Soaring To New Heights
Photo Credit: Milesplit
Once every couple of decades or so, someone comes along in your area whose performance stands out nationally and globally. Patsy Walker-Pointer was the last female track and field athlete in our area to achieve this level in high school and beyond. Patsy won the state championship by herself for Yelm High School, one of the few to do so in American history back in 1977.
Patsy made the USA world championship team in the Heptathlon as well. Patsy was also the U.S. Olympic Team alternate and the collegiate champion in the Heptathlon. She once finished ahead of world record holder and Olympic Gold Medal winner Jackie Joyner-Kersee. She placed higher in the Olympic Trials than any Thurston County female athlete in track and field history.
Tumwater High Graduate Brooke Feldmeier is a pro-800-meter runner capable of running on a national team. She is on the verge of being world-class. Don't count her out at a world level in future years. Feldmeier is one of the few female athletes in the area to qualify for the USA Track and Field Olympic Trials. She qualified for the Olympic Trials in 2021.
The jury is still out about how Amanda Moll will do long-term in national and international track and field competitions like the two ladies mentioned above. However, if her early high school performances are any indication, we may have another world-class track and field athlete from Thurston County in our midst. Don't count out her sister Hanna either.
As the Thurston County Running and Track and Field historian, I pay attention to stellar performances in the area. It is not a stretch to say that Amanda Moll's great pole vault of 14' 7.25" is one of the best track and field performances in area history in all track and field events. Amazingly, Moll was only a sophomore this past school year. Moll's Vault is the second-best Pole Vault among high school athletes in the United States this year!
Moll also set a national record for sophomores, according to Milesplit.
What is just as incredible is Moll's sister Hana Pole vaulted 14'4! Both are tremendous athletes. Both are very talented student-athletes and part of a group of high school athletes who come along maybe once every couple of decades. What the Moll sisters did this year is rare air, indeed.
Based on her stunning 14' 7.25" vault, Amanda Moll is my pick for the Thurston County Track and Field High School Female Athlete Of The Year. What an incredible performance this year. Her sister, Hanna, is not far behind.
Blessings,
Coach Weber
Philippians 4:13
Update To This 2021 Article In 2023
I was talking to Mike Strong, one of Amanda’s coaches, in December 2023. He reminded me about some of Amanda’s other notable accomplishments. She is right with her twin sister, Hana, on many different levels. Both are incredible student-athletes in every sense of the word.
Let’s summarize a few more things about Amanda’s incredible career.
From 9th grade through winter 2022, Amanda had the highest vaults ever for her age. Here they are:
9th Grade, 14-4.75
10th Grade, 14-7.25
11th Grade, 14-9
12th Grade, 15-1.5
Amanda had an outstanding high school career.
Patsy Walker Pointer number 295, finishing ahead of Olympic Gold medal winner and world record holder Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Like Patsy, the Moll sisters are on pace to do well in future international competitions.
Photo Credit: Uknown
Brooke Feldmeier became an area professional runner who ran in the 2021 USA Track and Field Trials. She is from Thurston County.
Photo Credit: NBC