Spickes Looks To Continue Progress

Danile Spickes, who finished second at the Class 7A state outdoor meet as a Rogers Heritage sophomore, is already off to a strong start after a solid junior season for the War Eagles football team.

Danile Spickes, who finished second at the Class 7A state outdoor meet as a Rogers Heritage sophomore, is already off to a strong start after a solid junior season for the War Eagles football team.

Friday, February 1, 2013

— Daniel Spickes cleared 15 feet in the pole vault over the summer to place among the top eight nationally at the AAU Junior Olympics despite a lingering leg injury.

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Daniel Spickes

School: Rogers Heritage

Height: 5-11

Weight: 155

Class: Junior

Notable: Cleared 15 feet at the AAU Junior Olympics over the summer to finish seventh in the young men division (17-18) in the pole vault. ... Ranked among the top 20 juniors nationally by Vaulter magazine. ... Finished second in the pole vault at the Class 7A state track and field championships and fifth at the Meet of Champions as a sophomore. ... Intercepted a team-high six passes as a starting defensive back for the War Eagles’ football team this past season.

The Rogers Heritage junior is now healthy and hoping for more good things at Saturday’s Arkansas Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.

Spickes, who finished second at the Class 7A state outdoor meet as a sophomore, is already off to a strong start after a solid junior season for the War Eagles football team. He cleared 14-0 in the opening meet and 14-6 in an indoor meet in Columbia, Mo., two weeks ago.

Spickes and Heritage boys track coach Jay Miles agreed the junior could have cleared 15 feet in Missouri.

“He had a 16-foot jump on his third attempt at 15,” Mile said. “But he brushed it with his elbow trying to get off the pole.”

“I was so mad, I was over it by about a foot,” Spickes said. “It was my best jump of the day.”

Spickes has been “blowing through” smaller poles early in the season, and that forces him to adjust quickly during a competition to larger and stiffer poles.

He chose to go up in poles on his final attempt after two misses at 15 feet. Had he made that choice early, he could have made the height, Spickes said.

“It’s really exciting, though,” Spickes said. “I thought coming back from football it might take a while, but I went right to 15. I feel like those first two meets got me ready for state.”

Miles isn’t surprised by his performance.

“He’s a year older, stronger, a little mentally tougher, a little more mature,” Miles said. “He’s pretty healthy even after football. That quad really bugged him last summer, but he’s ready to go now.”

Miles expects Spickes to be among the favorites to win a state title in the pole vault, but that’s not all he’s going to do Saturday.

“I expect 15 feet of him. Anything better than that is just extra right now,” Miles said. “But that puts him in the hunt. I think Daniel’s pretty hungry right now. We’ll see what happens.”

Spickes will also likely compete in the long jump, 60-yard dash and 60 hurdles.

“He’s going to be busy,” Miles said. “But I don’t think he’d have it any other way.”

The fact that Spickes cleared 15 feet prior to his junior year helped him get noticed by college coaches, Miles said.

“It’s a big thing for him putting that mark out there when you’re a junior,” Miles said. “It gets him on some lists. I think he could have a big year.”