Senior Sophia Gizzo is competing in the pole vault for La Jolla Country Day for the third straight year. Her personal record (“PR” in track lingo) reached 9 feet 2 inches high at the University City Track Classic on April 5.

“Sophia found a passion for the vault,” says LJCD head track coach Kevin Reaume. “She’s dedicated. She works hard. She has become a true leader for our team.”

Reaume, who teaches physical education at the school, knows his students outside the classroom, adds, “Sophia is solid in the classroom, and solid in the community.”

Gizzo, who as a compact 5-footer, shows a serious demeanor on the infield during meets, her pole towering over her, placed fourth in the vault at the Coastal Conference finals as a sophomore with a mark of 7 feet 3 inches high.

Each year, she has achieved increments of improvement as she scales higher. At last year’s league finals, Gizzo reached 8 feet successfully.

She broke through the nine-foot barrier in her second meet this year, vaulting 9 feet at the Elmer Runge Invite at Patrick Henry High on March 1. The senior continued that success by going over the same height the following Saturday at the huge Mt. Carmel Field and Distance Carnival.

“She also competes in horseback riding,” said assistant coach Marco Scavuzzo. “Sophia always has a great attitude. She has become like a cheerleader for her teammates on the track team.” He adds that her GPA is close to 4.0. She is the middle child of three girls who attend Country Day.

Reaume, the head coach who is recognizable by his big straw hat at meets, adds: “Her older sister Catherine was a sprinter. Her little sister, a sophomore, swims.”

Freshman Sophia Zhou, another track and field team member, runs the 800 meters. “She’s running in the 2:20s,” said Reaume. “She’s just a solid, hard-working, dedicated individual in the classroom.” He notes, “We always call our students ‘student-athletes,’ because being a student comes first.”

Sky Socol, a freshman, plays soccer, and the Torreys talked her into trying the sprints.

Darius Nwagbuo, a junior who stars in football, runs the 4×100 relay. “He has the top discus throw in the Coastal Conference so far,” said Reaume. All took part in the 44th Mt. Carmel Sundevil Invitational, a giant meet drawing athletes from across Southern California, on March 29.

A junior in the three jump events, Reed Gasser personifies the ultimate courteous, outgoing student-athlete.

“I’ve been focused on the long jump and triple jump, but here (at Mt. Carmel) I’m entered in the high jump.”

How do you make the small but measurable steps toward better marks in your sports? “In the triple jump, I work on inches in each phase — hop, bound, and land.”

Teammate Brady Kirtland attempted new school records in the high and low hurdles at Mt. Carmel, but hit a hurdle and will try again. Reaume said Kirtland will compete as a decathlete at Babson College in Massachusetts next year.