ORANGE – Carl Johansson’s first season as a pole vaulter was brief.
He’d tried it as a freshman with his friend because he thought it looked fun. At his first meet three weeks later, he broke Orange Lutheran’s freshman school record.
But little more than a month into the 2011 track and field season, Johansson landed awkwardly on his foot in practice and fractured his ankle, putting him out for the season.
He returned as a sophomore and launched himself to seventh place at the CIF-SS Division 3 Finals. As a junior, he finished third in the state.
Now a senior, with three full seasons of pole vaulting under his belt, the Texas A&M-bound Johansson is the top pole vaulter in the state and is ranked sixth in the nation.
Johansson played three sports his freshman and sophomore years, including football and wrestling. By the time Johansson healed his fractured foot, he had begun to think about narrowing his focus to just pole vaulting. He started going to summer camps to hone his technique.
At first, his father didn’t like the thought of his son quitting football.
“He was not happy at first,” said Johansson, who will compete today in the Orange County Championships at Mission Viejo High. “Halfway through my junior year he started accepting it because I had some schools contacting me, I was breaking some records, winning some invitationals. Then he was like, ‘OK, you could actually do something with this.’
“Ever since then, he’s kind of been on my side and all for it.”
Johansson’s success is even more impressive considering he’s all but maxed out his current 15-foot pole, said Orange Lutheran pole vault coach Greg Stull.
“He’s jumping at about 3 feet, 4 inches over his hand grip, meaning if you take his top grip over the pole he’s 3 feet above it,” Stull said. “That’s a world-class push-off. People are stunned when I tell them that Carl’s jumping on 15-foot poles.”
Johansson’s ascent to the top of the state vaulting ladder hasn’t been a lonely one – teammate and friend David Bean is tied for 11th in California. It was Bean who decided to give pole vaulting a try with Johansson his freshman year, and they’ve been best friends since.
“All sophomore and junior year we were battling it out as best friends and rivals pretty much,” Bean said. “I feel like we’re rewarded when we both do good … it’s always been a competitive friendship.”
Johansson’s personal best of 16-8 towers over his freshman height of 10-6.
“He has always been a very good athlete,” Lancers track coach Clim Moore said. “But did I think that he could potentially become the best pole vaulter in the state? Potentially yes, but I did not see this coming as it has come this particular year.”
Johansson has surprised even himself.
“I was fast, but I wasn’t the fastest kid,” Johansson said. “I was strong, but I wasn’t the strongest kid. So I really didn’t think I would be that good at anything or have the potential to be No. 1 in anything. But I guess I found the right sport.”
Contact the writer: mhanlon@ocregister.com
