Alba-Golden ex earns All-American status

Posted 6/3/20

“No stress and no fear,” stated recently-named NCAA all-American pole vaulter Kaylee Bizzell, about her recommendation to young athletes. The Alba-Golden High School graduate was home for a visit from her busy life at Stephen F. Austin University.

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Alba-Golden ex earns All-American status

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“No stress and no fear,” stated recently-named NCAA all-American pole vaulter Kaylee Bizzell, about her recommendation to young athletes. The Alba-Golden High School graduate was home for a visit from her busy life at Stephen F. Austin University. 

The Lady Lumberjack soared to a personal best 14 feet, 9 inches at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships Feb. 14 at Albuquerque, N.M. In a field packed full of private competitors, the college senior finished seventh in a field of 14 vaulters. Her vault etched her name in the start list of the 2020 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Normally, the top eight vaulters at the NCAA championships would be designated all-American. As the championships were subsequently canceled due to the pandemic, all athletes named to the start list of individual events collected distinction as all-American. In the pole vault, Bizzell became one of 16 all-Americans.

Local residents who had the opportunity to play high school sports with Bizzell or to watch her play, remember the perseverance and competitiveness she demonstrated. Her parents, Michael and Dietra Bizzell, described her as extremely stubborn and competitive even at a very young age.  

They also recognize that her perseverance has produced one success after another for their eldest daughter.

“We are truly blessed and proud to have her,” Michael Bizzell stated. 

Her uncle, high school coach Derek Smith, introduced her to the sport in junior high school. Vaulting throughout her high school athletic career, Bizzell came to work with the Altius Poles gym in Jacksonville.  Specialized instruction from Altius Poles proprietor and SFA volunteer coach Jeff Erickson improved her technique and exposed her to more people in the sport. 

Those relationships led eventually to her decision to attend Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches.  It would have been easy to have taken a generalized course of study at SFA, in view of the significant investment in time and energy demanded by track and field. That, however, would not have been the Bizzell way. 

The young vaulter embarked on a full nursing program and is now only awaiting the nursing board examination to codify her bachelor of science in nursing.  

Bizzell intends to take advantage of the NCAA’s recent decision to allow senior collegiate athletes to remain eligible and compete in a fifth year, due to the canceled spring sports season. She will train and compete in the spring of 2021, all while pursuing a master’s degree in kinesiology.    

She offered thanks to many who have helped her along the way. Her parents, grandparents Terry and Sandy Smith (her biggest fans), coaches, trainers, vaulters Jenn and Rick Suhr and all her present teammates were noted for recognition.  

Bizzell credits athletics with sharpening many life skills she uses today. She listed the positive effects she has experienced as teamwork, time management and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

“Athletics taught me to compete,” she stated. 

With the support of family, coaches, friends and teammates Bizzell will be competing in 2021 with a personal goal of vaulting 15 feet, and with an eye on the upcoming  Olympics.

“The top 25 vaulters in the country receive invitations to the Olympic trials,” she offered resolutely.