Hanging out with Hollister High’s Steve Bianchi at the Hartnell
College high jump pit the other day as the Balers were in the midst
of taking the Tri-County Athletic League title. Seems there’s such
a thing as high jump etiquette.
Hanging out with Hollister High’s Steve Bianchi at the Hartnell College high jump pit the other day as the Balers were in the midst of taking the Tri-County Athletic League title. Seems there’s such a thing as high jump etiquette.
Call it Jumps Etiquette 101.
Bianchi insists one can’t yell before the guy actually clears the bar and that the bar must be a non-dropsky, a stayer-onner. Then you can go bananas.
In other words, don’t jinx the jumper by belting out “God Bless America” before the cat has jumped over the fence, so to speak. Plus, one looks like a buffoon if one goes ape right before the guy knicks the bar off with his shoelace on the way down. Bianchi indirectly chided some fans from a nameless school for doing just that.
Must have been first track and field meeters.
And, one can even argue the same with the triple and long jumps. Don’t explode until you know that the jump is fair and not foul.
Truthfully, watching events such as the high jump and the pole vault takes some experience. One has to know how to act and when to react. I find the high jump and pole vault the two most exciting field events, especially when there is a duel going on. One jumper clears one height and then the other equals it. And if it’s on the last attempt, it’s as exciting as some past Super Bowl finishes.
Digging further, it’s the anticipation. The wait. The jumper takes his or hers time and visualizes clearing the bar directly in front. Adding some fuel is the jealous factor.
I have a three-inch vertical.
As Hollister’s Danny Brooks was dueling Michael Edwards of Salinas in the varsity competition Saturday, I couldn’t help to get involved. It was really hard for me to stay cool. I wanted the pair to jump forever.
Anything you can do, I can do better. Oh, yeah! Take this!
And the wise Baler jumps coach David Kaplansky, who is young enough to be my son (well, let’s not get carried away), muttered to Brooks – who had just cleared 6-4 – that “Edwards had 6-4 in him.”
Kaplansky, ever the soothsayer, was right. Edwards did clear 6-4 on his final attempt. Brooks and Edwards each had three tries at 6-6. Edwards wasn’t close. Brooks balked in his first attempt. It might have been 6-10. On his second effort, however, Brooks barely grazed the bar on the way down and it fell. He was a fraction of an inch to a PR.
That experience alone will prove valuable to Brooks at this Saturday’s Central Coast Section. He’ll be taking off at approximately 2 p.m., along with Bianchi, who no doubt will be keeping an eye on jumps etiquette.
Baler fans can also practice their jumps etiquette with pole vaulter Stephanie Starritt and high jumper Sarah Groman. Starritt and Groman kick the meet off at 10 a.m. They’ll be up against it to qualify for the CCS finals in those events, judging from posted CCS top marks on dyestat.com. Starritt should qualify if she can crank out a 10-6, which she has been doing fairly regularly. She has the school record at 11-0. If she does that at the CCS finals on May 30 (especially on her first try), she’ll probably land at the CIF state meet.
However, Groman’s 2003 standard of 5-2 might not get her in, even to the CCS finals. Counting Los Altos’ Allie Miller’s 5-6 which she established at the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League qualifier on Saturday, three girl high jumpers have cleared that mark, which is tops in CCS thus far. Five others have cleared 5-5. Six girls, counting Groman, have cleared 5-2 this season. With only nine spots for the CCS finals, that makes Saturday’s competition in the girls high jump fierce.
I like watching Groman leap. I saw her go 5-4 as a sophomore at Andy Hardin Field and as a junior. She went 5-4 in practice last Thursday. I know she can do it. She knows she can do it. Depending on what transpires with the Haybaler softball team Wednesday, I may or may not be at San Jose City College on Saturday.
But, I’ll be there on May 30 at San Jose CC for the finals. I know Groman will do her very best to get there, too. Heck, last year as a junior at CCS, she was one of four girls who went 5-4, the top mark of the night. She earned a trip to the state meet due to fewer misses, edging out the talented Miller. Groman should benefit tremendously from jumping, not only at CCS, but at state last year.
I’m going to assume she’ll make to the CCS finals. I’ll be there, watching my jumps etiquette, which I am never very good at, even with Bianchi as teacher.
