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03/21/2019 12:00 AMMichael Gingras was looking for an opportunity to showcase his athleticism when he started out at Westbrook High School. Michael found his niche in track and field and went on to reach great heights with the Knights.
Michael transferred to Westbrook from Valley Regional after his freshman year and then joined the indoor track team as a sophomore. He took on the high jump and pole vault and settled in nicely to both events.
This winter, Michael capped off his indoor track career by turning in some excellent showings at the postseason meets. Michael cleared 5 feet-4 inches to place third in the high jump and earn All-Conference Honorable Mention at the Shoreline Conference Championship, where he also finished fifth in the pole vault with a personal-record height of 11 feet. The senior went on to take fourth place in the pole vault at the Class S State Championship by reaching a height of 11 feet-6 inches.
“Hitting the personal record at Shorelines was fantastic. I was jumping up and down. When [Class of 2017 graduate Zach Jacobs] graduated, he told me I had to break the personal record,” says Michael. “That was my main goal this year, along with making the new pole work for me. I just stood on the runway, looked at the bar, and said, ‘I got this.’”
Michael maintains an active athletic lifestyle away from the track. These activities help him gain confidence for when it’s time to go airborne.
“I’ve done rock climbing and jump on trampolines a lot, so I enjoy being in the air,” Michael says. “So, then the pole vault goes hand-in-hand with all of that, and then it’s just adding the physics of bending in the air.”
It’s taken some time for Michael to find his ideal form in the pole vault. While there are many intricacies, Michael works diligently to perfect every part of the equation.
“Starting out, pole vault was kind of new at Westbrook, so it was about trying to find out how to train,” Michael says. “It’s about getting a feel for holding the pole, tracking, planting, and then going down the runway. And then jumping up in the air with two straight arms.”
Like Michael, Head Coach Sheridan Bauman had to learn her fair share about the pole vault when she took over Westbrook’s indoor program. The duo worked hard together to help Michael maximize his potential in the event.
“I was nervous, because I hadn’t coached that event in the past,” says Bauman. “But Mike is very coachable and has a good work ethic, so I knew we would figure it out together.”
Michael is looking forward to competing for the outdoor track team during the spring. Michael feels happy that Westbrook’s numbers are on the rise, and he believes they will be much more of a collective force in 2019.
“This will be my last track season, but I want to keep improving,” Michael says. “We will be competitive as a team, and it’s going to be more about where we go as a team.”