Navy chief petty officer still raises the bar
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILL. (USTCNS) - Navy Chief Petty Officer Edward Watson says he "likes to beat up on college kids," but in a good way, as an All-American pole vaulter.
As a child, the 34-year-old Mobile, Ala., native caught a televised track and field competition. It changed his life.
"I was watching the Olympic trials in 1980 and saw the pole vault for the first time," Watson said. "I thought it was the most amazing thing I'd seen in my life."
So he did what any red-blooded American boy would do when confronted with a new outlet for his energy.
"I sprinted down to the cow pasture, cut some bamboo and started jumping over the clothesline," Watson said.
In high school, he earned a track and field scholarship to Auburn University and today competes in the masters' category at track meets.
As an intelligence specialist at USTRANSCOM, Watson continues his off-duty track and field competition with athletes half his age. He also competes in the triple jump but says he can't train as much as he'd like.
"For me it's tough finding somewhere to jump," Watson said. "It's easy when school is in, you volunteer at a local high school to help out their jumpers (he is a certified track and field coach, and in return they give you somewhere to jump.
"When school's out, you don't have anywhere to jump," Watson continued. "I rely on my personal expertise and just go back and watch videos and get through (the off time)."
Watson is not exactly enamored with many current athletes.
"I don't feel that the athlete today brings to the table what they did during my time and the time before me," he said. "It was more for the love of the sport. You were there because you wanted to be. Now they're just out there trying to look flashy. Or they have some other incentive.
"I mean, I'm not on scholarship, and I'm out there, and I'm having fun doing what I do," Watson continued. "And the big thing is, when you pop a big jump out there, some of the other coaches start telling the other guys 'You know how old that guy is.'"
Watson clears the bar at 16 feet in his often dangerous event.
"I compete in one of the most difficult and technical events in track and field," Watson said. "Over the years, there have been some deaths associated with the pole vault. We go out and perform using a piece of fiberglass 15 to 17 feet in length.
"Before every meet you perform an inspection for cracks, chips, spike marks, etc. to minimize pole breakage," Watson continued. "We take, what I call, a calculated risk. You can ask anyone who has ever pole vaulted, and I'm sure they will have a horror story to tell you. Try taking a fall from 17 feet in front of a crowd of 3,000 spectators."
Watson sees no end to his athletic career in the near future.
"One meet I had in mid-June, the guy who was jumping with me was 77," Watson said. "When I look at that, I think, why should I quit? When my body says to quit, I'll quit. Until then, as long as the desire is there--the will to compete--I'm gonna get going."
Watson recently left USTRANSCOM for sea duty. He and his wife Maria have two children, Sydney, 7, and Blair 4.
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As a child, the 34-year-old Mobile, Ala., native caught a televised track and field competition. It changed his life.
"I was watching the Olympic trials in 1980 and saw the pole vault for the first time," Watson said. "I thought it was the most amazing thing I'd seen in my life."
So he did what any red-blooded American boy would do when confronted with a new outlet for his energy.
"I sprinted down to the cow pasture, cut some bamboo and started jumping over the clothesline," Watson said.
In high school, he earned a track and field scholarship to Auburn University and today competes in the masters' category at track meets.
As an intelligence specialist at USTRANSCOM, Watson continues his off-duty track and field competition with athletes half his age. He also competes in the triple jump but says he can't train as much as he'd like.
"For me it's tough finding somewhere to jump," Watson said. "It's easy when school is in, you volunteer at a local high school to help out their jumpers (he is a certified track and field coach, and in return they give you somewhere to jump.
"When school's out, you don't have anywhere to jump," Watson continued. "I rely on my personal expertise and just go back and watch videos and get through (the off time)."
Watson is not exactly enamored with many current athletes.
"I don't feel that the athlete today brings to the table what they did during my time and the time before me," he said. "It was more for the love of the sport. You were there because you wanted to be. Now they're just out there trying to look flashy. Or they have some other incentive.
"I mean, I'm not on scholarship, and I'm out there, and I'm having fun doing what I do," Watson continued. "And the big thing is, when you pop a big jump out there, some of the other coaches start telling the other guys 'You know how old that guy is.'"
Watson clears the bar at 16 feet in his often dangerous event.
"I compete in one of the most difficult and technical events in track and field," Watson said. "Over the years, there have been some deaths associated with the pole vault. We go out and perform using a piece of fiberglass 15 to 17 feet in length.
"Before every meet you perform an inspection for cracks, chips, spike marks, etc. to minimize pole breakage," Watson continued. "We take, what I call, a calculated risk. You can ask anyone who has ever pole vaulted, and I'm sure they will have a horror story to tell you. Try taking a fall from 17 feet in front of a crowd of 3,000 spectators."
Watson sees no end to his athletic career in the near future.
"One meet I had in mid-June, the guy who was jumping with me was 77," Watson said. "When I look at that, I think, why should I quit? When my body says to quit, I'll quit. Until then, as long as the desire is there--the will to compete--I'm gonna get going."
Watson recently left USTRANSCOM for sea duty. He and his wife Maria have two children, Sydney, 7, and Blair 4.
________________________
To receive USTRANSCOM News Service releases and articles by email, simply send an email to join-ustcns@mercury.afnews.af.mil. There is no need to fill in the subject or message block.
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