Date: Fri 07-Jun-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KIMH

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Reid-Warner

Full Text:

Reid Warner Feature

B Y K IM J. H ARMON

Just about a year ago, Bruce Jenner's Newtown High School track & field pole

vault record of 13-feet-3 was as safe as a stack of bearer bonds in a bank

vault. Dean Jeffe was only clearing 11 feet and Reid Warner wasn't even

jumping high enough to touch the rim on a basketball court.

But Reid was a freshman and now, a year later, it might be time to start

posting a guard outside that bank vault. A year or two from now and Reid just

might be on the lam with a new record.

At least, that's what his goal has been since joining the Newtown High team as

a freshman. He was almost five feet away from breaking the record last year,

though, only able to get over the 8-foot-6 bar. This past winter he cleared

10-foot-6 and this past spring, where he finished second in the South-West

Conference and fifth in CIAC Class L with jumps of 11-foot-6, Reid also

finished 5th at the State Open with jump of 12-0.

Another 16 inches to go.

" That's the goal I've been working towards, " said Reid. " But I remember

back in the spring (of '95), thinking . . . whoa, 10 feet, imagine being able

to do that. I have to just keep working at it. "

Leaps And Bounds

Dean Jeffe was Newtown High School's man in the pole vault last year and his

vaults of 11-0 and 11-6 were good enough to place him in the upper echelon of

the Western Connecticut Conference. Jeffe was even a WCC pole vault champion

in 1994.

It was into that element that Reid Warner stepped in 1995.

" It looked like something I'd have fun doing, " said Reid. " I just decided

to try it. Dean Jeffe was there and he had won (the WCC) the year before, so I

thought it would be a good time to learn. "

Reid had trouble clearing 8-foot-6 that first spring, but like he has said, "

It takes a long time to actually learn how to do it properly. I'm still

working on getting it perfect. Last spring I was just learning how to get off

the ground. "

Reid kept on working through the summer, at pole vault camp, and through the

winter down at Yale University and down in Danbury. It was in that first camp

last summer - when he got instructional coaching for the first time - where

Reid really started to make progress.

He started to bend the pole, started having more fun with it, and started

clearing the 9-0 and 9-foot-6 bars. He read. He watched video. And he

practiced, practiced, practiced.

In the winter he struggled with 10 feet and managed a 10-foot-6 and continued

to study up on pole vaulting and continued to watch the video his father was

incessantly shooting.

A new pole didn't hurt, either.

" Once you get started you have to realize it takes time to get it right, "

said Reid. " You have to be willing to put the time in. "

Reid has been willing to put the time in, but circumstances have not always

been in his favor. Newtown High does not own any pole vault pits and Reid

and/or his father has - last year and this year - not only taken to practicing

at Pomperaug, but begging and borrowing any equipment they could.

" It's a real challenge just to be able to do it, " said Reid.

He will continue to work on it this summer, once again at camp, not only

learning more technique but working on his strength and his speed. A 14-foot

pole could give him more of an advantage next spring, as well.

Reid has the determination to continue and has a goal in mind and won't be

sidetracked by the seemingly daunting amount of time and effort he has to put

into this discipline.

He simply admitted, " I have fun with it. "