New Heights

Penn pole vaulter GregPenn pole vaulter GregSchroeder's techniquePenn pole vaulter GregSchroeder's techniquechanges have finally paid off It's hard to believe that a two-time New Jersey state champion in the pole vault would so quickly become just an average jumper in college. But that is what happened to senior Greg Schroeder in his freshman year at Penn. In Schroeder's rookie season, he trained with then-junior Mamadou Johnson, who qualified for both the NCAA and U.S. Track and Field Championships by topping 18 feet. Practicing with one of the East's premier pole vaulters, Schroeder quickly learned that his high school dominance would not automatically translate into collegiate success. "Freshman year, I hit a wall," Schroeder said. "I learned a lot of new techniques. It was a humbling experience." Penn assistant coach Nathan Taylor, who recruited Schroeder in high school, made some changes in Schroeder's technique right away. "He had never vaulted in practice during high school," Taylor said. "He never had the chance to work the important skills that make you a better vaulter." While learning an entirely new technique, Schroeder struggled early in his collegiate career, topping out at 15 feet, 3 inches his freshman year -- four-and-a-half inches shorter than his high-school best. "In high school, you're all alone in front of everybody and now you're getting your ass kicked," Schroeder said. During his sophomore year, Schroeder began to gradually improve, improving his collegiate best to 15-7. "I was feeling like a pole vaulter again," Schroeder said. "A lot of Coach Taylor's techniques started paying off. Finally, in the middle of his junior year, Schroeder broke his high-school record, jumping 15-9. "Junior year, things really started to click," Schroeder said. "I relaxed a lot and had confidence in my training." He went on to jump his current personal record of 16-5 twice last year, including once at the Heptagonal Championships. Schroeder has rebounded from a shaky first meet, where he failed to get off the ground, and is on pace to have his finest season of vaulting, while other jumpers have been bothered by the unseasonable weather. "Greg doesn't let the weather or anything be an excuse," said Schroeder's mother Andy, recalling the meet in which he won the first of his New Jersey State Championships. Schroeder won the competition in the rain on the poorly lit field. "I was standing next to the other boy's parents, and it was an intense moment [when he won]," Andy said. "He gets real psyched up before each competition," Penn sprinter Clive Brown said. "He's like a man possessed. You can see it in his eyes. He focuses on nothing else. He's on a whole different level when he's competing."