On a warm summer evening on the high plains in Yuma, Colo., Jack Lubbers stands on a grassy field and carefully studies the movements of pole vaulters.
They have gathered here for Lubbers’ attention and feedback. After every attempt, the pole vaulter departs the mat and walks over to the coach for a quick word before returning to the queue at the end of the runway.
The athletes are not teammates, but they do have some things in common. They are all from tiny high schools in northeastern Colorado, some of which scattered more than 60 miles away. Most of them lack pole vault coaches or proper equipment at their own schools.
Naturally, they share a love of pole vault. And most importantly, they are all here for the sole purpose of gathering under Lubbers’ watchful eye.
On Thursday mornings and Friday afternoons in this town of 3,500, there is an “open pit” session where vaulters come together for drills and practice.
This is as grassroots as track and field gets, and it’s a perfect window into Lubbers’ mission.
He is the driving force in the growth of a small-school pole vaulting in the vast open spaces of eastern Colorado.
As a private coach and founder of Yuma Vault Academy, a summer camp for vaulters in the area, his athletes have earned 185 state medals and 22 state titles in the past 15 years.
This year alone, he coached seven of the 10 Class 1A girls pole vault qualifiers at the Colorado state championships. In 2019, he was inducted into the Colorado High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
He has dedicated much of his life to teaching and coaching the next generation of pole vaulters, and his impact is far-reaching.
Lubbers’ story begins in 1981, one day after his wedding. His wife, Becky, took a job at Yuma High, and the couple moved there.
Read the full article on DyeStat.com.