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| Kim Vanderzee (Shoreline, Wash.),
Katie Bolt (Grand Rapids, Mich.), and Lauren Colyn (Battle Creek,
Mich.) |
The Calvin women high jumpers had a goal to finish one, two three at
some meet, some time this year. Given that the threesome interchanged
all of those spots among each other at meets during the year, the goal
seemed attainable.
“I’m surprised we never got it,” said Kim Vanderzee,
of Shoreline, Wash. “We would go one, two or two, three, but we
never were able to all finish in the top three.”
Still having three high jumpers on the same team — Katie Bolt,
Lauren Colyn and Vanderzee — who are among the league’s best
is quite an achievement in itself. In fact, each of these jumpers has
already posted a jump that is among the top eight in Calvin track history.
“It’s pretty rare to have three high jumpers that are that
close,” said Bolt, a freshman from Grand Rapids, Mich. “We
are always just inches apart or even tied. Being so close like that really
helps in competition because if one of us makes it, the others know they
can too.”
The camaraderie among the jumpers has certainly helped, said Vanderzee,
who was Calvin’s lone high jumper as a freshman last year. “It’s
been great training together,” she said. “We all go through
the same struggles together; when one of us succeeds, it really works
to lift us all up.”
In fact, the cohesiveness of the group produces better jumps, Vanderzee
said. “We’re not competitive about places in the meet,”
she said. “It’s more about height. When I’m thinking
about what height I want to get, I also want them to get that height.
And when they’ve made a height, I’m thinking about making
it too, so we can keep on jumping together.”
Learning from each other at practice has also contributed to the trio’s
success.
“I changed my technique this year, and it’s been kind of
frustrating,” said Colyn, a freshman from Battle Creek, Mich. “It’s
been good to be able to watch Katie and Kim this year though. Kim has
excellent power and strength, and Katie has excellent technique.”
One, three, five was the placement at the MIAA championship, with Vanderzee
(5’4”) defending her title, Bolt (5’2”) taking
third and Colyn (5’2”) fifth.
During the season, Vanderzee (5’7”), Colyn (5’6”)
and Bolt (5’5 ¾”) qualified provisionally and advanced
to the NCAA III national championship. There Vanderzee and Bolt earned
All-American honors, both clearing 5’5 ¾”. Vanderzee
tied for second and Bolt tied for sixth (based on misses at the height).
Colyn was 14th with a jump of 5’3 ¾”.
All of the jumpers admit that high jumping is a complicated art. “It
is so detailed,” said Bolt. “The last three steps are the
most important; you have to go fast, really pound it, get your head back,
your hips and knees up, and you have to have the right rhythm. A good
jump has a certain feel to it.”
And there’s a little luck involved too, said Vanderzee. “It’s
almost impossible to get everything right in one jump. Some of my best
jumps have been at 5’2” or 5’4”, when I would
have cleared the bar if it had been set much higher. It just depends on
how high the bar is when you have a jump that comes all together.”
The trio has plenty of time to work on that though, as they’ll
all be back competing next year.
“The team dynamics here are awesome,” said Kim Vanderzee.
“Being able to develop with teammates at the physical level for
track and at the social level and spiritual level is really awesome. We
are all united as a track team and in Christ, and we all have the same
goal of letting our talents shine for God. Developing the kind of relationships
— really supportive and caring relationships — through track
is what God wants of us. It’s great to be a part of that.”
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