Matt Rowland Bellevue, 2013
Personal Bests
- 110 Meter Hurdles 15.10
- 200 Meter Dash 23.64
- 300 Meter Hurdles 40.70
- Pole Vault 16-6.75
Bellevue Senior Matt Rowland has been vaulting since the 5th grade. He once struggled with getting inverterted. This year he is pushing the 17' barrier with his sights set not only on his third straight D2 State title and the D2 record of 16-04 set in 1986 by Medina Buckeye's John Coyne, but also on Jake Blankenship's All-Time Ohio mark of 17-02. He has the State's leading vault of 16-4.75 and now is undoubtedly, the best high school vaulter in Ohio.
OHRunners: Matt, you are the leading vaulter in the State at this time with a vault of 16-4.75. Indoors you went 16-6.75, ranking you 6th in the US. You were 3rd at New Balance Indoor Nationals with a vault of 16-5.25. Ohio over the last several years has been on the national scene with a trio of 17’ vaulters. You were quietly under the radar as a Sophomore in 2011 and as a Junior in 2012, winning the OHSAA State D2 vault titles with vaults of 14-09 and 16-1. What can we expect from you this outdoor season as much of the attention will shift to you?
Matt: I am hoping to have another good season. I hope to hit the 17' mark. I have come very close a couple times and believe I can get it. I also hope to win my third state title this season.
OHRunners: When did you first start vaulting?
Matt: I started vaulting in fifth grade at my Uncle Shawn Beamer’s clinic in Bellevue.
OHRunners: What type of drills or vaulting would a young 5th grader do?
Matt: I did a lot of grass drills and small drills into the pit like swing longs.
OHRunners: How would you describe your progression as a vaulter from your first competitive attempts to now?
Matt: I have changed a lot due to age. I was very young when I first started jumping. When I was young, it was more about just having fun with it. Now I focus on technique and working on the weak points in my jumps, striving to improve.
OHRunners: The first time that you planted the pole, swung upwards and inverted what were your thoughts? What were you thinking?”
Matt: I struggled for a while trying to get inverted and when I finally did at a practice it just clicked and became easier to me.
OHRunners: What specifically did you struggle with?
Matt: I had a mental block in getting inverted. I would get to my high hip triangle but could not get myself to drop my shoulders. I never gave up and kept practicing and when I finally hit it, it became easy.
OHRunners: Where do you practice indoors? Who coaches you through the indoor season?
Matt: I have multiple coaches indoors that I work with. I travel to as many clinics as I can to get multiple coaches views. I vault at indoor meets as an unattached competitor where I coach myself with my mom catching steps and putting any input she can to help.
OHRunners: What type of running workouts do you do? Lifting workouts?
Matt: In the off season of outdoors I have a personal trainer, Steve Hammersmith, who helps me lift and create cardio workouts. In the outdoor season I work out with the sprinters and hurdlers because I run multiple sprint events.
OHRunners: How important do you think it is that a vaulter participate in other running events? How important is speed in a vault?
Matt: When my legs feel good and strong then I know I am going to vault good. Running events and leg workouts are my main focus for preparing my outdoor season. Speed is very important in the vault. Controlling your speed coming into the jump will help you to load the pole at the bottom and gives you more power at the top it also helps in getting on bigger poles.
OHRunners: Can you describe a typical week of workouts for us Monday-Friday with a competition on Saturday?
Matt: During the week I do the sprint and hurdle workouts with the team and do what my Head Coach Nick Lilli has planned.
OHRunners: Can you be a little more specific as to vault workouts?
Matt: When I practice vaulting, I like to do short run drills because it helps me get more jumps and it slows down my vault which makes me focus on my technique more. Some of the drills I work on are straight pole drills, fly in drills, I also do short runs with bungies.
OHRunners: At this time, what is your motivation in a competition, as the 2nd leading vault in the State of any division is a foot and a half behind your 16-6.75 PR? (Senior Aaron Owens of Midpark at 15-0)
Matt: My motivation is to always do better and to keep breaking the D2 record. I also use the All-time record as motivation, as I hope to break that state record too.
OHRunners: How much does visualization play in vaulting?
Matt: Visualization plays a huge role in the vault. Being able to stay focused on the box while running and planting, driving and inverting while keeping an eye on the bar and knowing where you are in the vault.
OHRunners: In gymnastics when tumbling, one is taught to “spot” while twisting or rotating in the air. Do vaulters spot? How important is spacial awareness during a vault?
Matt: Vaulters do not spot. However, vaulters have what we call space awareness that is very important during the vault. When the vaulter leaves the ground they have to know that they are in the right position to continue through the rest of the vault. The awareness can continue through the rest of the vault in the inversion, knowing where the bar is and where we want to land.
OHRunners: How would you describe yourself as an athlete?
Matt: I am very competitive. My coach always says I hate to lose more than I love to win. I push myself to not only be a pole vaulter but an all around track athlete and score points for the team any way I can.
OHRunners: The last two years did you watch the State D1 vaulting competition? If so, what were your thoughts as you were watching? Was there motivation for you?
Matt: Yes, I have watched the D1 competition over past couple years, always looking up to Jacob Blankenship, Chris and Joey Uhle, as they are great vaulters and yes it was great motivation for me watching Jacob set the All-Time record last year.
OHRunners: You have the State OHSAA D2 record, besting a record set by Medina Buckeye’s John Coyne in 1986 of 16-04. Coyne’s vault is still the State Meet record. The all-time OHSAA record is 17-02 set last year by Gahana’s Jacob Blankenship. What are your goals for this outdoor season? Is 17’ insight?
Matt: I have had some really good looks at 17' and I hope to break the all-time record but I also hope to win my third state title.
OHRunners: Thanks Matt. We are looking forward to watching you vault and to another 17' vault season in Ohio.
