Off the TRACK with Josie Eberle
Monroe senior track and field athlete
Favorite movie: "The Last Song"
Favorite TV shows: "Dance Moms" and "The Bachelor"
Favorite book: "My Sister's Keeper"
Favorite musical artist/group: One Direction
The best thing about Monroe is: Close-knit community where everyone knows everyone
Favorite thing to do off the track with my teammates: Going to eat ice cream with friends
I can't live without: My mom
Non-athletic talent I have is: Play saxophone, oboe and in color guard
Non-athletic talent I would like to have is: Singing and playing piano
If I could meet any two people from throughout history, they would be: Former Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and the members of One Direction
One thing on my bucket list is: Study abroad and travel in college
MONROE - Josie Eberle will never forget the freak accident that happened during the pole vault in a 2015 regional meet at McFarland.
Her pole snapped and she landed on the ground.
"I remember the pole just splitting and just laying there with coaches running over to see if I was injured," the Monroe senior said. "After breaking a pole, it was hard to get back on the pole again."
But Eberle conquered her fear and now is one of the top pole vaulters heading into the WIAA Division 2 Monroe regional on Monday. Eberle's best vault this year is 10 feet, 3 inches, which puts her sixth in the state, according to the Wisconsin Track and Field Honor Roll.
Eberle made it to state last year in the pole vault and cleared 9-6 to place 10th. She was 4 inches shy of finishing in the top six and earning a medal.
"Seeing how close I was to getting on the podium last year really made me want to work hard this season," she said. "It would be cool to go (to state) two years in a row."
After closing out her high school track season and graduating, Eberle will head to Carroll University where she will compete on the track and field team.
Since Eberle broke her previous pole, she has switched to a new pole that is longer. She said it didn't bend as easy when she first started using it.
"It was a mind game with a brand new pole," she said. "Since it's longer it took a while to get used to. Once I got used to it, it helped me get the bigger heights this year."
Monroe girls track coach Matt Davis said a big part of Eberle's success has been because of her attitude.
"She's a competitor," Davis said. "When she races she's a competitor and always wants to win. It's a trait you can't teach that you would like them all to have. She really wants to work hard in practice whether she is hurt or sick."
Eberle also has been working on trusting her instincts and perfecting her technique.
"I'm working on turning over the pole instead of just throwing myself over," she said. "That will add a few more inches if I can figure it out."
Before competing in the pole vault, Eberle eats two bags of fruit snacks, plays with her necklace and takes three steps back before running down the runway.
"It helps calm me down and takes my mind off things," Eberle said of her ritual.
When she's not in school at a track meet or practice, her hobbies include coaching gymnastics through the Green County Family YMCA.
Eberle competed on the Green County Gems gymnastics team for 13 years and has been a coach for five years. Her background in gymnastics has helped her excel in the pole vault.
"I feel like being a gymnast has really helped me in the pole vault," she said. "It has helped me with my speed and turning."
Davis said Eberle's background in gymnastics has given her a boost in the pole vault.
"Gymnastics has made her strong," he said.
Davis said Eberle also has head good coaching at Monroe in the pole vault from former head coach Curt Miller.
"She learned from one of the best," Davis said of Miller. "Curt Miller was a state champion pole vaulter."
In addition to her work in the pole vault, Eberle is one of the top sprinters for the Cheesemakers. She was a member of the Cheesemakers' 400 relay team that finished fourth at state last year.
"She is determined to get back to state," Davis said. "She knows track is just as much a team sport as an individual sport."
Eberle is confident if the hand-offs are on target that the 400 relay team can make a return run to state.
"I'm really excited to see what we can do," she said. "It would be amazing if we could make it back to state. If we could make it back to the finals that would be the icing on the cake. I just really want to run my best and see where that takes us."
Her pole snapped and she landed on the ground.
"I remember the pole just splitting and just laying there with coaches running over to see if I was injured," the Monroe senior said. "After breaking a pole, it was hard to get back on the pole again."
But Eberle conquered her fear and now is one of the top pole vaulters heading into the WIAA Division 2 Monroe regional on Monday. Eberle's best vault this year is 10 feet, 3 inches, which puts her sixth in the state, according to the Wisconsin Track and Field Honor Roll.
Eberle made it to state last year in the pole vault and cleared 9-6 to place 10th. She was 4 inches shy of finishing in the top six and earning a medal.
"Seeing how close I was to getting on the podium last year really made me want to work hard this season," she said. "It would be cool to go (to state) two years in a row."
After closing out her high school track season and graduating, Eberle will head to Carroll University where she will compete on the track and field team.
Since Eberle broke her previous pole, she has switched to a new pole that is longer. She said it didn't bend as easy when she first started using it.
"It was a mind game with a brand new pole," she said. "Since it's longer it took a while to get used to. Once I got used to it, it helped me get the bigger heights this year."
Monroe girls track coach Matt Davis said a big part of Eberle's success has been because of her attitude.
"She's a competitor," Davis said. "When she races she's a competitor and always wants to win. It's a trait you can't teach that you would like them all to have. She really wants to work hard in practice whether she is hurt or sick."
Eberle also has been working on trusting her instincts and perfecting her technique.
"I'm working on turning over the pole instead of just throwing myself over," she said. "That will add a few more inches if I can figure it out."
Before competing in the pole vault, Eberle eats two bags of fruit snacks, plays with her necklace and takes three steps back before running down the runway.
"It helps calm me down and takes my mind off things," Eberle said of her ritual.
When she's not in school at a track meet or practice, her hobbies include coaching gymnastics through the Green County Family YMCA.
Eberle competed on the Green County Gems gymnastics team for 13 years and has been a coach for five years. Her background in gymnastics has helped her excel in the pole vault.
"I feel like being a gymnast has really helped me in the pole vault," she said. "It has helped me with my speed and turning."
Davis said Eberle's background in gymnastics has given her a boost in the pole vault.
"Gymnastics has made her strong," he said.
Davis said Eberle also has head good coaching at Monroe in the pole vault from former head coach Curt Miller.
"She learned from one of the best," Davis said of Miller. "Curt Miller was a state champion pole vaulter."
In addition to her work in the pole vault, Eberle is one of the top sprinters for the Cheesemakers. She was a member of the Cheesemakers' 400 relay team that finished fourth at state last year.
"She is determined to get back to state," Davis said. "She knows track is just as much a team sport as an individual sport."
Eberle is confident if the hand-offs are on target that the 400 relay team can make a return run to state.
"I'm really excited to see what we can do," she said. "It would be amazing if we could make it back to state. If we could make it back to the finals that would be the icing on the cake. I just really want to run my best and see where that takes us."
