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Lauren Cashman has always had a flair for doing things in the air.
For 10 years, she competed as a skilled gymnast, so being airborne became very natural for her. Then in her freshman year at Montgomery, she made the transition into pole vaulting, something she felt she could excel at because of her extensive gymnastics background.
"After I stopped gymnastics, I was looking for a new sport to start, and knew that many former gymnasts turned to pole vaulting,'' said Cashman.
The change in sports has worked out great for Cashman, who quickly climbed to the top of the state rankings in the top pole vault as a sophomore last spring by clearing 12-0 at multiple meets, including when she finished first at the State Group 4 Championships and the Meet of Champions.
Cashman has picked up where she left off this indoor season, matching her personal best when she cleared a NJ#1/US#12 of 12-0 on Monday when finish first in the vault at the Somerset County Championships at Ocean Breeze to shatter the Montgomery school indoor record of 11-6 set in 2010 by Laura Ng at the State Group 4 Relay Championships. Cashman's 12-0 last spring represents the Montgomery school outdoor records.
NJ MileSplit recently caught up with Cashman for an in depth Q and A where he shed insight about a variety of topics, including her goals for the season, her training, how her gymnastics background has helped her vaulting, how she has continued her family legacy in track and field, and how she has become a true student of the sport.
So kick back and enjoy our latest installment of Feature Friday as we shine the spotlight on Montgomery pole vault star Lauren Cashman.
NJM: First off, congrats on matching your PR in the pole vault by clearing 12-0 at the Somerset County Championships. What is your reaction to your performance, and did you take any attempts at 12-6. If so, what were those attempts like? Did you come close to making it?
It felt good to compete again, and I was happy to have a solid jumping day. I took attempts at 12-3, which I came close to. There are just some small adjustments that need to be made for that height to come.
What are your biggest goals in the vault for this season and the upcoming outdoor season? I am guessing that 12-6 or even 13-0 are heights that you are focusing on trying to clear?
I am definitely focusing on clearing new heights this year. I am taking the season one meet at a time, and focusing on some meets later in the season, like Groups and MOCs.
What specifically do you think it will take to get yourself over those bigger heights. What phase or phases-approach, plant, take-off, penetration, rock back, stretch turn, etc. do you feel you need to improve to enable you to hit 12-6 and 13-0 etc?
I think continuing to work on my strength and speed will help get me over bigger heights. With this will come bigger poles which will help my vaulting.
What size pole are you using, and is it the same size pole as you used last spring?
I usually jump on 13' poles, and sometimes jump on lighter 13'6 poles, which are bigger than the poles I used last spring.
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Winning the State Group 4 title and the Meet of Champions as a sophomore last spring must have been such a thrill! What are your thoughts on what it meant to you to win those prestigious titles, and how much confidence did that give you heading into this season?
After the difficult year, and my freshman year spring season being canceled, I was grateful to get the chance to compete and win those titles, and see all the work I put in pay off.
When is your next meet?
I am competing on Monday, January 10th at Colts Neck and Friends Meet, which is at the Bennett Sports Complex in Toms River.
How and when did you get started in the sport of track and field?
I was a gymnast until I started track and field my freshman year, which is what got me interested in pole vaulting. After I stopped gymnastics, I was looking for a new sport to start, and knew that many former gymnasts turned to pole vaulting. I started learning to vault at a club the summer going into my freshman year because I knew I was interested in competing for my high school. I also have a brother, Ryan, who did track in high school and continued in college (he's currently a senior at Dartmouth). He initially introduced me to the sport.
What were your first thoughts after the first few times you ever vaulted? Lots of athletes try the vault, but many of don't stick with it because they get scared or they just don't feel comfortable doing it? How about you? Did you fall in love with vaulting right away?
It definitely took some time to get used to, but I do think my gymnastics background helped me become more comfortable with it. I have always enjoyed vaulting and the process of learning the technique. I was a gymnast for about 10 years before I started vaulting. I think the strength and air awareness I gained from gymnastics has helped me with vaulting.
Most of the top vaulters train at a vaulting facility in addition to training with their high school team. How about you, Lauren?
I train at Philly Jumps Club with Talen Singer. I also train at my high school with Coach Bartholomew and Coach Lee, and our sprint coach, Coach Carty.
Most vaulters just focus on the vault and don't compete in other events. But you also run the sprints? Why is that, Lauren, and how much do you feel competing in the sprints helps you become a better vaulter?
I love getting the chance to help my team in any way that I can, and it definitely helps me become a better vaulter. The speed training that goes into it helps with my ground work on the runway.
When was your big breakthrough, when you realized that you could be a great vaulter and do big things in the event?
I think my breakthrough moment was after my first indoor season, when I was able to look back at my progress and see how much I improved throughout the season.
What do you love the most about being a vaulter?
My favorite part about pole vaulting is competing and reaching new heights, and I also love training with my team.
What is the most difficult part of vaulting? What's the hardest phase to learn?
The most difficult part of vaulting for me was learning to invert and how to get in a proper take off position.
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What do you consider your greatest strength as a vaulter? What makes you as great as you are?
I think my biggest strength is my speed on the runway. It is the first part of any jump, and I think a good run is important to a successful jump.
What was your training like since the season ended last spring? What kind of training/drills have you been doing?
I have been focusing on developing more strength and speed since last spring, along with vaulting sessions.
Since the vault is such a technical event, I was wondering if there is a vaulter or vaulters that you study by watching videos etc. to try to learn from? If so, who do you watch, and what have you learned from watching them?
Since I started vaulting, I have been watching vaulters like Katie Nageotte and Sandi Morris. I have learned more about the take off phase of jumps from watching them and the top end of finishing jumps. Note: Nageotte won the gold medal in the pole vault at the Olympics in Tokyo last summer, and Morris won the silver medal in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio).
What about the future, Lauren. Is vaulting at the college level something you plan to do, and what's your biggest long-term goal in the pole vault?
I am hoping to vault in the future at the college level, and hope to continue jumping new heights throughout my pole vault career.