Brooks soars to state title in pole vault
CLARK FORK — Not every goal is achieved, but it’s always great to aim high.
When Clark Fork senior Brennan Brooks said at the start of the track season that he wanted to clear 14 feet in the pole vault, it would have been all too easy to chalk it up to youthful exuberance and big talk. After all, 14 feet is a magic number that few high schoolers ever reach, and is plenty high to draw the attention of college track coaches.
But damned if Brooks didn’t accomplish just that, capping a stellar season with a state title on Saturday at the 1A state track and field championships at Middleton High School.
Brooks and North Star League rival Carter Napierala, from Kootenai, have battled all season, posting some of the best marks in the state, regardless of their 1A classification. They waged a final battle on Saturday, amid windy conditions, with Brooks claiming the title after clearing 13-6 in fewer attempts.
“The look on his face of ‘I’ve finally won,’ that was great,” said Wampus Cats head coach Frank Hammersley. “They both represented the North Star League as gentlemen and true sportsmen.”
One of the keys to finally breaking through and beating Napierala, which Brooks did routinely as a junior, was the arrival of new poles midway through the season, which enabled him to keep raising the bar, as the league rivals both cleared 14-0 feet at districts. For perspective, the winning 5A mark at the state meet was just 14-6.
Brooks was also buoyed by an unexpected visitor at the state meet.
“My dad surprised me and flew down from Ohio the night before,” described Brooks, who took up the sport as a freshman in Galena, Ohio, before moving to Clark Fork two years ago. “It was fun during the meet because we’d (Napierala) been battling it out all year.”
A track coach from Eastern Oregon University approached Brooks after the meet, and he’s got the speed, technique and athleticism to continue vaulting at the college level, if he so chooses.
Brooks was drawn to the event immediately as a freshman in high school, and other than being relegated to JV meets as a junior due to league rules, he’s been vaulting ever since.
“It’s fun to watch, that’s one thing I really like about it,” he said, calling the event unique. “When people watch, they’re kind of amazed at it.”
Upon arriving in Clark Fork, Brooks told Hammersley that he thought he could clear 14 feet. The state title is a great legacy, but Brooks has also left his mark coaching the younger Wampus Cats, including junior Brandan Bowen, freshman Max Icardo and a couple of girls.
There aren’t a lot of student athletes who double as coaches in high school, but Brooks’s extensive knowledge of pole vaulting made him the de facto coach for the event, and his legacy could lead to continued success for Clark Fork, which has only had a vaulting pit for two years.
“He made a decision to help the young kids. He spends a lot of time with them, and rarely gets a chance to vault himself,” said Hammersley, calling Brooks a perfect gentleman. “Anything you ask him to do, it’s ‘yeah coach.’ He’s very polite, studious and always willing to help. It was an honor to have someone like that to come help our program.”