As senior pole vaulter Trevor Woods prepared himself for an attempt at a new season best during the Oregon Twilight, words of encouragement flowed from the mouths of his Duck teammates.
The determined Coos Bay native then sprinted towards his takeoff point, lifted himself more than 17 feet into the air and tried desperately to avoid knocking the bar from its resting place. Woods cleared the bar by the slimmest of margins, sending the crowd and his teammates into an eruption of applause.
Judging by the reaction of Woods’ teammates, it was impossible to decipher who had just set a new season best. Each Oregon vaulter expressed so much joy that it would be easy to think that all four had cleared the bar at the same time.
While track and field is often viewed as individual competition, the team-oriented aspect of the sport often goes unnoticed.
One peek inside the oval at Hayward Field would introduce an observer into a world where individual successes are treated as team accomplishments. No group of track and field athletes exemplifies this mentality more than a quartet of Oregon pole vaulters. Tommy Skipper, David Moore, Jon Derby and Woods have about as much fun as athletes can while competing, and are constantly pushing one another to succeed.
“It’s a great group of guys,” pole vaulting coach Mark Vanderville said. “They’re always helping each other.”
While each athlete possess a different level of athletic ability, no accomplishment goes unnoticed and no failure comes without positive encouragement.
Skipper is the youngest and most physically gifted of the four Ducks. The freshman from Sandy set the school record in early February (18-8 3/4) and is routinely so far ahead of the competition that he is left to vault against himself by the end of the event. Despite his success, the 2003 Track and Field News’ Boys Athlete of the Year often shows more interest in the accomplishments of his fellow Ducks.
Moore is a the second youngest of the group and recently set a new season best at the Oregon Twilight (16-5 1/2). The redshirt freshman from Orinda, Calif., was a decorated prep athlete and knows his best vaulting is ahead of him. While Moore’s marks are improving, he is usually left to watch his teammates attempt greater heights by the end of the event. Still, Moore is always utilizing his time on the field in a productive manner. When he’s not vaulting, the former prep All-American is discussing technique with Vanderville or cheering on his teammates.
Moore is also one of the friendliest guys you could run into. Helping answer this reporter’s questions has never been a bother, even if it means a long distance phone call from Texas or speaking through chattering teeth while sitting waist-deep in a garbage can full of ice water after a hard workout.
Derby is the comedian of the group, always ready to make a teammate or a reporter laugh. The redshirt sophomore from North Bend is one of the hardest workers on the team and doesn’t let a bad day get him down. Despite not having his best stuff at the Oregon Twilight (fifth, 15-11 3/4), he was focused on the success of his teammates and even had the time to ask this reporter how he was doing.
Woods is the eldest of the group and epitomizes consistency and hard work. He garnered All-American status each of the last two years and is always trying to improve on his shortcomings as a vaulter.
Woods’ knowledge is likely one of his greatest assets to the team. After no more than 20 seconds of conversation with the 2000 Marshfield High School valedictorian, you realize you’re in the presence of a smart man.
With the regular season having come to a close, the next available chance to see this quartet of pole vaulters together is at the Pacific-10 Conference Championships in Tucson, Ariz. on May 14-15.
If you have the chance to see these Ducks in action, you better watch close.
Or you’ll never be able to tell who’s having a good day.