This past spring, Dexter’s Cole Sheldon raced down the runway, planted the pole in the ground and went airborne. The junior cleared the bar and landed as the Division 1 state champion in the pole vault to cap off an amazing season.
Sheldon took first at the state finals in June at East Kentwood High School in Grand Rapids, clearing the bar at 15 feet, 3 inches. His Dexter teammate Noah Schultz placed second with a jump of 14-9.
“Winning states and the SEC championship were my biggest highlights from this past season,” says Sheldon, who also was the top freshman in the state two years ago and placed fourth at the indoor states as a sophomore.
Dexter took 10th with 18 points at the state finals and Sheldon credits the team’s success to hard work. He also said this past season was challenging after missing last year because of the pandemic shutdown.
“I felt behind coming into the indoor season and felt like I had to relearn some stuff,” he says of missing his sophomore year. “We here at Dexter have great coaches and an almost year-round program.”
Sheldon says his brother got him started in the pole vault in seventh grade and now he’s all in.
“It was super fun so I gave it a shot and now I’m here,” he says. “I lift weights in my basement and practice six days a week during the season and two times a week out of season.”
Sheldon, 17, also excels in tennis (he plays doubles for the Dreadnaughts) and in the classroom (3.75 GPA). He hopes to continue his athletic career at the next level.
“I would love to vault in college but do not know where yet,” he said.
Sheldon has some big goals for next year but he’s used to clearing such lofty expectations. “I would like to be a state champ indoor and outdoor next year, and be the first Michigan pole vaulter over 17 feet,” he says.
