Sam Paeth's pole vault goals continue to rise for SJCC track
St. Joseph Central Catholic's Sam Paeth didn't even crawl out of the landing pit after his last failed vault at state as a freshman before making a decision.
"Anyone can have a bad day," he said. "Anyone can have a great day. It wasn't my day. It stunk, but I learned from it and set my standard of where I wanted to be and I achieved it."
Making the podium in Columbus was the bar he established for himself. The sophomore cleared 13 feet, 6 inches to finish eighth in the pole vault at state in Division III this year.
"When I made it on the podium it was a big deal for me," he said. "I've always wanted to compete at a high level. I'm glad I was able to come back and not only compete, but compete at a high level."
He struggled at state last season.
"The fact I was a freshman, I had so many nerves against top-tier upperclassmen," he said. "Way bigger than me. I got scared. After I no-heighted, I got right back into it and pushed myself every day to be back in the same spot and do better."
He changed about as much with his routine as could be imagined as a sophomore. Most important, he stepped away from double duty as a baseball player to put everything into track.
He wasn't able to practice vault as much as he wanted as a freshman. He also hydrated more, ate more healthy and worked out more.
"I got myself ready to do this," he said. "There was nothing the same. I wanted to change the luck. 'I can do this, nothing will stop me from achieving the goal I set.'
Paeth trains at Altitude Elite in Bellevue, often with Brian Stimmel, the father of three-time state champ and national record holder Kenna Stimmel. She vaults at Virginia Tech after graduating from Margaretta.
"We're family friends," Paeth said. "I can always go to her."
Still only a sophomore, Paeth grew up a bit.
"I went in with a more open mind," he said. "I know what happened last year and I told myself it wouldn't happen again."
Paeth qualified to state by himself.
"It's cool being alone with everyone from the school coming to watch, but I wish I had somebody else down there too from my school to share the experience," he said.
Paeth looked forward to the Sandusky Bay Conference meet as a larger stage to finally test himself. He tied for second in the River Division at 13-6.
Paeth was third at district at 13-9.
"Getting all my heights on the first attempt and not having to worry about my second attempt," he said.
He cleared 13-9 at regional to finish fourth.
"I was just trying to make it, whatever it took to make it to state," he said.
He qualified to Adidas Nationals in North Carolina this summer with a jump of 14.
He established a Fremont record at 14-4 to finish first at the Edison Invitational this season. He surpassed the previous SJCC mark by eight inches.
His father, Mike Paeth, once held the SJCC record at 13-3. Paeth cleared 13-4 to qualify to state as a freshman.
Mike is Crimson Streaks vault coach for Paul Grahl. Paeth's graduate sister Alayna Paeth established the girls record at 10 feet at SJCC.
Paeth started vaulting in fourth grade.
"It's always been in my family," he said. "I've always been interested in it. My sister did it. I like it, I had fun with it and I saw I could be good with it."
He couldn't wait to crawl out of the landing pit after his last validating vault at state as a sophomore.
"I want to keep putting in work and I want to climb to the top of the podium," he said. "I want to be a state champion, with a state record."
mhorn@gannett.com
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Twitter: @MatthewHornNH
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Between Sam Paeth, Alayna Paeth, SJCC pole vault records family owned
