Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/75050
ND SPORTS He tried the event at his Arcola, Ind., high school, but the country town used crushed corn cobs instead of a mat in its pit, which led to some very uncomfortable finishes. The mats at the Schippers' gym and the pit they eventually built in the family back yard were a much better training ground. Andrew lived up to McClintock's expecta- tions by winning six All-America titles at Division III Rose-Hulman College. Ryan, the second-oldest brother, followed him to Rose-Hulman where he finished third in the nation as a senior after tearing his ACL the year before. Angela, who decided to stick with gymnastics, is the only sibling so far who hasn't competed in college as a pole vaulter. on to a mentor or dedicated coach in order to really learn the best technique. A family like the Schippers is ideal for passing on the little nuances that most high school track coaches wouldn't be able to teach. Half the battle is just getting started. Vol- unteers willing to launch to the height of a second story window on a fiberglass pole less than an inch in diameter are scarce in most cases. That was never an issue for the Schippers when they saw the flying trapeze-style drills their older brothers did to train in the gym. Kevin Schipper said he hopes the rest of the family will follow him and Matt to Notre Dame to continue the Big East streak. Next season, he will pass the torch to David, who was a freshman on the Irish team this spring. David cleared 16 feet as a high school senior, but took a little step back in his first year in college because of a couple minor injuries. He's still on the same pace as the two other Irish Schippers and hopes to eventually raise the bar. "That's the plan," he said. "I really wanted to beat [Kevin] one time this year. Unfortunately, he started jumping really well and I was a little bit rocky." Despite the friendly competition, David said he's definitely been the beneficiary of a decade's worth of older brother ex- perience while learning the family trade. Because it's such a unique event, the pole vault usually requires its athletes to latch "They said, I'll give it a try because I have a gymnastics background,' " Mc- Clintock said. "Once you have that rush of being shot out of a cannon, it doesn't go away. At that point, they don't want to stop." Kevin Schipper knows that feeling well right now. The upcoming NCAA regional meet could be one of his last. Schipper's goal this spring, after an All-America in- door season, was to qualify for the upcom- ing Olympic Trials and extend his career a little longer. The top 24 heights in the coun- try typically make the cut. Schipper is cur- rently No. 25. He needs to add two inches to his personal best during the NCAA meets to ensure a chance to jump again. "It doesn't seem like much — it's a de- cent amount, but it's definitely doable," he said. If he is successful, he would be the first family member to top 18 feet on a jump on his way to the Olympic Trials. And if he doesn't, the family still has four more chances to get there. ✦ JUNE/JULY 2012 101