POLE POSITION: Princeton High boys’ track freshman star Simon Schenk, second from right, celebrates after setting a personal best and school record of 14’7 in winning the pole vault at the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional boys’ track meet in late May. Pictured with Schenk, from left, are personal coach Frank Harrison, a meet official, and PHS assistant coach Joe Gargione. Last Saturday, Schenk placed seventh in the state Group 4 meet with a vault of 13’0, later earning a wild card entry to the upcoming Meet of Champions.

Having grown up in the shadow of the Swiss Alps, Simon Schenk is soaring to new heights for the Princeton High boys’ track team.

Schenk, a freshman who moved to Princeton from the Zurich, Switzerland area last summer, has emerged as rising star in the pole vault for PHS.

This past January, he won the event at the indoor Mercer County Championships with a vault of 12’6.

In late May, after a subpar outing at the outdoor county meet, Schenk produced a breakthrough performance at the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional meet, placing first with a personal best and school record jump of 14’7.

For Schenk, who took up pole vaulting three years ago while competing for his local track club back home in Thalwil, 15 minutes away from Zurich, it took a while to become proficient at the challenging event.

“Our club is focused on pole vaulting, we have many vaulters there,” said Schenk.

“I tried several times, I also competed at meets. I didn’t really clear many high heights at first but I kept on going. The first thing is trusting the pole, that it won’t break or anything. That was the first big step and then after it was just practicing and putting the pieces together and working on everything together.”

After moving to Princeton in 2016, Schenk went to four pole vault clinics and worked with personal coach Frank Harrison to refine his skills in preparation for winter track.

That work paid off as Schenk took first in the pole vault at the indoor county meet, making history in the process.

“It was great,” said Schenk. “It was a surprise because I didn’t really know what was going on here and then they told me I was the first freshman to win this meet. I was like OK, wow.”

At the outdoor county meet, Schenk struggled, finishing fourth with a best jump of 12’0. As a result, Schenk got some new equipment and changed his hand position on the pole.

“My coach though maybe longer and bigger poles would help and then I bought one,” said Schenk.

“I had it Monday last week before the sectional and then I had the freshman/sophomore meet on Tuesday and I did 13. I was holding it higher.”

At the sectional meet, he went higher than anyone in PHS history, soaring to 14’7 in taking first.

“I was not expecting that, Coach Harrison was there and he said we are jumping 14 feet today and I said yeah, sure, right,” recalled Schenk.

“It was amazing, I made 13’6 on the first try. Then we went to 14 and I made that one. It was joy and starting to realize that all of the work you have put in over the years has paid off. It is just incredible. I couldn’t imagine that I would have those heights. I had the technique but I didn’t have the experience. with the higher poles.”

Last Saturday, Schenk took seventh at the state Group 4 meets with a best of 13’0, later earning a wild card entry to the Meet of Champions, which is taking place at Northern Burlington High on June 10. Other PHS athletes who will be competing at the MOC include senior Alex Roth in the 3,200, junior Will Hare in the 1,600, sophomore Paul Brennan in the discus, sophomore Nils Wildberg and junior Varun Narayan in the long jump, the boys’ 4×800 relay, and the girls’ 4×400 relay.

At the MOC, Schenk will be focusing on technique as he looks to continue his progress.

“Most of it is muscle memory; I have now done everything many, many times,” said Schenk.

“You try to change stuff you see from other jumpers like from the world elite and try to apply things to your jumps.”

Looking ahead, Schenk is hoping to someday ascend into the elite worldwide in his event.

“My highest goal is to reach Olympics 2024; I want to vault in college if we stay here,” said Schenk.