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Kyle Brown, a graduate of Central Valley High School, set a personal best of 17 feet, 7 inches as a pole vaulter with Brigham Young University this season.

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CV grad vaults to success, stays grounded in principles
6/30/2015 10:46:26 AM

 

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Kyle Brown, left, and his BYU teammates Braydon Bringhurst (center) and Adam Mikkelsen were among the top NCAA pole vaulters in the Western region this year.

By Craig Howard
Splash Contributor 

Practice, resilience and a profound work ethic have lifted Kyle Brown to remarkable heights.

A 2009 graduate of Central Valley High School, Brown scaled his way to prominence this year with the Brigham Young University track squad. At the end of the outdoor season, the former Liberty Lake resident ranked 21st among NCAA Division I pole vaulters with a personal best of 17 feet, 7 inches. 

"Kyle is a great asset to the team," BYU Track and Field Associate Head Coach Mark Robison said. "He's an extremely hard worker. He started here as a walk-on and has just been outstanding." 

Although Brown did not quite reach his goal of advancing to the NCAA Championships, falling short at the regional meet at the University of Texas, he will return to BYU for a final season and another chance at a Division I medal. Brown found out just before the regional meet he had the beginnings of a stress fracture but declined to use it as an excuse. He said the disappointment of not moving onto nationals will serve as "a big motivator to come back better than ever."

"Heading into my last year of school, I plan to give it my all," Brown said. "I finally have a decent idea of how to juggle academics, athletics and everything else that's going on in my life. I know how to give 100 percent in every aspect of my life while maintaining balance, which is absolutely key."  

In April, Kyle captured first place at the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Ariz., scaling just over 17 feet and collecting 10 points for the Cougars, who wound up third as a team. The indoor season found the senior third among competitors from schools like Stanford, Arizona and the University of Washington. 

Achieving recognition as one of the country's top pole vaulters seemed unlikely when Kyle first took up the event at Central Valley in 2006. As a freshman, he failed to clear 10 feet and was told by one assistant coach to stick to running. 

By his senior year, the Liberty Lake resident had soared over 15 feet, 6 inches, setting a new school record. Brown won the regional title and placed fourth at the state meet, despite recovering from major knee surgery. 

"To me, it was about setting a goal and working toward it," Brown said of his ascension in high school. "You have to believe in yourself." 

Brown channeled that focus during the regional meet his senior year after splitting a pole on an attempt at 15 feet. The mishap injured Kyle's wrist but after a quick wrap, he returned, clearing the height and seemingly earning the regional crown. Then an observer brought up a rule that prohibits any type of hand wrapping or taping. 

Unfazed, Kyle addressed another vault at 15 feet. This time, he made the title official, scaling the equivalent of one-and-a-half basketball standards without a wrap.

"For Kyle to come back and clear that height after what happened was unbelievable," said Chuck Bowden, CVHS head track coach. "It was probably the greatest track and field moment I've seen since I've been coaching."

Since calling Utah home, Kyle said he has made significant strides in his signature event. 

"At BYU I have learned to work smarter, not just harder," he said. "This has helped me to stay healthy and to make big improvements in the technical aspects of the vault. My takeoff in particular has improved vastly. Most importantly, I've improved mentally. High performance in any pursuit, whether it be sports, music or anything else, requires focus, discipline and a positive attitude. In that regard, I've come a long way since high school."

While track and field is a priority for Kyle, he made the decision to walk away from competitive sports for two years to serve a mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lyon, France.  

"As I approached my 19th birthday, especially in the last few years of high school and my first year of college, I decided for myself that I wanted to serve a mission," Brown said. "The biggest factor influencing that decision was the way the gospel of Jesus Christ had blessed my family and myself." 

Brown's accomplishments in the classroom are as impressive as they are on the track. He was one of 50 LDS high school students awarded the Thomas S. Monson Scholarship upon graduation from CVHS and has maintained a 4.0 grade point average at BYU as a mechanical engineering major. 

"Kyle is an outstanding student and very representative of the church and is what you'd hope from someone who is a returned missionary, doing the things they ought to," Robison said. "He is a great example of what we like on our team, someone who is a complete person who has school and the church as very important parts of his life." 

This season, Brown had an opportunity to compete alongside world-class vaulters like Steve Lewis, the British record holder, and Brad Walker, the U.S. Olympian who graduated from University High School. Brown has set a goal of clearing 19 feet and competing on Team USA in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. For now, however, he is committed to the blue and white of BYU. 

"We are like a family," he said. "My teammates are some of my best friends, and I wouldn't trade anything for the opportunity to compete for BYU right now. We are surrounded by a great coaching staff and have all of the training resources we need to help us succeed. I count myself enormously blessed to be a part of BYU track and field. It's an honor every time I put on my BYU jersey."

Looking ahead to his final season at BYU, Brown said realizing his potential will require a steady, determined climb.

"As I begin applying to graduate schools and preparing for the next phase of my life and education, I'll also be preparing to vault higher than ever in my senior season," he said. "This is my last year to represent BYU. I'm grateful for my family, friends, teammates, coaches and everyone who have helped me get this far."


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