Ryan Gaiesky could be a coach's worst nightmare.
The 14-year-old shattered his personal best in high jump Saturday during the annual Prince George Track and Field Club's annual Sub Zero Meet at Masich Place Stadium. Gaiesky's accomplishment is even more remarkable because he hadn't practiced his jumping since last year at the B.C. Summer Games.
"I just kind of did it," said Gaiesky about breaking the 1.57 metre bar without any practice. "I have no idea how."
At the last summer games, Gaiesky set his personal best mark at 1.49m. In addition to his first-place finish in the boys under-16 high jump, Gaiesky also won the hurdles (15.27 seconds), and was second (10.15m) in triple jump. In his final event Gaiesky placed third (4.74m) in long jump.
In addition to Gaiesky there were about 120 athletes from schools in Quesnel, McBride, Houston, Smithers, Vanderhoof and Nisga competing at the 2013 Sub Zero Meet. Unlike last year when Mother Nature provided Sub Zero temperatures, the athletes were given a prelude to the upcoming summer season at this year's meet.
"It's much nicer when it's warmer," said Carlee Campbell, an under-16 junior competitor in high jump and triple jump.
Campbell said she was able to practice her high jumping last Tuesday for the first time this season, which helped her take first place when she cleared the bar at 1.45m. Unlike her teammate though, Campbell said she could've used more practice because she was unable to reach her PB of 1.50m.
"My shoulders were a little off and I need to work on my arms more," said Campbell. "I have to pull them up instead of swinging them back."
In triple jump, the 15-year-old placed second with a jump of 9.50m. In the hop, skip and jump competition Campbell has a PB of 9.91m.
Campbell moved to Prince George two years ago from Kamloops where she recalls participating in many track meets and watching as Prince George high jumper Alix Treasure set the bar for the all the girls following her.
"Her events were always before my events so I would always just watch her," said Campbell. "It just looked like it was nothing, like it was effortless. Now that I've done it for a while it's getting [that way for me]."
After moving to Prince George, Campbell started working on her high jumping technique and skills with former P.G. Track and Field Club president and coach Tom Masich.
"She psyches herself out a bit but she's pretty coachable and she wants to understand when we introduce something new on her approach or her rise towards the bar or her back over top of the bar," said Masich. "She wants to learn both practically and technically how to do those things.
"She's got a pretty technical mind," he added. "She knows where she wants to go and we're going to have to work doubly hard on getting her there."
Campbell said it's her goal to qualify for the annual Legion Games, in Langley this summer, but Masich prefers his student pace herself and instead focus on improving her technique so when the Grade 9 student reaches Grade 12 she'll battle for first place at the B.C. High School provincial championship.
"It might hurt a little bit but in order to go [to Legions] for B.C., where the best girl jumpers are in Canada, realistically Carlee would have to be jumping 1.70 to 1.75m," said Masich. "I think there are other goals to go for to gradually upgrade.
"A lot has to do with her," he added. "She's got to do it one practice, one competition at a time, as do all the athletes in other events, and just concentrate on personal betterment not too lofty a goal."
For complete results from the Sub Zero Meet visit www.pgtrackandfield.ca.
