Wissahickon’s Cala Lejman has her sights set high heading into this week’s PIAA Class AAA Championships at Shippensburg University. The notebook also includes the SOL’s top-seeded competitors.
By DENNY DYROFF
Gymnasts are driven athletes – athletes with an overabundance of energy.
So, when a gymnast hangs up her leotard, she needs to find an outlet for all that surplus energy.
Some former gymnasts seek out a swim team and channel their energy into diving. Others turn to participating in dance competitions.
And, there are some who look to track and field competition – specifically to the pole vault event.
It makes sense.
The pole vault requires good running speed, overall agility, powerful legs, flexibility and upper body strength – all attributes of a top-flight gymnast.
One of those athletes who opted for pole vault competition in her post-gymnastics period is Wissahickon’s Cala Lejman.
Lejman spent her youth as a top-caliber competitor for Spirit Gymnastics in North Wales. She competed at Level IX – one step below the ultimate tier – and was a multi-year medalist at the state championship meet.
“After I finished with gymnastics, I needed something new to do with my time,” said Lejman. “I’m an active person and I can’t sit around doing nothing.”
So, Lejman began doing pole vault for the Trojans’ track and field team in her sophomore year -- and was a quick learner.
By the end of her junior year, she had improved enough to win the gold medal at the District 1 Class AAA Track and Field Championships at Coatesville High and place ninth at the PIAA Class AAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
Last weekend, Lejman returned to Coatesville Area Multipurpose Stadium and successfully defended her district title.
This weekend, she will return to Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium in search of a state medal – preferably a gold medal.
“My goals for states are to win a gold medal – and set a state record,” said Lejman. “The state record in 13-0.25. I’d like to go 13-3.”
Lejman is used to winning medals – a regular occurrence when she was competing for Spirit Gymnastics.
“When I stopped gymnastics, Ms. Butt (Wissahickon girls’ track coach Heidi Butt) asked me to come out for track,” said Lejman. “She said I should try pole vault. I definitely wanted to do some sprints – and maybe some field events because of my strength from gymnastics.
“I knew a lot of ex-gymnasts who used to be pole vaulters. There are also a lot of college pole vaulters who were gymnasts when they were younger.”
Butt said, “Cara came out for track when she was a sophomore and did okay at pole vault. She got the knack.
“She’s obviously very strong and very flexible – the perfect combination for pole vault. She also has run the 4x100 and open 100 for us.
“She’s very motivated individually and works out a lot on her own. She also trains with the Philadelphia Jumps Club on her own time. I can’t take any credit for her success. I just take her to the meets, tell her to do well and congratulate her when she does.”
Lejman is a natural athlete who figured out the mechanics of pole vaulting with relative ease.
“My favorite part of pole vaulting is when you get over the bar and know you’ve cleared it,” said Lejman, who will compete for Villanova University for the next four years.
“And, I like running down and getting a good plant. It took me an extremely long time to get the timing down for my plant.”
Lejman’s best height as a sophomore was 6-6. Last year as a junior, she took first at the Suburban One League American Conference Championships.
One week later, she snagged the gold medal at the District 1 meet with a height of 11-6. A week after that, she posted the same height at the PIAA Championships to finish ninth in the state.
A few weeks ago, Lejman repeated as American Conference champion at 12-0 – a height that was a personal best, a school record and a meet record.
Last weekend, she won her second straight District 1 gold medal even though she only cleared 11-0.
“It was frustrating at districts this year,” said Lejman, who is the only Trojan girl to win district gold in pole vault.
“But, there was a cross-wind and I was sick. I had a cold, a sinus infection, and allergy problems. I couldn’t breathe right and my balance was off. I feel better now.”
The pole vault competition presents challenges vaulters rarely encounter during the regular season meets.
At most meets, the vault runway and pit are in locations away from spectators. At Seth Grove Stadium, the competition area is just inside the track in front of the main stands – at about the 50-yard line.
