EDN GIRLS FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Despite adversities, Teutopolis' Isabelle Hemmen finishes career with the Lady Shoes in dominating fashion

Jul. 1—Heading into her senior track and field season, Teutopolis pole vaulter Isabelle Hemmen never expected to have the twists and turns she encountered.

The Illinois State pledge and 2022 Effingham Daily News Girls Field Athlete of the Year dealt with a wrist injury before the year started and then — during the year — had the unfortunate mishappening of breaking her pole during a five-team meet against Brownstown/St. Elmo, Altamont, Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City, and Dieterich.

Even with all those roadblocks, Hemmen still managed to have a great season, ending it with a trip back to the Class 1A state track and field meet at Eastern Illinois' O'Brien Field, where she finished in a tie for second in the pole vault. She tied with Elmwood's Mya Strahm, Bethany/Okaw Valley's Kylie Stauder, and Catlin/Salt Fork's Brynlee Keeran with a finishing height of 11-feet-5.75-inches. Moroa-Forsyth junior Livia Binder won the event after a leap of 11-feet-7.75-inches.

The second-place finish at state was the second time Hemmen lost in the pole vault all year. She was previously 11-1 — with the lone blemish coming at the Shelbyville Girls Track Open, where she got disqualified.

Overall, Hemmen hit 11-feet-or-better eight times on the year, including setting a new personal record of 11-feet-6.5-inches at a Class 1A Sectional.

Hemmen ended her career with 22 wins in the pole vault and will take that momentum to Bloomington, where she joins a team that finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships and first in the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships.

When Hemmen arrives at Illinois State, she will join five other pole vaulters on the roster.

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Effingham Daily News Sports Editor Alex Wallner asked Hemmen six questions. Below is how she answered each one.

AW: Talk about your overall season, adversities, and what you overcame?

IH: "I would say my season started slow. I didn't know when I was going to be able to come back. I was trying to stay in shape without doing all of the pole vault drills I'm used to doing because of my wrist. I missed the indoor season, and I missed about three or four meets of the outdoor season. When I returned, I started at a short run, which felt good. They were good jumps every meet, hitting 10-6 and 11 from short. Then, when I finally returned to my long run, I no-heighted, and that was the only meet I lost besides state. Then from there, everything started going up. I finally found a groove and started getting upside-down on the pole, finding the poles that worked for me."

AW: When did you start using the bigger pole?

IH: "I started using that the practice before sectionals. I got on it at sectionals for three jumps, but I didn't clear any heights. I then got on it for my last height at state because I thought I needed to get to a higher PR, but I think that if I had stayed on my other pole, I would have cleared it."

AW: Was it hard to go from one pole to the other?

IH: "No. I don't let switching poles affect me much. If they've ever jumped on a pole before, a lot of girls can't jump on it in a meet. They freak out, and I think with me, it helps because I go up to Champaign and practice on completely different poles than what I jump on at regular meets."

AW: Talk about Dave [Cluver] — a coach at PV Junkies in Champaign where Hemmen practices — and how he's helped you become a better pole vaulter?

IH: "Dave is a big part of how I pole vault. Coming into this year, he was a big motivator because he pole vaulted in high school, and his senior year — in one of his first meets — he broke his wrist, and he ended up being able to jump the last three meets of his season. But the whole year, he motivated me. At practice, he's always enthusiastic and has energy, and even if you don't, he gives it to you. He's always wanting you to do better; never gets mad at you if you can't fix it; he finds another way to fix it."

AW: Who are some of the most influential people in your pole vaulting career?

IH: "My first influencer was Mallory Stone in junior high. She taught me everything to start with, and that's how I succeeded in junior high. Then, I would say Mr. Fritcher; he helped me in state eighth-grade year and all through that year. Then, the McWhorter's. Micah [McWhorter] gave me the reigns freshman year, showed me how you guide high school, and helped with everything — not just track. Then, when I started going up to club, I met all these people who were also pole vaulters, and I look up to a lot of them because of the way they practice and work hard. The main coaches' son up there has many records, and watching him jump is a good way to start practices."

AW: Talk about your routine?

IH: "When I get to a meet, I zone in, make sure I'm focused, and not worrying about everyone else. I ensure I'm in my spot, not freaking out. I get my shoes on and get everything ready; make sure my hair's braided and not in my face. Then, I do a warmup, get ready to jump and do some warmups on the runway. Then, when I get on the runway, for my first jumps, I'll say, 'Get your hands up. Get to the pit. Swing up fast, all the way upside-down. Be patient, and then let it happen.' Then, I count my steps and jump when I run down the runway."

Contact EDN Sports Editor Alex Wallner at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.