BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — Michael Boltie gave a career-best performance to an empty stadium. Though Boltie would have enjoyed a few courtesy cheers to boost his morale, the fact that his efforts were met with crickets is fitting.
Because even on the McAllen Memorial athlete’s best day, his best wasn’t enough.
Last spring at the Region IV Class 6A meet in San Antonio, Boltie fiercely competed in the boys pole vault. Placing first or second meant an automatic trip to the UIL state meet in Austin. Anything else meant a long, empty-handed drive home.
Throughout the afternoon and into the early evening, Boltie and four other competitors repeatedly ascended the bar with precision, poise and grace. Just six inches separated first place and fifth place, meaning an extended vaulting session which left everyone exhausted.
Compounding matters was Boltie’s significant workload. Aside from vaulting, Boltie competed in the long jump, the 400-meter relay as well as the 100- and 200-meter dash. Striking out in his previous efforts to advance to state, the pole vault was his last chance.
As shadows grew long at Alamo Stadium, team buses and fans vacated the parking lot while Boltie remained one of the few athletes left competing. However, his extended time in the event was for not.
Though he set a new personal best with a 15-foot try, he placed a disappointing fourth.
“It was tough,” Boltie said. “But, it’s one of those things where you just have to keep fighting through it. It’s part of the sport.”
Bitter but not broken, Boltie, a senior, resolves to achieve a trip to Austin with a heftier race-day itinerary.
Boltie admits his extended workload played a role in his downfall a year ago, leaving him tired when the moment counted most. Rather than abandon his multi-event endeavors, Boltie is expanding them. He’ll compete in the same events as a year ago, but he’s added a few more to his track arsenal — including the hurdles and the 400-meter dash.
Counting on a strategy that backfired a year ago may be the definition of insanity to some, but for a hyper-competitive track nerd like Boltie, it’s an opportunity to increase his skill set across the board with an eye on the pole vault — his marquee event.
“I like all the events, and I like learning new things and being diverse,” Boltie said. “If I know how to hurdle, it’ll help me with pole vault, and if I know pole vault, it’ll help me a lot with long jump. Being in every event will help you with all your events.”
Boltie says his toughest workouts are for the 400-meter dash, a race referred to by coaches and athletes as “The Man Maker” for its mix of brutality and endurance. The Memorial athlete admits to vomiting after several rigorous training exercises for the event.
Helping Boltie along his multi-dimensional path to Austin is a small battalion of coaches and trainers. Boltie name checks seven coaches or trainers who specialize in various areas, be it jumping, coming off blocks or vaulting.
One coach who will not be assisting Boltie this season is Marcus Kauffman. The former Memorial boys track coach accepted the head football coaching position at PSJA North last month. Boltie holds no animosity and said he’s happy for his former coach.
Kauffman and other coaches refer to Boltie as an old soul for his demeanor. He doesn’t carry himself like many other teenagers. During rare downtime at meets or at post-race festivities, Boltie can often be seen alongside his coaches, picking their brain as to how he can improve.
“There’s a level of maturity there that you can’t coach,” Kauffman said. “He’s obsessed with track and he’s always wanting to learn ways to get better at it. He’s always watching film and going over his results. He’s a perfectionist and that really shows.”
A key for Boltie this season will be managing his events wisely throughout the season so as not to peak or fatigue too early. His event-day to-do list may hinge on uncooperative weather, the quality of competition or the whim of the moment.
One thing Boltie knows will happen is breaching the 17-foot mark in the pole vault. Improving 24 inches from his current height would not only be impressive, but historic. The current Valley record in the pole vault is 16-02.5, set by Harlingen South’s Jared Ede in 2005. Such a task will prove difficult to achieve, but difficult is Boltie’s modus operandi.
“At one meet, it’s all going to come together, and I’m going 17 feet,” Boltie said. “I have everything that it takes. All these little things need to align. The stars need to align and then one day I’ll be where I know I can be. I have the resources, I have the coaches. I just need to do it.”