From the June 5 Edition of The Bridgeport News
Girls State Track Meet

by Jeff Toquinto
Editor of The Bridgeport News

There was a time during this year's track season when
Emilee Stout wondered if all the hard work would pay
off. Early on, the Bridgeport High School junior pole
vaulting specialist wasn't asking that question.
In the first two weeks of the season, she had broke
her own record and then the BHS record. But after that
strong showing, things began to go a bit south, and
for several weeks her marks in the pole vault at
various meets were, at best, average.
Fortunately for Stout, and the rest of the Indians,
she found her groove by the time regional competition
came around. And, when the season culminated Saturday
at Charleston's Laidley Field, Stout found herself in
possession of a new state record and the Indians in
possession of fourth place in Class AA.
Stout, along with freshman phenom Lauren Gilbert,
helped BHS to fourth with 50 points. It marked the
second straight top five finish as the girls took second a year ago.
The two-day meet got off to a strong start Friday with
Stout's effort. One week after clearing what 10 feet,
6 inches at the Region II championships, which was
already 6 inches better than the state meet's
best-ever vault, Stout went an inch higher.
Stout's capital clearance was 10 feet, 7 inches. And,
since it took place at the state meet, it was an official state record.
"I don't remember anything when I was going up for the
jump," said Stout, who finished second last year at
the state meet with a jump of 9 feet. "As soon as I
came down on the mat, I thought of my parents and all
the work, and I started to cry."
Her coach, Jim Dawson, knew the effort was possible.
"She's a fierce competitor," said Dawson. "The best
always rise to the occasion."
Just a few weeks earlier, a state-clearing vault
didn't seem possible. A mid-season slump left her
chances of even qualifying for Charleston up in the air.
"I don't know what happened," she said. "It came out
of nowhere, but it seemed to me like a mental
block."What it may have been, however, was the need
for a new pole. With help from various parties, Stout
opted for some new poles.
"I used three different poles during the end of the
season," said Stout. "It really seemed to make a difference."
That, of course, and a lot of hard work.
The effort was reward for Stout's off-season track
efforts that came amidst plenty of other activities.
Along with being a member of the cheerleading squad,
Stout spent the past summer lifting and running, as
well as taking gymnastics and tumbling.
Although a lot of her time from August through
December centered around cheering, when January rolled
around, she added work on her vaulting to the
schedule. Stout headed to the campus of West Virginia
University and worked with coaches there in the Shell Building.
But, it didn't end there. When things went bad during
the middle of the season, Stout often found herself
back down at the track working on her vaulting early
in the mornings. If the weather was bad, she was
inside the gymnasium doing agility drills.
On Friday, everything - all the work, all the
failures, all the frustration and all the sweat - paid off handsomely.
"It was extremely frustrating at times this year,"
said Stout. " ... I had worked so hard and had so much
help, but in the end it all paid off."
While Stout took the Tribe's only first place and set
the state record, freshman Lauren Gilbert was busy
giving everyone a preview of things to come. Gilbert,
who scored 15.5 points and was the sixth high point
scorer, finished third in the 200, with a time of
26.77 seconds, and second in the 400, with a finish of
1 minute, .63 seconds, in her first-ever state track and field meet.
She did, that plus was a force in the relays, despite having a bum knee.
"Early in May I was confident I could do well at
states. But, when I got hurt around the second week
of May, I lost a lot of confidence," said Gilbert. "I
had a lot of support from my coaches and others. When
I went down to Charleston, something told me that I could do it."
Although she didn't place first, one has to wonder
what would have happened if Gilbert went to the meet
at 100 percent. Gilbert also wonders.
"It (the injury) affected my regional times and I
couldn't train for the state meet the way I wanted
to," said Gilbert. "I really lost a lot of confidence in myself."
The coach also has confidence in Gilbert. He's also
looking forward to the future with her.
"I think she can win both events next year," said
Dawson. "It's always nice to have natural talent in
any sport and to have three more years is icing on the cake."
Gilbert was also on the third place 4x100 relay team
with Aerial Biggs, Rachel Williams and Jamie Bragg.
They posted a time of 51.89 seconds.
The 4x200 meter relay also placed. The team of Sarah
Abbate, Biggs, Bragg and Kayla Lynch was sixth with a
time of 1 minute, 54.28 seconds.
Along with being strong in the relays, Bragg took one
of the club's highest individual finishes. Bragg's
mark of 15 feet, 9.5 inches was good for second place in the long jump.
"(Jamie) has performed extremely well in all of her
events," said Dawson. "She really excelled toward the end of her senior year."
Williams also placed in the event. She jumped 15 feet,
3.25 inches to earn fifth place.
Abbate also managed to place individually. Her time of
16.38 seconds was good enough for fourth in the 100 meter hurdle event.
"She's been consistent all year," said Dawson of
Abbate, "and she was again at the state meet."
In the high jump, the Indians had two individuals
place. Emily Carmichael's combined totals, and final
jump of 4 feet, 10 inches, was good enough for fourth
place. It was Carmichael's best jump of the year.
Williams, who also cleared 4 feet, 10 inches, took home sixth.