By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
Shuffle board it is not!
Neither is it bridge, or chess, or even a low-impact cardiosport like swimming.
Any of these would be expected activites for someone in his mid-70s. But none of them is good enough for Overton resident Marden Connelly.
At 75 years old, Connelly is a championship pole vaulter.
In the U.S.A. Track and Field (USATF) 2016 Masters Indoor meet; held March 4-6 in Albuquerque, NM; Connelly took first place in his age division; clearing the bar at 8 ft., 10 in. high. That was enough to beat all contenders in the 70-74 age bracket wherein Connelly was the oldest competitor.
He moves up to the 75-80 age division next year where he will “become a youngster again,” he said.
“It is a lot of fun,” Connelly said of his pole vaulting activities. “And it keeps me going.”
Connelly has built his own pole vault practice pit in the backyard of his Jones Street home. A couple of times a week, he gathers friends together for a pole vaulting party. Many of them watch from deck chairs over in the shade. But some even join in with the strenuous workouts. In fact, Connelly has had pole vaulters of all ages come over and practice with him in his pit.
His friend, Bruce Perkins of Overton is a regular pole vaulting buddy. The two of them often go out on the road to compete in various meets together around the western United States.
But Connelly also has hosted a number of youngsters at his practice area. He helped in coaching MVHS pole vaulting star Kaleb Witsken to a state championship, record-breaking performance last year.
Connelly has been pole vaulting since he was in high school. He grew up in Overton and graduated from Moapa Valley High School in 1959. Of course, he competed as a pole vaulter on the track and field team.
He remembers the sport was a lot different back then. Instead of a flexible fiberglass pole, the athletes used a rigid aluminum pole to vault over the bar. What’s more, pole vaulters landed in a sand pit rather than into the nice soft foam padding that is used today. The athletes would vault over the bar and land on their feet in the sand. Consequently, the vaults weren’t nearly as high back then as they are nowadays, Connelly said.
“When I graduated high school, the world record was only 15 ft, 9 in,” Connelly remembered.
Later on at college, when Connelly was pole vaulting for the Utah State University team, he broke the record for the state of Utah and became the first vaulter to make it over 16 feet.
“I liked that a lot because I got to beat BYU,” he said with a smile.
Now, fifty years later, Connelly admits that his sprinting approach is a little more labored and his vaults aren’t quite so high. But he is always reaching for more.
In Albuquerque earlier this month, Connelly said he started his round with the bar set at 8 feet, 3 inches. With just three chances to clear it, he missed his first two chances. But then he made it over on his third try.
The height was then raised to 8 ft. 10” which was his winning height. After clearing that height though, he tried to add another six inches but was unsuccessful.
“I was able to do it at home,” he said. “But it seems like things are a little different at the meets.”
Connelly has no plans to slow down now. He notes that the age divisions in these Masters track and field events continue up into the 90s.
“Though the number of competitors gets fewer and fewer,” he said.
Connelly’s most avid fan in his pole vaulting activies is Judy, his wife of 53 years. She travels with him to the various meets. The Connellys have six kids, 28 grandkids and 4 great grandchildren.
Asked what his health secret is, Connelly said that he owed it to a strict adherence to the teachings of his church. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he has lived a health code called the “Word of Wisdom” throughout his life. The code prohibits the use of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea or harmful drugs and encourages good general nutrition.
“I’ve always done what I am supposed to do that way,” he said. “And I have been blessed with a strong body. I guess you could say that’s my secret.”
