Alix Rule '20 Recruiting Profile

    I started pole vaulting in 7th grade after I quit gymnastics. I needed a new challenge and my parents have a rule that their kids always have to be in some type of sport. There was a pole vault club near where I live so one day my parents took me to check it out. At first many of the skills came naturally to me because of my gymnastics background but I did eventually hit a rough patch. Trying to jump would make me mad because I could never do what I was trying to do. But I still went to practice twice a week because I didn't want to stop and I did drills all practice every practice until I could get on the runway and jump correctly again. I knew I would get it eventually and all I wanted to do was jump.  

    I know pole vault is something I want to do in college because I don't love it just because I'm good at it, I love it because whenever I have to stop jumping all I want to do is go back. This summer I got stitches in my leg so I was out for a couple of weeks. My parents thought it would be a good idea to turn on pole vault to entertain me while I was stuck on the couch all day. But watching everyone else get to jump just made me want to get up and go do it myself. Just sitting there all week was so difficult and I was so happy when I finally got to jump again, nothing could have stopped me from going back to practice!