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Ram hurdles goals one at a time
By JAMAL THALJI © St. Petersburg Times, published April 26, 2001
Instead, he focuses on the goal beyond them. Keeping that goal in focus is what has made Vergnaud one of the county's top hurdlers. It has helped him master one of track's most difficult events and has made him a top tutor to young hurdlers on the Alpha Omega youth team. "I always tell my athletes, 'Each hurdle is like a goal you want to accomplish,"' he said. "I call my goal the finish line, and I tell myself I have to clear these barriers to reach my goal." Today, at the Class 3A, District 9 meet at Springstead, Vergnaud will race with another goal in mind: challenge a tough field to earn a top four finish and a berth in the regional meet. Land O'Lakes' Godfrey Pestana, the Sunshine Athletic Conference champion in the 110-meter high and 300 hurdles, along with Springstead's Alton Hughes, will again be lining up in the blocks next to Vergnaud. Vergnaud was reluctantly introduced to the sport -- or rather, dragged into it -- by Bayonet Point Middle School coach James Wilcox. "He just dragged me out one day and asked me if I wanted to do them, and I said I didn't," Vergnaud said. "But I did. Ever since, I've set goals for myself. My seventh-grade year I was awful, so I worked all summer long and all season and got the school and county record." He still holds the county's middle school 100 hurdles record of 14.82 seconds. This year, his junior season, Vergnaud earned runner-up SAC ribbons in both the 110 and 300 hurdles, though his specialty is the latter. His best times are 41.6 seconds in the 300 and 15.9 in the 110. Rams coach Joe Breinig said Vergnaud has all the tools to hurdle at the next level. "I think one of Chris' best assets is he's got a nice, long stride for the 300," the coach said. "His form over the hurdle is superb. He has a good silhouette. He doesn't really waste a lot of time in the air over the hurdles. He gets over and he gets down and he keeps moving. "I think a lot of guys get intimidated by the hurdles, but not Chris." Vergnaud's other role this season has been that of team leader, a role that will increase next season. Ridgewood has just two seniors, distance star Jim Vitale and jump specialist Joe Anders. "(Vergnaud) is a great athlete and he's done a great job of helping me out as a first-year coach," Breinig said, "getting the troops in line, just showing leadership within the team. "That's going to be crucial in the coming years."
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