German To Sign With Tennessee -- Interlake Pole Vaulter `Likes The Atmosphere'

Interlake High's Erik German, the state's third-ranked pole vaulter of all time, has accepted a track and field scholarship from the University of Tennessee. He said he expected to sign a national letter of intent today.

German, whose personal-best vault of 16 feet, 6 inches is a state best this spring, chose Southeastern Conference power Tennessee over Big Eight power Kansas after talking last night with his parents and his high-school coach, Charles Shugart.

"Both have outstanding track programs and outstanding pole-vault programs," German said. "But the scholarship offer was a little better (at Tennessee). And the atmosphere. . . . On my visit to Kansas, I felt away from home. On the Tennessee visit, I just felt more at ease, like I was supposed to be there."

German, who won the Class AAA state pole-vault championship as a sophomore and finished fourth last spring, said his scholarship pays for only one of two semesters his freshman year but all his tuition after that.

"I got offered full rides from a bunch of other programs, but I like the atmosphere at Tennessee more, and I was willing to pay for it," he said.

German considered Washington State because of the good spring and summer weather in Pullman, but he looked most seriously at out-of-state programs, he said.

"Weather was a lot of it," he said. " I function 10 to 15 percent worse when it's cold outside. When it's warm I find it much easier to stay in a zone."

But when it came to narrowing the field to Tennessee and Kansas, he said, it came down to:

"Quality of coaching, and education, environment and where I wanted to be in four years - and which program would get me where I want to be."

That would be the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Meanwhile, he'll settle for 17-5 by the end of this summer - the deadline for breaking the 27-year-old state prep record held by Orting's Casey Carrigan (17-4 3/4).

Only Carrigan and Blanchet's Bryan Madche (16-10 3/4 in 1993) have vaulted higher than German in state history.

German posted the state's second-ranked all-time marks for freshmen (14-0), sophomores (15-6) and juniors (16-6) - all behind Carrigan.

German said Carrigan's record is his main goal this season, more than winning another state title. Getting his college commitment out of the way should accelerate that pursuit.

"It'll just be a little less stressful to perform as well," he said. "Until now I've been trying to do well for college coaches. . . . It'll probably be less stress but more motivation. I know I can concentrate on just having a good season."

German is scheduled to vault in the Shoreline Invitational this weekend and two national meets over the summer: the Golden West Invitational in Sacramento in June and junior nationals in Walnut, Calif., after that.

As for now, "Everything's going well," he said.

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Up, up and away

The state's all-time leading prep pole vaulters:

1. Casey Carrigan, Orting 1969 17-4 3/4 2. Bryan Madche, Blanchet 1993 16-10 3/4 3. Erik German, Interlake 1995 16-6 4. Jeff Taylor, Bellevue 1971 16-1 5. Jason Bozanich, Ferris 1991 16-0

TOP THREE MARKS FOR JUNIORS - 1, Carrigan, '68, 16-8 1/4; 2, German, '95, 16-6; 3 (tie), Madche, '92, and Bozanich, '90, 15-7.

TOP THREE MARKS FOR SOPHOMORES - 1, Carrigan, '67, 15-8; 2, German, '94, 15-6; 3, Madche, '91, 15-5 1/2.

TOP THREE MARKS FOR FRESHMEN - 1, Carrigan, '66, 14-6 1/4; 2, German, '93, 14-0; 3, Nathan Boyd, Chelan, '91, 13-9.