olympic – Houghton STAR

Olympic Pole Vaulter and gold medalist, Jenn Suhr, began training in the Kerr-Pegula Field House (KPFH) on weekday afternoons. According to Athletic Director, Harold ‘Skip’ Lord, Rick Suhr, Suhr’s husband and coach, called the athletic department in late September asking about the KPFH as a possible place for his wife and him to train. After multiple contacts, the Suhrs offered to be present for the homecoming ceremonies at the KPFH, including the ribbon cutting ceremony. The couple wanted to support the new facility, as well as the sport as a whole.

According to Lord, Suhr’s ties to Houghton go back to her high school years. Originally a basketball player, Suhr did not participate in track and field until her senior year. She had been recruited by Lord to play for Houghton when he was the head women’s basketball coach, but instead played basketball games in a Roberts Wesleyan uniform on multiple occasions at the Neilsen Physical Education Center.

Shortly after, she began setting national records in track and field, improving over time until she reached her current status. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, Suhr won the gold medal in pole vault. Then in 2012 Olympics, which took place in London, England, she received the gold medal in pole vault. Suhr also holds the world indoor record for pole vault, as well as five indoor and four outdoor pole vault records. In addition to being a two-time olympian, Surh also anticipates a third trip to the 2016 Olympic games.

Suhr and Mr. Suhr live in Rochester, but come to the KPFH about twice a week to train. As there are numerous field house complexes in the Rochester area, such as at Brockport University, Roberts Wesleyan, RIT, and the University of Rochester, Suhr choosing to train at the KPFH compliments the facility in many ways. Lord said, “This [the KPFH] is as nice as any one of them, if not nicer.”

The advantages of Suhr’s presence include increased visibility and publicity of the KPFH. Now that Houghton can now advertise hosting an Olympian on campus, Lord thinks filling up the building for both high school and collegiate indoor track and field events may be easier. “Prospective Houghton students still in high school, especially those we bring in for track meets, may be more drawn to the college because of this,” Lord stated. It is hoped high school track athletes visiting campus will be as impressed with the KPFH as Suhr is. Lord added, “This is a very good field house for a NCAA division three school.”

Increased visibility for the KPFH is a primary goal for the Athletic Department. Though, as Lord remarked, Houghton is still “learning how to get the word out” and use the facilities to the maximum benefit of the students and institution. The hope is with the events and visibility of the KPFH, it will expose prospective students to Houghton, create a stream of revenue for the college, and stimulate both the local economy and the surrounding community.

Current students can look forward to the possibility that Suhr may enter some inter-collegiate indoor track meets as an open, unattached competitor. Houghton pole vaulter, Judith Marklin, thinks it would be intimidating to compete with Suhr, but also would motivate her to be a better competitor, “I think that when you compete with people that are a lot better than you it really pushes you in so many different ways and seeing how she trains and just looking at her, herself, how much conditioning and strength training has to go into everything and how she really has to touch on all aspects.” She said, “ It’s not just focusing on pole vault technique, but everything. Seeing how to really focus on on all different aspects of your life , spiritually included, in order to become a good athlete, and then being able to compete against someone like that, you also have to step up your game and take into consideration all the different things you’re doing.”

Marklin also thinks competing with Suhr would also help people to get to know Suhr as person, not just an athlete, “I think a lot of times we like to put people that have achieved that amount of excellence on pedestals and not really see them as humans, but I think in competition you really get to see people’s strengths and weaknesses, so I think it’d be a good opportunity to see that in some ways we are just like Jenn.”

Last summer, on June 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into a law a piece of legislation banning the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” in regions or areas exposed to minors. Article 6.21 reads as follows:

“Propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors: 1. Propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors expressed in distribution of information that is aimed at the formation among minors of nontraditional sexual attitudes, attractiveness of nontraditional sexual relations, misperceptions of the social equivalence of traditional and nontraditional sexual relations, or enforcing information about nontraditional sexual relations that evokes interest to such relations, if these actions do not constitute a criminal offence, – is punishable by an administrative fine for citizens in the amount of four thousand to five thousand rubles.”

This move sparked an outcry from activists and organizations both inside and outside of Russia. In the United States in particular, many urban bars and clubs began refusing to sell Russian vodka as a protest against the discrimination happening on the other side of the world. More public figures–Tilda Swinton, Cher, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Stephen Fry, and others–raised their voices in protest of Russia hosting an Olympic event meant to “unite the world.”

After calls for a boycott of the Sochi games seemed to fade into the background, attention turned instead to the Obama administration and whether or not the United States would make a statement regarding President Putin’s anti-LGBTQ stance. Months later President Obama’s office published the list of his hand-selected delegation to be sent to Sochi to represent the United State’s government. Topping the list were former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Ambassador Michael McFaul, White House aide Rob Nabors, and two openly gay American Olympic Champions – two-time ice-hockey gold medalist Caitlin Cahow, and 1988 figure skating gold medalist Brian Boitano. In a recent interview Boitano informed USA Today, “Everyone knows why we’re here. We’ve made it obvious and quite public as to why Caitlin and I are supporting the delegation and are here. I think Russians know that and I think Americans know that and we’re proud to come from a country who supports tolerance and diversity and we stand strong.”

Since the Olympic Games began last week, other international athletes have voiced their opinions about Putin’s continued stance against gay rights in the face of Western opposition. “Homosexuality is not propaganda,” writes New Zealand Olympian Blake Skjellerup, “Anyone, no matter their sexuality, religion, or race, can play sports. One facet of who you are does not make you a weaker athlete. Being proud of who you are, and representing that makes you a stronger athlete, and the Olympic Games should be actioned in a place that provides that safety and opportunity.”

Putin, however, staunchly continues to defend the law he signed into effect. In his State of the Nation address this past December, two months before the opening ceremony in Sochi, Putin attacked the “norms of morality” of the West. “This destruction of traditional values from above not only entails negative consequences for society, but is also inherently anti-democratic because it is based on an abstract notion and runs counter to the will of the majority of people,” he said. As the games continue to unfold, it is predicted that athletes of multiple countries will pursue gestures of tolerance, bearing little regard for Putin’s disdain.