By Jordan J. Michael

BERNE –– Senior Josh Glick is the only individual track and field state champion that Berne-Knox-Westerlo has ever produced in its over-40-year history.

Glick had a pole-vault jump of 14 feet at the State Championships on Saturday in Syracuse to claim the Division II title. He cleared 14 feet on the first attempt after entering the competition at 13 feet, 6 inches.

“It’s pretty exciting to know that I’m in a class of my own,” said Glick on Tuesday. “Numerous people have shown their support. Being a state champion makes you realize how big New York actually is.”

Glick also set a school record with the jump of 14 feet. He made three attempts at 14 feet, 6 inches, but just missed.

“Once he got 14 feet on his first try, I had a feeling he would win,” said Head Coach Scott Hannay. “I can’t really take any credit for his success. It’s based on his personal push and the team of people who supported him.”

In Glick’s pole-vaulting career with the Bulldogs, no one had been able to properly coach him or give him enough equipment. That all changed last year when Glick met a coach by the name of Dennis Hogan from Ballston Spa.

“I ended up breaking a pole last season, so I wasn’t able to do that well because of the lack of equipment,” Glick said. “I had a friend who knew of this really great pole-vaulting coach. I met Hogan and he let me borrow a new pole.”

“We brought Glick up to Ballston Spa several times since April to work with Hogan,” said Jeff Vogel, Glick’s legal guardian and former wrestling coach. “There is no doubt that Hogan shaped him into a champion. He showed Glick the ropes and gave him much- needed equipment.”

Hogan introduced Glick to an under-water pole-vaulting exercise that slows down the motion to better understand the process of jumping. Normally, a jumper only spends three seconds in the air.

“Hogan’s knowledge has helped me so much because no one at BKW knew much about the sport,” said Glick. “Hogan pretty much invented the under-water exercise. He has a camera that records the motion. I noticed that I was muscling more than using technique. My vaults became more fluid after going through that.”

Hogan was also the coach of Division I champion Nick Gerardi of Queensbury. Glick trained with Gerardi every time he made a trip to Ballston Spa. “It’s like we had our own personal pole-vaulting team up there,” Glick said.

Glick told The Enterprise that he is happy to have made friends and important connections through Hogan. “When you vault, it’s hard to see your own mistakes,” said Glick. “You need someone there to watch.”

He will attend the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill next year but his dreams go beyond that.

The Olympics might one day be Glick’s calling for pole-vaulting. “I’ve met about 40 Olympians between pole-vaulting and wrestling,” he said. “It seems like a good goal to shoot for.”

“I’ve learned that, as a person, I can do whatever I set my mind to,” said Glick. “I’ve gained a lot of determination.”