Oklahoma State University Athletics
Women's Track Standout Turning Heads
June 21, 1999 | Track O
April 29, 1999
Oklahoma State's Megan Robbins has made a smooth transition to pole vaulting, thanks to assistant coach Ty Sevin.
"I've had a steady progression since I arrived at OSU," said Robbins. "I have a great relationship with Ty. He's awesome.
Robbins and her teammates will travel to Arlington, Texas, today for the UTA Open. On Saturday, she will venture to Austin, Texas, and jump in the Texas Invitational.
Robbins arrived at Oklahoma State and started pole vaulting last spring. She had come from the University of Oklahoma, where she first started pole vaulting.
"The OU coach came to the state track meet, where I had made it in the 300 hurdles. He was recruiting girls who hurdled and wanted to try pole vaulting," said Robbins.
A standout basketball player at Edmond North High School, Robbins ran cross country and track just to stay in shape. Her background in gymnastics and hurdling made her a perfect pole-vaulting prospect.
"I think I picked it up pretty easily; it was a lot of fun getting started. I had taken gymnastics before, and they said that helped me a lot because you're not as scared, and when you turn up and go over the bar and you know where you are," said Robbins.
Robbins' best jump before coming to OSU was 10 feet. Since arriving at OSU, her improvement has been swift.
"Megan's progression went from 10 feet to 11-7 last spring, basically on borrowed poles and whatever we could scrounge up," said Sevin. "A pretty decent improvement, I think. She was one of four girls who provisionally qualified for nationals last year who hadn't jumped in high school."
Robbins has picked up where she left off last spring, turning in her best jump this year at the Texas Relays. Her jump of 12-3.5 provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Championship.
"It was awesome. I was just shaking after I did it; it was like I couldn't believe I had done it. After the jump, Ty was just trying to keep me focused, making sure I was ready for my next three jumps," said Robbins.
"After I went over, it was like I wasn't even thinking about my next jump, and I wish I would have. I had just hit my personal best, and I was just too excited. Ty was excited, too."
"The year opened up indoors, and she opened up right at 11 feet and has been pretty much constant outdoors at 12 feet. We've kind of gone from 10 feet to 12 to 12-3.5, and our goal for the year is 13 feet, so were looking at a three-foot difference since she got here," Sevin said.
With all the success Robbins has had in competition, she admits that her training regimen and coaching is the key to her success.
"When we first come back from summer, Ty just makes us run and lift weights. We don't even touch a pole until a month before our first meet. That way we are actually in shape to do something good," said Robbins.
"During the week we jump once, on Tuesdays. We run after we jump, doing short sprints and technical drills with our poles. We also do pole runs, which help me incredibly."
Sevin has played a big role in Robbins' improvement, and he believes that their approach to jumping makes the difference.
"I think we have the philosophy of trying to perfect everything we do, whether it's a standing broad jump or it's the technique for the actual vault. I think good constant competitors are good constant practicers. The idea is that when you go to a competition, you don't do anything different than what you do in practice," said Sevin.
Robbins also knows the importance of not only training, but the mental approach to getting ready for competition. This approach is something that Coach Sevin has taught her and she has learned to believe in.
"Ty plays a big part in getting me ready for competition. He gets it in your head that it's a big meet and you better do well; he tells us straight out. He makes us really think about it to learn how to compete. Big meets scare people, and you have to be ready for competition. And he does that," said Robbins.
"This is probably the most mentally challenging thing I've ever done. I try to picture everything in my head before I jump, but sometimes that doesn't even work. I'll end up picturing myself going over the wrong side of the bar. It gets real mental sometimes, and the more practice you have, the better you get," said Robbins.
"I don't even look at the cross bar, I look inbetween it. If I look at the bar I get psyched out. When I'm making my jump, I just think, 'Pull and hang on and try and get over the bar.'"
Robbins' teammates provide vital support, from catching mid-marks in her run to just being there for support. Everything is taken care of for Robbins so she can go out and concentrate on jumping.
Sevin believes Robbins has all the tools to be a world-class pole vaulter.
"I think she is very fit, technically she's on, her speed's up and I think it's all a matter of preparation. Strength, speed, flexibility, agility and just having a well-rounded, year-long plan," said Sevin.
"I've said all along, potentially she has the ability to be an NCAA Champion."
