From High School Records to the Pro Ranks—with Chloe Cunliffe - EP006

What does it look like for an athlete to go from setting high school records straight to the pro ranks? For pole vaulter Chloe Cunliffe, the transition has been a positive one, giving her the chance to focus solely on her sport. But there is a learning curve. So, how is training for and competing in high school meets different from the pros? Chloe is a professional pole vaulter in training for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. She holds both the indoor and outdoor national high school records, posting an indoor best of 14 feet, 9 inches and an outdoor mark of 14 feet, 8 inches in her standout career at West Seattle High School. After graduation, Chloe signed with Puma Athletics, and her outdoor mark of 4.47 meters in the 2019 pro season ranked 48th in the world. On this episode of Holistic High Performance, Chloe joins Daniel to explain how she discovered her love for pole vaulting and why she chose a professional career over college. She shares what it’s like to be a pro athlete in training for the Olympic Trials, describing the drills she is doing to improve her technique and walking us through the training progression for her sport. Listen in for Chloe’s insight on recovering quickly from injury and find out why she is considering massage school as a complement to her career as an athlete. What You Will Learn What influenced Chloe’s decision to give up gymnastics and return to track How Chloe discovered her love for pole vaulting Chloe’s pole vault training with her dad and the track team at West Seattle High School The records Chloe broke her junior and senior year of high school Why Chloe chose a professional career over college How being a pro athlete differs from Chloe’s high school experience The recovery team Chloe left behind when she moved from Seattle to Atlanta What Chloe’s daily routine looks like and how she is staying motivated through the pandemic How Chloe benefitted from the postponement of the Olympics and what it will take to qualify Why Chloe is considering massage school and a career in body work The injuries Chloe sustained her senior year and how she was able to recover quickly The drills Chloe is doing to improve her technique and what the training progression looks like for pole vaulters Connect with Chloe Cunliffe Chloe on Instagram Chloe on Twitter Connect with Daniel Christofferson Holistic High Performance Daniel on LinkedIn Resources NW Pole Vault Club Dr. Bruce Davis Kangen Water Machine Molecular Enhancer Brad Walker Katie Nagoette Kristen Brown Anatomy Trains The Anatomy Coloring Book by Wynn Kapit and Lawrence M. Elson Essx Poles