GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Now that she’s healthy, it’s only a question of how high Janina Pollatz can go.
Last year, the Grand Rapids Christian senior dealt with back problems all season, but was still strong enough to win the pole vault at the MHSAA Division 2 Track Finals at Houseman Field with a vault of 11 feet, 6 inches.
She also took fourth in the long jump with a jump of 17-2.75.
Pollatz, who has signed to compete at Eastern Michigan University next year, suffered a concussion almost three months ago working on her craft, but feels much better. The back problems are gone, so Pollatz is ready to defend her title in the pole vault, and even do more for the Eagles.
“I’m ready to go this year,” Pollatz said. “I feel good now. I haven’t had back problems in a long time, and the vault if going really good now. Every single meet so far in the indoor season I have jumped 11-6 or 12 feet.”
And at the New Balance Indoor National Meet in New York City earlier this year, Pollatz had her personal-best vault of 12 feet-¾ inches to take 11th place against some of the best high school pole vaulters in the nation.
“She is so gifted,” Grand Rapids Christian girls tack coach Doug Jager said. “She is also a very good sprinter, and the main ingredient to a good pole vaulter and long jumper is speed. And if her back is totally healed, I’d love to add sprints to her resume to help the team out.”
She did that in one important OK White Conference against Greenville last year.
“We ran a dual meet against Greenville, and we really needed her,” Jager said. “She ran the 100 and blew everyone away. Then I said to her we could put this meet away if she ran the 200, and she won that, too. Then the Greenville coaches asked ‘who was that’ because she had never run sprints before.”
Pollatz is ready to help her team.
“I will run the 100 and 200 in clutch meets,” Pollatz said. “When we need points, I’ll be ready because I love my team to death.”
But Pollatz will still mainly concentrate on her two signature events, the pole vault and long jump.
“I will be competing in the pole vault and long jump in college next year at Eastern Michigan,” Pollatz said. “Before that, I want to go for my third state championship. I also won the indoor state championship this year, so I want to go for my third state championship.”
From: http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/5982931869401668303/with-back-problems-behind-her-grand-rapids-christian-pole-vaulter-is-ready-to-defend-her-state-title/
