Student Athlete – 1 Day Story

Abbie Garlich, a freshman at MU, must balance sports with school. As a pole vaulter on MU’s track and field team, Garlich has little free time, but said that pole vaulting is worth dealing with the time challenges.

Abbie Garlich pauses in her dorm room while packing for an out-of-town track and field meet. Garlich left Columbia on Thursday for the weekend meet in Ames, Iowa, causing her to miss three classes on Friday. Garlich said that she only has about one hour of free time each day, but said, “It’s worth it. I would miss it too much if I didn’t do it.”

Abbie Garlich, front, and teammate Holly Stewart carry a bag containing about 17 poles from the Hearnes Center to their bus. The bag contained enough poles for the pole vaulting team to use during their track and field meet.

Garlich shows off her pole vaulting shoes before packing them for a meet. The spikes on the soles provide extra grip while running towards the bar.

Garlich makes a sandwich on her bed in her dorm room before leaving for a meet. Garlich is hypoglycemic and must find time to eat before classes, practices and other activities.

Abbie Garlich, left, and Holly Stewart look at a watch counting down the time they must stay in a tub of 40 degree water. After sitting in the cold bath for a few minutes, the teammates switched to another bath – this one about 100 degrees. The process helps increase blood flow and facilitates leg healing.

Gripping the hand rail, Abbie Garlich ascends the stairs leading to her history class. Garlich plans on becoming a social worker when she graduates from college.

Garlich applies chalk to her hands before pole vaulting during practice. The chalk helps pole vaulters maintain their grip on the pole.

Garlich launches herself over a rope during a pole vaulting practice. Garlich said that she started pole vaulting when she was a freshman in high school. Now a freshman in college, Garlich is already concerned about leaving the sport she loves. “Thinking about four years from now, how that could be the end makes me sad,” she said.
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