In the first week of March, Saint Dominic’s Track and Field made a return for spring sports. Senior Kaiden Hoff is making his return to the sport for the fourth year in a row. Kaiden’s specialty is pole vaulting. He spends the entirety of the off season practicing for each upcoming season. He could typically be found taking public lessons at Pole Vault STL.

“They had me working on my form and trying to get my muscle memory down. I was there for like two hours a week in the off season,” Kaiden Hoff said.

Since this is Kaiden’s last season and he does not plan on continuing in college, he is trying to make the best of his last season and practice to his greatest potential. All his hard work pays every year. In the past year alone, Hoff managed to score four different medals.

“It feels so nice to be appreciated for all the hard work that I put in all year. When I win, I am proud of myself, but I know that just because I got to a good point doesn’t mean that I can take a break. Also just the fact that I am a part of something so great as this track and field community,” Kaiden said. “Honestly even though the medal is a personal achievement it’s just a reminder that you’re actually contributing to something bigger than yourself. That track is a team sport and winning medals is just a small part of winning a meet,” Kaiden added.

Track and field is one of the Saint Dominic community’s biggest sports. So many athletes come in every year for the no cut season, led by Coach Markway. These seasons consist of practices typically every day after school and days when students are on break. Practices run for two hours and Kaiden spends about every minute of those hours constantly up in the air, perfecting his skills.

“Track has given teammates, friends, and basically family at this point. It’s not just a fun activity I do after school, it’s something I truly care about,” Kaiden said.

In college, Kaiden plans to stay active in other parts of life. His legacy in the sport will live on a Saint Dominic long after he graduates this year. He hopes to stay connected in his training and keep up with other players who choose to stay with the sport. No matter where he ends up, he continues to stay dedicated and try to be an inspiration to other pole vault athletes.