to those elite vaulters and wanted to be that person one day.

“It’s just great that I can be here and doing it.”

This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 9:39 PM with the headline "Clovis event attracts pole vaulters from around the country."