Wings Elite Pole Vaulting is a group of volunteer coaches using their sport to share an even greater message.
Wings Elite volunteer coach Lindsey Cornelius says, “Every kid has a story. Every kid has things that they’re dealing with, that they’re working through.”
Wings Elite has athletes from all around the Panhandle, and into New Mexico.
Wings Elite co-founder and volunteer coach Robbie Malone said, “We have kids come out here that are not athletes. By the time they’re done with us, they are athletes. They change the way they run, jump, think about themselves, and they become athletes. Kids come out here and can’t jog down the runway and jump into the pit. Four years later, they’re going over heights that normal pole vaulters can’t do.”
Wings Elite is a faith-based non-profit organization based on the Bible verse Isaiah 40:31.
Many schools are unable to provide enough poles to equip their students. It’s one of the more expensive sports, as a pole vault pit can cost up to $35,000. Then, just a single pole can cost over $1,000. Wings Elite has over 80 for their athletes to use. If their school doesn’t have one to their liking, they can rent their favorite pole from Wings Elite to use in meets.
Volunteer coach Daniel Bush adds, “We’re teaching them more than just sport. We recognize that all sports will end for everyone at some point in their career. We try to get them to be the best they can be in their sport but also the best they can be in life.”