Smithville's Nikolette Schmidt looks to improve on fifth-place in pole vault at state meet
Smithville’s Nikolette Schmidt is looking forward to competing for the University of Houston, but first she has some unfinished business at the Class 4A state track and field meet.
The 5-foot-7 senior said her primary goal in the pole vault is to earn a medal, meaning a top-three finish. Her secondary goal is to set a personal record of 13 feet.
“I’ve been shooting for the 13 mark for a while,” she said. “Hopefully, that’ll happen at state.”
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She has set high expectations because this is her final meet.
“I just have to tell myself this is the last time I’ll be jumping in high school and just make the best of it,” she said.
Last year, Schmidt placed fifth at state with a PR of 12-6. She had some near misses at early heights but remained competitive. Competing against some of the best vaulters in the state and in front of a large crowd of spectators wasn’t as difficult as she imagined.
“Once I got my first jump out of the way, I was fine,” she said.
This season hasn’t progressed as she anticipated. She finished sixth in Group B at the Texas Relays at 12-1½ but has duplicated her PR. She captured first at the regional meet at 11-6 but missed at 12-0.
“I know I’m capable of jumping higher,” she said. “It’s been a slow season.”
Schmidt was also the starting catcher on the softball team, but she’s now zeroed in on the vault after the Tigers lost to Salado in the bi-district round of the playoffs.
The pole vault demands not only athleticism but also technique. Under former collegiate vaulter Brian Elmore at Austin Pole Vault, Schmidt has been focusing on achieving a plant with her 14-foot pole in the box with both arms outstretched and vertical.
Normally starting 75 feet from the box in competition, Schmidt has recently been working on short approaches.
“Get my jump the way I want before I move back to my long run,” she said.
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Schmidt signed a combined athletic and academic scholarship with Houston on Nov. 8 and plans to major in pre-med. She also took official visits to Texas State, Kansas State, UTSA and Tarleton State.
“The coaching staff is way better than any I can think of,” Schmidt said of Houston, whose head coach Leroy Burrell and assistant coach Carl Lewis are Olympic gold medalists. “It’s also close to home.”
The Houston pole vault coach is Kyle Tellez, the son of former longtime head track and field coach Tom Tellez.
“He knows what he’s doing,” Schmidt said. “I don’t know him on a personal basis yet.”
Tellez and Elmore know each other well and “have the same ideas” on the pole vault, Schmidt said.
Canyon’s Kashlee Dickinson, the defending state champion, enters with a PR of 13-6 from the region meet. Alenica Lentz of Canyon Lake cleared 13-4 at region. The third highest vaulter is Sunnyvale’s Emma Tindall at 12-6.
The 4A pole vault starts at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Mike Myers Stadium at the University of Texas.
UIL Track and Field State Meet
Mike A Myers Stadium
Thursday: Classes 3A and 4A
Friday: Classes 2A and 5A
Saturday: Classes 1A and 6A
-Saturday, , field events start at 9 a.m., running events start at 5 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Smithville pole vaulter Nikolette Schmidt ready for state meet
