Joey Uhle: Ready for Take Off

When Olentangy Liberty’s Joey Uhle leaves for college in June it will be the first time in 18 years he won’t be with his brother Chris. The identical twins have been by each other’s side from the start.

“Chris and I shared a room when we were born until we were 14. We’ve played sports together all of our lives. It started with soccer and baseball, then track, and pole vaulting.”

Their father triple jumped and high jumped in high school and a little in college, but his knowledge of pole vaulting came from another Uhle, his older brother Mike, who started out as a runner for Olentangy Liberty. His ride home from practice was a pole vaulter so he always had to wait around and figured if he is there why not give it a try. Mike went onto jump 16-3 his senior year at Nike Nationals and paved the way for his younger brothers.

“Between 7th and 8th grade we went to pole vault camp and Mike was there and we jumped with him. We didn’t know what we were doing we were just kind of messing around with it.  My freshman year we started practicing and getting serious, really jumping, and learning technique. We jumped that indoor season and we both did pretty well. I jumped 13-6 and Chris jumped 14 feet at the end of that season so we’ve jumped competitively since our freshman year.”

Two twin brothers living in the same house, playing the same sport, and constantly being around each other, there has to be some fights... right?  Joey says it happens sometimes like most siblings, but overall they are both in the sport to win, and their bond as brothers only drives them to compete harder.

“The thing about having Chris pole vault is that we both pole vault well and having someone there every week to compete with you is always good because it’s never a dull meet.  Usually when we come in most of the people have already gone out. It’s always good to have at least one competitor to push you at an event. If you're identical twins you have the same genetics so if one is good at one thing why not the other!”

Both Uhle’s have seen their vaults progress over three feet the past three seasons. The competition has let each brother experience victory as well as defeat to one another. Joey says he has had the recent success, but over the course of their high school careers it’s been a back and forth battle.

“Recently, I’ve been winning more meets than he has. Usually I jump better than him but every once in a while he will get a better height. Last year, we were neck and neck the whole season I jumped 16-5 and he jumped 16-6, then we both jumped 16-7, the next week I jumped 16-8, then two weeks later at the state meet Chris jumped 16-9, and that’s the outdoor state record. He has the outdoor state record and I have the indoor state record.”

Joey and Chris also compete in running events for Olentangy Liberty. Chris is a distance runner while Joey’s focus is on the hurdles. The difference on the track is what helps them stay different from one another.

“We’re identical and everyone groups us together in everything. I think my sprinting events and Chris’s distance events are a way to separate ourselves so we don’t get grouped together. It’s always good to be yourself and be an individual. We both try and get points for our team. I know Chris can score in the 800 and I can score in the hurdles and sprints so we try and go for points.”

At the end of the year it will be time for the boys to head off to college. Chris is heading to Virginia Tech while Joey will attend the Air Force Academy. Joey admits it will be bitter sweet leaving his brother, but it’s something that was eventually going to happen.

“I’ve wanted to go to the Air Force Academy since I was in sixth grade and Chris never wanted to go there. We knew the time would come so it wasn’t a big shock. My uncle is in the Air Force and flies F-16 airplanes. I’ve always envied him and thought that’d be something fun to do.”

It is only fitting that Joey chose the Air Force Academy, he attends Olentangy Liberty, and their mascot is the Patriots.  As a member of the high school ROTC for a short time, he says it is the core values that the military stands for and the ability to give back his country and community that also stood out to him.

“I’ll go there for four years and get a degree. Then I am required to serve in the Air Force for five years. I was planning on joining the military in some way and I might even stay longer than the five years depending on how much I like it and how it works out for me.”

His eyes are firmly planted on breaking his state record and eclipsing 18 feet by the end of the year--nine inches away from his personal best of 17-3. It’s a mark he feels he can achieve and one that will set the tone for his collegiate career and pole vaulting future.

“I’m moving up poles, moving back steps, and getting faster so it doesn’t seem like it’s out of my grasp. If I can get 18 feet which is the Olympic qualifying standard it counts toward the trials for 2012. It would be a good idea of where I need to be. 2016 is my ultimate goal for the Olympics.”

How sweet would it be to have his brother right by his side in the red, white and blue one day?

“It’d be great. Next year, hopefully we will both make it to Nationals and I’ll be competing against him there. We vault against each other every day so it will be nice to relive old memories.”

Neither Uhle’s will have much free time as collegiate athletes, but when they do get back to Ohio to visit the family Joey says it won’t involve pole vaulting.

“I think it’s going to be strictly a vacation.”

Watch Joey Uhle Clear 17'3" at the Arnold Classic

 

 

Watch the Hilliard Bradley D1 District battle between Joey, Chris and Jake Blankenship