Junior Emilee Smith was nervous as she stood waiting to do her first attempt at clearing the bar.

For the past two years, she was in the exact same position at the regional track meet. She finished third as a freshman in the pole vault and third as a sophomore. Both finishes put her one spot shy of qualifying for the State Championships. She did not want that to happen again this year. 

“Leading up to the meet, I was like freaking out and it was crazy,” Smith said.

Once Smith started vaulting though, her nerves died down. She ended up clearing 11 feet 6 inches, earning her first place at regionals and a spot at this weekend’s state meet at the University of Texas-Austin.

Fellow pole vaulter Bryce Gerbasich was able to clinch his spot at the state meet, clearing 15 feet and finishing second at regionals. 

The junior spent most of the first semester focused on football, so he wasn’t fully focused on the upcoming track season until November.

Near the beginning of the track season, Gerbasich was sidelined because of a strained calf muscle. The strain made it difficult to get a good run up for his vaults and he had to sit out of competitions until the District Meet. 

“I had to do a short run at district,” Gerbasich said. “It was hard to even make it out of district, hard to make it out of area, and then I was like completely healthy for a region. That was my first meet back.”

Gerbasich was nervous about the regional meet, because he was unsure of how he would do. After he clinched his spot for state though on April 18, he made sure to drive back up to Huntsville to cheer on Smith when she competed the next day. 

“They do a really good job supporting each other,” coach Andrew Higham said. “Both of them are extremely awesome kids. Jumping and as humans they’re good people. They really encourage each other.”

Both Smith and Gerbasich also rely on their coaches to be successful. 

“They’ve been super supportive,” Smith said. “Especially coach Higham and coach [Cody] Cook, they’re always looking for the best way to help me, and I love that so much.”

When it comes to the state meet, Gerbasich said he is excited about the opportunity, but a little nervous about the big crowds and the high pressure.

Smith looks forward to the meet and is trying to stay positive as she waits to pole vault on her biggest stage yet. 

“I’m not trying to put too much pressure,” Smith said. “I just kind of want to go out and do the best. I’m hoping for a PR, hoping for bigger things, but you never know.”