Avery Karner '22 Recruiting Profile

I am a lifetime gymnast turned pole vaulter.  I started gymnastics when I was 5 years old and made it all the way to Level 8.  When I grew to 5’10”, I knew it was time for a change.  I luckily found pole vaulting and immediately fell in love with it.  I started vaulting my freshman year of high school and haven’t looked back since.

I would describe myself as very detailed oriented and highly competitive, if I love something.  And pole vaulting is one of those things I love. 

I graduated in 2021 but am currently taking a gap year.  I am still very focused on competing at the college level.  I’ve continued training with my high school team and going to the gym to build up my strength.  I’ve also been coaching gymnastics which is something I’ve loved so far.  I love the feeling of helping girls learn new skills, and can see myself possibly coaching after my college career.  I feel like coaching is something I’m good at; I was the team captain of the girls pole vault team and am currently teaching my younger sister to vault.

I was bummed to miss my Junior year because of Covid, but I made up for it my Senior year.  I won the Orange County Championships with my personal best of 11’-6”.  I placed 2^nd in League, 3^rd at CIF Sectionals, and finished 12^th at the CA State Championships while matching my personal best.  I don’t know why, but I always perform my best at big meets.

I’m excited to continue vaulting at the next level.  My preference would be to stay relatively close to home since I have a very close relationship with my family.  I’d also prefer to go to a school with an excellent academic history; this is very important because I know I won’t be pole vaulting my whole life.  The sound of a larger school with a big athletic program sounds fun but I am open to anything that will be a good fit for me.  I’m still undecided on a major but have considered a wide variety of studies such as structural engineering, mathematics, and possibly minor in art.  I’m a realist in terms of my athletic goals and am considering Division I, II, and III schools but I know I have a lot of room to improve. I think I have at least a 13 feet in me.  Wherever I go, I will put everything I have into being the best I can be.