Elizabeth Switzer is flying high. In just three short years as a pole vaulter, the GCC freshman has cleared barriers that take other vaulters much longer to achieve. The fact that her father was a vaulter has helped but certainly her background as a competitive gymnast and her personal tenacity has helped her improve by leaps and bounds.

 

After all, how many 19-year-olds have their pilots license?

 

"I was getting burned out in gymnastics and I just wanted to try something new and pole vault seemed natural to me because of my dad with what he did in high school and college, said Switzer, who has a 3.8 GPA. "When he saw that I was really interested in it and started getting better he became my personal coach and we have been working on my development ever since.''

 

Although her freshman season at GCC was cut short due to the COVID-19 virus, she did well in a handful of early season meets that led to her breaking the school record with a vault of 11-8 at the Battle of the Regions Meet in Bakersfield on February 20. That was almost two feet better than the previous mark of 10 feet. 

 

In just her second year of vaulting, Elizabeth was named the 2018 All-Area Girls Track Athlete of the Year after tying for the Pacific League Title with a leap of 11 feet as a senior at John Burroughs High in Burbank and advanced all the way to the state meet, finishing 16th.

 

"Elizabeth is a real team athlete and she wanted to do more for the team by asking to be part of the sprint relay team where she ran in the leadoff spot,'' said Head Coach Eddie Lopez. "She is fearless and her gymnastics has really helped her as a vaulter.''