By Alex Rodriguez – Staff Reporter

Junior captain Joey Richardson is a pole vaulter for the Jonathan Law boys indoor track and field team.

Richardson recently finished his strong indoor season with a 10th place finish at the Class M State Tournament.

“My season has been going good so far, ” Richardson said.  “I was able to get a personal record at my last meet which was 11 feet. Now I’m only one foot away from breaking the school record.”

Richardson is very committed to breaking his record as well as the school record.

“I’m really focused on improving my form and aiming to break the school record, ” Richard Said.

Richardson received very high praise from his teammates.

“He is the best vaulter in our school currently and qualified for states in the first meet,” junior teammate Carl Wischow said.

All the work that Richardson has put in has started to pay off. 

“Joey has put in the work all season, and has done great at meets,” junior indoor track teammate Addison Barber said.

Richardson is also a leader of the team who helps out his fellow teammates a great deal. 

“I help lead stretches and I help coach and teach anyone who wants to do field events,” Richardson said. “Field events being long jump, high jump, and pole vault.”

Teammates said that Richardson helps to bring the team together.

“He faces challenges well and his ability to inspire unites his teammates,” sophomore teammate Yeiden Nieves said.

Richardson also spends a lot of time recruiting other kids to pole vault. 

“His leadership has shined as he took the role of captain of the pole vaulters and he has done a good job recruiting people to pole vaulting,” Wischow said.

In addition to helping recruiting, Richardson enjoys helping new pole vaulters and showing them what he knows. 

“Joey shows younger kids how to pole vault and helps out at long jump and high jump sometimes,” Barber said. “He has helped me at meets and practices by taking my steps and giving me feedback on my jumps.”