Dexter Pole Vaulters Wrap Up Regular Season on a High Note

Editor's note: This story has been updated to accurately reflect Dexter's team highlights for the 2011-2012 school year.

By Barbara Read

The pole vaulters have a tradition of camaraderie and talent developed under the coaching team of Janell and Geoff Gerstner. The athletes have been training for this track season since October, by meeting before and after school and through participating in the Michigan Indoor Track Season (MITS) during the winter months.

“All of this work has paid off,” coach Geoff Gerstner said. “We have 24 kids vaulting with us with goals ranging from ‘just to have fun’ to ‘qualifying for nationals.’ Many of the kids are ranked fairly high in the state and nationally. Every one of our girls and eight of our boys have vaulted high enough to be in the rankings charts.”

Team highlights include:

• 14 Dexter vaulters (a school record) qualified for regionals: Alex Ammann, Katie Callaghan, Micaela Conter, Nicole Ferguson, Michelle Klein, Annalane Miller, Kamie Powell, Amy Read, Charlotte Read, Claire Tewksbury, Dana Tessmer, Noah Gary, Ryan Sharrar and Casey Hanson.
• Micaela Conter, Claire Tewksbury and Noah Gary qualified for nationals.
• The team has four National Emerging Elite Qualifiers: Micaela Conter, Claire Tewksbury, Nicole Ferguson and Noah Gary
• The boys’ sophomore class record has been broken twice (from 14'-2" to 14'-6" to 15'-0").
• Athletes’ personal records have been broken 26 times and tied at least 51 times.
• Micaela Conter is ranked second, while Claire Tewksbury and Nicole Ferguson are ranked sixth in the state.
• Among sophomores, Kamie Powell ranks second in the state; freshman Dana Tessmer ranks fourth; freshmen Charlotte Read and Alex Ammann rank eighth and ninth respectively.
• Noah Gary is ranked fifth in Michigan (the first time for a DHS sophomore) and ranks first in state among sophomores.
• In the freshmen rankings, Casey Hanson is ranked third, Ryan Sharrar is second and Jack Derloshon ranks 12th in Michigan.
• The girls’ team won first, second and third place at all but one meet the varsity vaulters attended.

One of the challenges the team has overcome this season is the rapidly deteriorating equipment.

“We had craters in the runway, and the foam rubber mats are so old, we were having to tell the kids to hold their breath and close their eyes when they landed to avoid getting material in their eyes or inhaling the pit material,” Gerstner said.

Although still in need of a safe permanent runway and several new poles, the team received an anonymous donation to purchase a set of new mats and standards. The runway has been made safer by a roll-out cover supplied by the Athletic Booster Club of Dexter and additional personal funds.

“The school has plans to help, and we are excited about these potential prospects," Gerstner said.

The Gerstners are proud of all the vaulters for their effort at practice and their achievements at the track meets.

“Aside from coaching these athletes to be their very best, we also strive to instill good sportsmanship and good manners," Geoff Gerstner said. "We expect the kids to thank the officials after every meet, to win or lose as good sports, to pick up after meets, and to cheer on their competitors when it is appropriate.”

Six of the vaulters are seniors. Micaela Conter will be vaulting for Central Michigan next year. Claire Tewksbury plans to vault at the University of Michigan, and Michelle Klein will be vaulting at Eastern Michigan University. Nicole Ferguson is also considering U-M.

The team competed in Division 1 regionals in Milford on Friday.