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About Us

Meet Our Elite Team

Dean Starkey and Brad Walker have teamed up to create an elite training center for the top pole-vaulters in the U.S. Currently, there are no facilities in the U.S. where elite pole-vaulters can get the facility, support structure and group training environment that is needed to maximize their success. Athletes that are training at the elite level typically have job situations that are not flexible or high paying enough to allow for optimal training or traveling to competitions.

Due to the high costs to maintain facility, equipment, coaching salary, therapist salary, travel and living expenses we wanted to create a self sustaining business around the center where the elite vaulters could help work the business in order to keep the facility running. Our answer to this challenge was to use what we already know how to do to help others. By offering Virtual Coaching, Group Training and Camps/Clincs, we are able to not only maintain our facility but also pay our vaulters a salary while offering the ultimate in flexibility for training and travel to competitions.

Our plan is to build a 10K square foot building in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona. This facility will be outfitted with the highest quality training equipment and decor to ensure maximal energy, motivation and atmosphere.

The training group will consist of one coach and 5 of the top male and female vaulters in the country who choose to commit to our full time training program. Below is a little information on our current training group.

Dean Starkey - Head Coach

■ Coach at the Arizona Pole-vault Academy
■ Former VP, Operations at the National Academy of Sports Medicine
■ Former Professional Pole-vaulter
■ 1997 World Outdoor Championships Bronze Medalist
■ U.S. Indoor Champion
■ World University Games Silver Medalist
■ NCAA Indoor Champion
■ Ranked 4th in the world in 1994
■ 19’5” (5.92m) Personal Best in the Pole-vault
■ Co-founder of the Pole-vault Safety Certification Board

IAAF Profile

Brad Walker - World Class Pole-Vaulter

■ Professional Pole-vaulter
■ American Record Holder at 19’9 3/4” (6.04m)
■ 2 Time NCAA Champion
■ 2005 World Outdoor Championships Silver Medal
■ 2006 World Indoor World Championships Gold Medal
■ 2007 World Outdoor Championships Gold Medal
■ 2008 World Indoor World Championships Silver Medal
■ 2012 World Indoor Championships Bronze Medal
■ 2008 and 2012 Olympic Team Member
■ 8 Time U.S. National Champion

IAAF Profile

Meet the Elite Vaulters and Virtual Coaches

Nick Mossberg - 18'2 (5.55m)

- All American from the University of Arizona
- College pr of 5.46 (17'10")
- Runner up at Pac 10 Championships and Regional Championships in 2009
- 5th at Indoor USA Nationals 2010
- 3rd at Outdoor USA Nationals 2011
- Provisional Qualifier for World Championships team in 2011
- 2011 Pan American team
- 2012 Olympic Trials Qualifier

IAAF Profile

Kasey Burlingham - 17'8" (5.40m)

Kasey is a post collegiate pole vaulter looking to make the jump to the next level of Competition. His accomplishments include 2007 California JC champion will competing for Cuesta Community College, 2009 NCAA D2 National Champion and two time All American will competing for California State University Stanislaus who named him 2009 and 2010 male athlete of the year and 2010 track and field MVP. Kasey has a personal best or 17'8 (5.40m).

IAAF Profile

Dustin Deleo - 18'1 (5.51m)

- 6th Place USA Olympic Trials 2012
- 4th Place USA Indoor Championships 2012
- All American and Team Captain at UCLA
- College PR of 18'1"(5.51)

IAAF Profile

Annie Burlingham - 12'9" (3.89m)

Annie started pole vaulting her senior year at Colfax high school before going to Cuesta community college where she was third at the Californian Junior college state meet in 2006. She then transferred to California State University Stanislaus where she was All-American for Div. II Indoor Track and Field Nationals and a National Qualifier for Outdoor Nationals in 2010 she was also awarded female Athlete of the Year for Stanislaus State and team MVP. She has coached the pole vault for SJVSC Summer and Winter camps since 2005. Annie has a personal best of 12'8 ½". She will continue pole vaulting this year with hopes of reaching the next level of competition.

All-Athletics.com Bio

Jill Starkey - 14'1" (4.30m) Masters World Champion

- 2011 Masters World Champion
- 2000 Olympic Trails Qualifier
- Coach at the Arizona Pole-vault Academy

IAAF Profile

April Steiner Bennett - 15'2" (4.63m)

- Graduated from University of Arkansas
- 2008 Olympic Team Member

IAAF Profile

Meet Our Support Team

Team Physical Therapist

Dr. Dave Hogarth - PT DPT, NASM-CES/PES

Doctor of Physical Therapy, Dave has spent the majority of his life around the pole vault. A collegiate decathlete himself, he followed his wife to Arizona while she vaulted for Canada’s national team. Over the past 14 years he has enjoyed working with Track and Field athletes of high school, collegiate, and Olympic levels. While directing a clinic on the grounds of IMG Academies (a multisport training facility in Florida), in addition to working with visiting pro football, soccer, basketball, and baseball players, he traveled on the ATP and WTA tennis tours. Then after spending 3 years as Physical Therapist for the LA Angels baseball club, he returned to clinical work in the East Valley leading clinics for Physiotherapy Associates.