My name is Chris Zoeller, I started Pole Vault STL in 2012 when I saw the need for my High School Vaulters to continue developing after the regular season had ended right as they were making the most progress. I have now been coaching PV since 2005 at 2 local St Louis High Schools, St. John Vianney and Cor Jesu Academy, simultaneously and run PVSTL during the summer and now Indoors since 2017. I have moved to Lindbergh HS in 2022. We had over 80 vaulters work with us over 6 weeks in the summer of 2018, and over 90 have worked with us from September 2018 through February 2019. Summer of 2023 had 125 Vaulters over 7 weeks.
I have been fortunate to assemble a quality staff of coaches to assist me in providing the training needed to keep our vaulters safe and develop them to their highest potential. As a Club, my staff has produced multiple school record holders, Conference Champions, District Champions, Sectional and Regional Champions, and State Qualifiers and Champions. Our 1st State State Champion, Mayson DeRousse, won Class 4 in 2018 with a mark of 15-3. He broke the DeSoto school record previously held by Coach Rieffer since 1984. Sullivan Gleason has now topped that mark by hitting 16’0″ in 2021 and was State Champion Class 5 in 2021 as a Junior. This was the highest PV mark in St Louis history in the past 20 years. Girls State Champions are Abbey Redd in 2021 with 11-1, Sophia Schrader in 2022 with 12-0 (PR 12-6), and Avery Foster in 2024 as a Sophomore with 12-0 (PR 12-3.5). In the Fall of 2024 we have now had Parker Owens of Edwardsville HS break a World Record for age 14 with 16-3.
Staff:
Chris Zoeller: (Current) Coaches at Lindbergh HS, Coached for Cor Jesu Academy and Vianney HS since 2005, Coached D2 at Maryville University from 2018-2021. Multiple State Qualifiers and Champions. Started PVSTL in 2012. Gill/Pacer Dealer, FiberSport Dealer, Team Pacer Club. #1 Independent Dealer in the Nation for Gill in 2023 & 2024.
Kurt Bliggenstorfer: (Current) Coaches for St. Charles West (since 2005) and has produced multiple State Qualifiers and Champions. Central to indoor training and video review.
Russ Braudrick: (Current) Over 36 years of PV coaching experience. Coached at multiple local HS and Colleges. NSCA Strength and Conditioning Certified. Instrumental with Approach work on the Runway.
Casie Cullinane: PV Coach at Liberty HS Wentzville. Assistant coach at Cor Jesu Academy 2021. Started with PVSTL as a freshman. Went on to set Pacific School Record at 11-3, holds Maryville Univ Indoor School Record at 3.40 (11’2″). Current PR at 11’10” from Texas Pole Vault Explosion. Casie is now attending Spalding University working towards her Doctor of Psychology degree.
Mayson DeRousse : (Current) GA at MoBap Univ. Mayson started training with us as a Sophomore in HS in 2016 and was State Champion in 2018. He has stepped into a coaching role while still competing. PR is 5.20.
Logan Fraley : (Current) Logan came to us in the Fall of 2024 from Texas Tech and Lone Star PV Club in New Braunsfels TX under Kris Allison. Logan is attending Concordia Seminary and has been running private training sessions with Lone Star and now for PVSTL. PR is 5.36.