Guerin Catholic junior Amelia Smith powdered her hands with chalk before she gripped the bottom of the pole vault and held it vertically.
She sprinted down the runway before she planted the pole to the ground and ascended into the air.
Spectators behind the chain-link railing gazed up as if they were watching a star shoot up into the sky. In fact, they were witnessing an Indiana track and field superstar take to the sky at Hamilton Southeastern.
Smith was almost astronomical, clearing 12 feet, 9 inches.
She secured her second consecutive sectional title in the pole vault on Wednesday and advanced to the regional round, one step closer to the state meet.
“I think me and the rest of the field performed pretty well, considering that we all had a delay yesterday and it got postponed over to today,” Smith said. “I just kept mentally ready from yesterday and I showed up today and I did the best I could. The goal with sectionals was just to move on, so I moved on so I’m happy with that. There’s bigger bars to come but I think a 12-9 is definitely a solid jump with some good attempts at 13-4-ish.”
Smith entered the postseason as the state leader in the pole vault at 13 feet, which matched the leap of Westfield senior Ella Jenkins. On May 20, Smith topped Jenkins (12 feet) and the rest of the pole vault field on day when lightning pushed sectional action to Wednesday.
It was the first postseason win in what Smith hopes is a redemption tour back to the state meet. She qualified for the grand stage in pole vault last season but she didn’t register a height. She failed to clear the bar on her first three attempts.
“I just didn’t trust myself,” Smith said. “I didn’t rely on my training and so this year, I’ve executed that better so I think I’m set up a lot better going into the tournament this year and confident in what I can do.”
Smith was dealt with a bad hand that day at state. It became fuel to her metamorphosis. Since then, she has been more consistent in her training and meet schedule.
Compare today’s version of Smith to her freshman counterpart and you’ll witness the maturity of one of the best pole vaulters in the state. She was a competitive gymnast for about 10 years before she quit. Her coach encouraged her to try pole vault during her first year as a high schooler.
She was a wide-eyed freshman that “winged it” in her rookie season in the event before she earned more wisdom as a sophomore who relied on her skill level. Now, she’s paired her talent with a strong mental game and sharper focus.
“When she first started, it was new to her and she picked it up quickly, but she’s gotten so much better over the years and it’s mainly because of her understanding and what it required to get to the next level,” said Guerin Catholic coach Kevin Horrigan. “Her dedication, her work ethic, it’s phenomenal. She just goes after it and she doesn’t give up. She wants to keep getting better and … her work ethic is beyond approach.”
Smith is an All-American who placed second in the pole vault at New Balance Nationals Indoor with a mark of 13-8 ½ inches on March 14. Two weeks later, she won her second consecutive indoor state crown (13-0.25) at the Hoosier State Relays on March 28.
That indoor success has served as a prelude to what Smith has cooked up in the outdoor season. Her personal best of 13 feet paces the state this outdoor season. She achieved that feat at the Hamilton County girls track meet on May 12.
Smith’s ascension to elite status has branched out to her teammates at Guerin Catholic. She’s the type of athlete that journals her thoughts and vault scores. It powers her motivation to be great. She imparts that wisdom to others in the event.
“She knows when to be a coach and a teammate and she knows when to be there for herself, so I think it’s super helpful,” said Guerin Catholic junior Zoe Travelsted, who placed third at sectionals. “When I was going today, she was able to video (and) help me with that and then whenever it’s her time to lock in, she takes that time for herself. So just being able to make sure she can lock in herself while also being there for her teammates is really helpful.”
During sectionals, she flexed her galvanizing presence in the pole vault and added another win to her resume. It was her first postseason tally in her pursuit of an outdoor state crown.
Unlike last year, Smith has competed with an armored mind. A mental edge that has strengenthed her poise this season.
“I think last year, I knew I was a big name going into state and I cared too much about what people thought of me, so I think I’m doing it for myself,” Smith said. “I’m doing it because I love it and I’m confident in what I’m doing.”
Marc Ray is a high school sports reporter at the IndyStar. He can be reached at marc.ray@indystar.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Guerin Catholic pole vaulter Amelia Smith is on redemption tour back to state
Reporting by Marc Ray, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