The fans in the packed stands are right there 20 yards away from the pit -- and they’re paying attention to the pole vault competition. The vaulters are far from anonymous at this meet.
“This isn’t a problem for me because I’m used to competing in gymnastics with the audience’s attention focused on what I’m doing,” said Lejman.
“At the state meet in Shippensburg last year, the fans’ energy kept me going. I’m very competitive and it helped me. Gymnastics got me used to competing in front of big crowds.”
This weekend, Lejman is returning to the big stage. And, if things go as she has planned, she’ll return home from her “Trip to Ship” with the big prize – a state meet gold medal.
That is the final goal of her high school track career.
******
When the track and field season gets underway each spring, the state’s premier athletes all start with the same goal – making it to states.
Once they have accomplished that goal with their performances at the district meet – a meet that is also the qualifying meet for the state meet – their goals become more specific.
Harry S Truman’s sprint ace Sayyid Saunders, who was gold medalist in the 100 and bronze medalist in the 200 at districts, said, “My goal for states is to get a medal in the 100 – a top two medal – and to run a 10.5
Souderton’s Stephen Scott, who took district gold in the 300 hurdles and silver in the 110 hurdles, said, “I definitely want to improve on my fifth-place finish at states last year in the 300 hurdles.”
Scott is seeded second in the 300 hurdles and ninth in the 110 hurdles
“My goal in the 300s next weekend us to compete and win – and to run a 37.0,” said Scott. “I don’t have a real goal for the 110s. I just want to beat my p.r. (personal record), which is 14.77. I’d be happy with a 14.5.”
SOL athletes account for quite a few of the number one seeds at this weekend’s state meet.
Saunders, a Truman junior, is seeded first in the 100 and second in the 200, and Souderton senior Shamar Jenkins has the top seed in triple jump at 48-11.25.
Central Bucks West is seeded first in the 4x800 relay at 7:48.96, and Central Bucks South’s Matthew Scarpill has the number one seed in the 1,600 with a 4:16.45.
******
Cheltenham’s girls’ team won its fifth straight district team championship and now is attempting to win the state championship for the fourth year in a row.
The Panthers’ foursome of Bria Barnes, Ciani Fleming, Alexis Crosby and Chanel Brissett has the top seed in the 4x100 at 47.62. Cheltenham is also seeded second in the 4x400.
Individually, Brissett is seeded first in the 200 at 24.29 and second in the 100 hurdles at 14.11.
“My goals for states are 12.8 or lower in the 100 hurdles,” said Brissett, who will compete for the University of Southern California next year. “For the 200, I don’t really have a goal yet – maybe 23.7.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh junior Taylor O’Brien claimed the gold medal in high jump at districts at 5-8 and that height earned her the top seed for this year’s state meet. She is also seeded seventh in the 300 hurdles.
“The gold medal and 5-10 would be nice at states,” said O’Brien, who is also one of the premier basketball players in the area. “Hopefully, I can win the hurdles race too.”
North Penn’s Uche Nwogwugwu, who is looking to defend her state title in the 400, is seeded second for this weekend’s meet at 54.87.
“Defending my title makes me a little nervous – but I’m used to it,” said Nwogwugwu, who is headed to the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. “I got a p.r. at the Penn Relays and hopefully it will carry through.”
The Knights’ 4x800 team of Ariana Gardizy, Jenna Webb, Nwogwugwu and Vlasic has the top seed as does the North Penn 4x400 team of Vlasic, Natalie Kwortnik, Jess Brenfeld and Nwogwugwu.
Upper Dublin’s Madison Langley-Walker has the top seed in the 300 hurdles (43.41), the third seed in long jump and triple jump and the fifth seed in the 100 hurdles.
“At states, I want to run a 42 in the 300s and a 13.9 in the 100 hurdles,” said Langley-Walker, a junior. “I’m looking for 20 feet in long jump and 41 in triple jump – and medals in all four.”
- Log in to post comments
