Stacy Dragila

Biography

Sheï¿½s nicknamed the ï¿½Goat Roper.ï¿½ Her sport is called ï¿½Chicks with Sticks.ï¿½ Say what you will about Stacy Dragila and womenï¿½s pole vaulting, but donï¿½t expect a reaction from the biggest star in track & fieldï¿½s hottest event. She was there when it all began, and now sheï¿½s reaping the rewardsï¿½more than a million bucks a year, thank you. In her sliver of the sports world, Stacy is Venus and Serena and Michael and Magic all rolled into a sleek and explosive 5-7, 140-pound package. This ex-rodeo star floats through the air like a superheroine and shows more skin than a FOX reality show. In short, there is a lot to knowï¿½but little not to likeï¿½about Stacy. This is her storyï¿½

GROWING UP
The Olympic gold medalist we know as Stacy Dragila was born Stacy Mikaelson on March 25, 1971. Her parents, Bill and Irma, already had a 20-month-old named Eric. The Mikaelsens were a hard-working, middle-class family. They lived in Auburn, California, a rural town northwest of Sacramento. Bill worked as a meat cutter, while Irma stayed at home to look after their children. Stacyï¿½s parents raised their kids to appreciate the simpler things in life. Spare time was never spent indoors watching TV or playing video games. The kids were adventurous and focused just like their mom and dad.

The Mikaelsens took family vacations on a small Idaho ranch owned by Stacyï¿½s grandfather. The kids pulled their weight by feeding, exercising and washing the horses, pigs, goats and chickens. The freedom of ranching life helped make Stacy a fearless child. She thought she was invincible, and challenged her brother to everything from mud fights to races on horseback. When Eric began entering rodeos, Stacy naturally followed. She would do anything to prove she was his equal.

Stacyï¿½s first love was actually gymnastics. She had great body control and a keen sense of balance. When she developed childhood asthma, however, she had to give up the sport. Looking for a replacement, she began focusing more on rodeo. Stacyï¿½s best events were goat tying, breakaway roping and team roping. She was also known to take a turn or two on the mechanical bull at the county fair. As she got older, Stacy was drawn to other sports. A good all-around athlete, she mopped up on field day in elementary school. When Stacy entered Placer High School in Auburn, she joined the volleyball and track teams. She was a solid sprinter, hurdler and long jumper.

Placerï¿½s wrestling coach doubled as the schoolï¿½s track coach, so Stacy did not get much insight into technique. This frustrated her, for she knew much of her potential was going untapped. That changed when she met John Orognen, the track coach at nearby Yuba Community College. Orognen was impressed by the 16-year-oldï¿½s strength and stamina. He volunteered to teach her proper technique, and turned her into a winning hurdler. She reached the state finals in the 300 meters in her junior and senior years, and placed second in the 400 meters at the Golden West Invitational as a senior.

Stacy got it in her head that she was a choke artist. Rather than reaching down and finding something extra in pressure situations, she seemed to lose a step. This really bugged her. Her only ticket to a good college would be a track scholarship, because her parents couldnï¿½t afford tuition to a four-year institution. Stacy knew college track coaches looked for Wï¿½s when they scanned a runnerï¿½s results, and in this department she was lacking.