U of O - Tommy Skipper

[who-runnin']

Tommy Skipper who set the National High School Pole Vault Record last spring at 18 feet 3 inches is now a freshman at Oregon. He has already gone over 18 ft. this indoor season. Do you think that he will reach the college record of 19 ft 7.5 inches? Maybe by his senior year? Maybe this year?

[Brian]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

If he does it this year, I'd bet on a Trials effort doing it. He'd have the full outdoor season of improvement and plus few weeks of individual one-on-one tune-up time to pop a biggie.
I just hope he is one of many coming in the next big wave of talent for the event. It's either get close to 19 or start wearing a bikini thong if you want any US media attention in the vault these days.

[vaulter83]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

There is a HHHUUUGGGGEEEE difference between 5.56 and 5.98. Only two US men have ever jumped that high. Maybe by his senior year he'll be there. Consider Eric Eschbach (former HSR holder)who has only improved about an inch since high school. I do hope he eventaully does it though even if its not in college.

[twinpeeks]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

The collegiate record at that time by Lojo was the American Record. No, I don't see Skipper doing it.

[newvaulter]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

I don't see Skipper jumping that high either. Like Esbach, I think he has close to peaked in HS. I hope he jumps high, but I predict he'll never really go over 570ish in college. I hope he proves me wrong, of course.

[vaulter83]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

Well if you've ever seen Tommy jump you know he has lots of room for improvement. He has way more athletic/physical ability then Eschbach. In my opinion Eschbach has some things in his vault that are very hard to fix. Mainly his run and takeoff. Tommy should at least jump 5.80 before hes done.

[KLocke]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

Jeremy Scott could possibly be the future of the event. If he can get healthy and remain so, he's grips higher than most vaulters, 6 ft. 9 inches and has access to Earl Bell.

Look out

[Bob Bettwy]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

What happened to Jeremy Scott last year? I have not heard a thing about him since World Indoors. I share your opinion on him - he could be "the future".

[Cooter Brown]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

Jeremy is at the University of Arkansas. He has 1 outdoor season of eligibilty left.

[Cooter Brown]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

Skipper's biggest asset right now is his strength and speed but he's already over 200 lbs. Unless he's completely physically mature already, that could become a problem in the next few years.

He already grips as high as most 5.90 vaulters, now if he can learn even a bit of technique, he should jump 5.80 without much trouble.

Eshbach is definitely capable of more. He cleared a 5.65 bungee easily in warmups at the Big 12s last year then NH'd. From what I understand, he's ready to be done with vaulting though and pretty much quit training after his freshman year.

[KLocke]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

Gripping is one thing, Ripping is another. Ultimately is comes down to maxmizing energy to ride a 19-4 jump. 5.90 is a big jump



He already grips as high as most
>5.90 vaulters, now if he can learn even a bit of technique, he should jump 5.80
>without much trouble.

[Realist]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

>>Eshbach is definitely capable of more. He cleared a
>5.65 bungee easily in warmups at the Big 12s last year then NH'd. From what I
>understand, he's ready to be done with vaulting though and pretty much quit
>training after his freshman year.>>

Didn't Jacob Davis basically just walk away from the sport in the middle of his collegiate career? Perhaps that high-powerd high school program they came out of in Orangefield is just a little to intense?

[Brian]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

>Skipper's biggest asset right now is his strength and speed but he's already
>over 200 lbs. Unless he's completely physically mature already, that could
>become a problem in the next few years.

The nice part about this that he's a freshman. Lots of guys lean out the first year of college. Not sure just why--maybe more in-sport activity (starting organized practice in the Fall, etc.), or perhaps just a few less cheesburgers with the gang on weeknights.
I dropped 8 pounds of "babyfat" and knew others who got rid of even more, all without painful dieting and all freshman year.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Skipper at 180-185 outdoors, if he's not there already.

[hjsteve1.97]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

Brian, you probably are right about weight, etc. for incoming freshman athletes, but the conventional wisdom for incoming female non-athlete females is just the opposite.... they speak of the " freshman 10" meaning that these gals get away from home and start to live on burritos, cheeseburgers, etc. !

[Cooter Brown]

Re: U of O - Tommy Skipper

>>>Didn't Jacob Davis basically just walk away from the sport in the middle of his collegiate career? Perhaps that high-powerd high school
>program they came out of in Orangefield is just a little to intense?

Jacob was really burned out. In Orangefield, they vaulted 40-60 times per day, 5 days a week.
In college he had a bulging disk in his back and never vaulted in practice after his frosh year at UT. He also had a hip problem. Don't remember exactly what the problem was.

UT had to go to his house and beg him to go to nationals his senior year. He went to Durham, pulled a pole out of the bag to warm up, stood there for 10 minutes contemplating it, put the pole down on the ground, and walked away from the event forever.