Onalee Siegfried may only be an incoming sophomore, but she already has three United States Track and Field Junior Olympic appearances under her belt, and could get better, if history is any indication.
The Shawano Community High School pole vaulter finished 23rd out of 43 competitors at the Junior Olympics in Jacksonville, Florida, last week.
Siegfried’s leap of 9 feet, ¼ inch was almost 6 inches shy of her personal best, which was at the Region 8 qualifying event in Des Moines, Iowa, two weeks earlier.
However, she remained humbled from her third straight appearance.
“It was real nice, because I am not one of the best, but you can look up to people and learn a lot from people,” Siegfried said. “It was a great experience, because everyone helps you out, and shares their goals and experiences.”
Previously, she took 27th among 35 competitors in the 2014 USATF Junior Olympics in 2014 (8-8¼), and 22nd in her first appearance in the 13-14 age group in 2013 with a jump of 7-6½.
Despite the improvement, she has a strong desire to get better, averaging about 9 feet her freshman year at SCHS.
“Now I am just kind of stuck, so now I am working on getting stronger and building better form,” she said.
Siegfried, a member of the Green Bay-based AP Vaulters, has relied heavily on her club coach, Don Penza, and SCHS assistant track coach Tom Egan, along with her father and former pole vaulter, Rodney Siegfried.
Also, having recent SCHS graduate Dan Boivin, a boys state qualifier in the event last year, as her neighbor has been a valuable resource, she said.
Egan helped her through her freshman year at SCHS, where she notched top three finishes in seven of 12 meets, including a high school personal best of 9-6 at the May 16 Bay Conference Championship in Marinette.
“She has got a lot of potential, and she works out during the summer and has decent speed,” said Egan, who noted she is also a sprinter in both the 100- and 200-meter dash.
Siegfried has her eyes set on clearing the bar at 11 feet next year.
“I really want to get at 11. I am so close. I just want to get it,” she said.
Egan indicated 11 feet is a benchmark at the challenging WIAA Division I Sectionals, where Siegfried took seventh at 9-3. The top three finishers advanced to the WIAA State Track and Field Championships either meet, or eclipse, the benchmark.
“We are one of the hardest sectionals in the state, so in order to make it to state, they have to clear at least 11 feet,” Egan said. “West De Pere has a couple of tough vaulters that go beyond that.”
Egan said her work ethic and guidance from her father, club coach and Boivin gives her an inside edge to improve.
“She is a great kid and works hard,” Egan said. “She just needs to step out of her comfort zone and pick up additional speed.”
Siegfried will enter her first full season on the Shawano swim team in the fall, which she said helps her improve resistance training. She missed portions of last year’s swim season due to illness.
