T&F team member doesn't care to be at conf championship

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

JK on the title. I guess this is a good reason to miss the last day of the conf meet.

[NewApp]

Glad to see her priorities are on academics.

[asu66]

JK on the title. I guess this is a good reason to miss the last day of the conf meet.

Pole Vaulter Speaks at May Commencement

Courtesy: Appalachian State Sports Information
Release: Thursday 05/14/2015 (ET)

And now for the rest of the story...

http://www.appstatesports.com/ViewArtic ... =210089006

Competing in the last conference track meet of your career would be a big weekend for some. Presenting a valedictorian speech in front of hundreds of people at a graduation commencement would be a daunting task for others. For Debra Domermuth, doing both of these things over the span of three days is exactly how her college career ended at Appalachian State.

Domermuth is a four-year letterwinner on the App State track team, competing in the pole vault event, while also maintaining a 4.0 grade point average as an exercise science major. She currently holds the eighth-best pole vault mark in Appalachian history and has topped the school’s honor roll for the past four years. While all student-athletes have to juggle being successful in their sport and in their studies, Domermuth seems to have done it with ease.

“If I have too much free time, it’s very difficult for me to be productive and not waste time,” she said. “Knowing that I had practice every day actually helped me focus and get my school work done because I knew that I couldn’t afford to waste any time. In addition, the discipline, dedication, and competiveness I learned from track filtered over into my studies and drove me to strive to achieve my very best in both the classroom and on the track.”

Domermuth was at practice preparing for the Sun Belt Championships when she noticed an email from the dean’s office of the college of health sciences extending an invitation for a speaking role at the May commencement.

“I knew that conference was the same weekend as graduation, so I wasn’t sure if it would be possible for me to make it back in time. Coach John Weaver told me that as long as the women’s pole vault was on either the first or second day of the conference meet, I would be able to fly back. Coach Weaver was very helpful and took care of all of my travel arrangements to ensure that I would get back in time.”

On the weekend of May 8th Domermuth and her teammates traveled to Gulf Shores, Ala. to compete in the 2015 Sun Belt Outdoor Championships. The pole vault event took place on Friday, where Domermuth placed eighth, clearing a height of 11-9.0.

“Knowing that this was my last meet, I really wanted to enjoy it and just give it my best,” she said. “It felt very surreal after I took my final jump to think that I would never compete in a college meet again. However, I didn’t have much time to think about it because I had to go back to the hotel to pack up everything for the drive to the airport the next morning.”

On Sunday, while the rest of the track and field team competed in the last day of the conference meet, Domermuth stood in front of Appalachian’s senior class and talked about the importance of the people who have helped her along the way.

“I was probably more nervous for my speech than I was competing at conference because I’ve been competing for the past four years whereas I’ve never given a speech to anywhere near that many people,” she said. “I was so blessed to have the opportunity to speak to the entire graduating class. I was also very happy to be representing the track team and student-athletes by wearing the new Sun Belt medal that’s given to graduates to wear over their robes.”

Domermuth expressed her gratitude for her family, friends, teammates and coaches, stressing that success is not possible without the help others. She ended her speech with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Do not go where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.”

She will start graduate school at East Carolina on Monday where she will earn her doctor of physical therapy degree.

[NewApp]

JK on the title. I guess this is a good reason to miss the last day of the conf meet.

Pole Vaulter Speaks at May Commencement

Courtesy: Appalachian State Sports Information
Release: Thursday 05/14/2015 (ET)

And now for the rest of the story...

http://www.appstatesports.com/ViewArtic ... =210089006

Competing in the last conference track meet of your career would be a big weekend for some. Presenting a valedictorian speech in front of hundreds of people at a graduation commencement would be a daunting task for others. For Debra Domermuth, doing both of these things over the span of three days is exactly how her college career ended at Appalachian State.

Domermuth is a four-year letterwinner on the App State track team, competing in the pole vault event, while also maintaining a 4.0 grade point average as an exercise science major. She currently holds the eighth-best pole vault mark in Appalachian history and has topped the school’s honor roll for the past four years. While all student-athletes have to juggle being successful in their sport and in their studies, Domermuth seems to have done it with ease.

“If I have too much free time, it’s very difficult for me to be productive and not waste time,” she said. “Knowing that I had practice every day actually helped me focus and get my school work done because I knew that I couldn’t afford to waste any time. In addition, the discipline, dedication, and competiveness I learned from track filtered over into my studies and drove me to strive to achieve my very best in both the classroom and on the track.”

Domermuth was at practice preparing for the Sun Belt Championships when she noticed an email from the dean’s office of the college of health sciences extending an invitation for a speaking role at the May commencement.

“I knew that conference was the same weekend as graduation, so I wasn’t sure if it would be possible for me to make it back in time. Coach John Weaver told me that as long as the women’s pole vault was on either the first or second day of the conference meet, I would be able to fly back. Coach Weaver was very helpful and took care of all of my travel arrangements to ensure that I would get back in time.”

On the weekend of May 8th Domermuth and her teammates traveled to Gulf Shores, Ala. to compete in the 2015 Sun Belt Outdoor Championships. The pole vault event took place on Friday, where Domermuth placed eighth, clearing a height of 11-9.0.

“Knowing that this was my last meet, I really wanted to enjoy it and just give it my best,” she said. “It felt very surreal after I took my final jump to think that I would never compete in a college meet again. However, I didn’t have much time to think about it because I had to go back to the hotel to pack up everything for the drive to the airport the next morning.”

On Sunday, while the rest of the track and field team competed in the last day of the conference meet, Domermuth stood in front of Appalachian’s senior class and talked about the importance of the people who have helped her along the way.

“I was probably more nervous for my speech than I was competing at conference because I’ve been competing for the past four years whereas I’ve never given a speech to anywhere near that many people,” she said. “I was so blessed to have the opportunity to speak to the entire graduating class. I was also very happy to be representing the track team and student-athletes by wearing the new Sun Belt medal that’s given to graduates to wear over their robes.”

Domermuth expressed her gratitude for her family, friends, teammates and coaches, stressing that success is not possible without the help others. She ended her speech with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Do not go where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.”

She will start graduate school at East Carolina on Monday where she will earn her doctor of physical therapy degree.

1. Vaulting nearly 12 feet is astounding.
2. Having a 4.0 is quite an achievement to say the least
3. The only negative is her going to Purple Land for a doctorate.

We should all be proud of her. I know I am.

RP, Chuck, for posting this news.