Athletic records are set by high caliber athletes and then proudly displayed in trophy cases or plaques posted on school walls for all to see. And then they wait to be broken. Most athletes who set records anticipate that some day their record will be broken, but not many anticipate that it will be a younger sister who comes along and breaks it. Ann Polcari, Ridgewood High School Class of 2008, set a 11’9″ pole vault record that stood for three years until her little sister Kayla, RHS Class of 2011, broke it her senior year at the prestigious Penn Relays, in 12’5.5.” “I told her that records were meant to be broken and I was so happy it was her,” recalls Ann. In February, both sisters, who attend Notre Dame, helped their women’s team win the Big East Indoor Championship for the first time since 2006. Kayla’s best vault is her 12’5.5″ set at the Penn Relays and Ann’s is 13’2″. They recently finished 1st and 2nd (Ann 1st and Kayla 2nd) at the Invitational Indiana Relays. They love competing together. “We are very supportive of each other,” says Ann. As important as their athletic achievements are, the sisters are both involved in “Timmy Global Health of Notre Dame,” which is an organization that provides medical services to underserved areas around the world. Ann is the president of the Notre Dame chapter of this national organization and Kayla is very actively involved. They spent their last fall break in Quito, Ecuador with a medical brigade of doctors, nurses, and students from Notre Dame. It was Ann’s third medical brigade to Ecuador and Kayla’s first. They are both hoping to attend medical school and continue supporting this organization as medical professionals. Ann will graduate this July. Kayla, a sophomore, has a double major of pre-med and psychology. The family has strong ties to Notre Dame. Their father, Peter Polcari, attended ND as did 13 other extended family members. “I guess you could say we are pretty fanatic about ND,” acknowledges Kayla. When Kayla was eight years old she tagged along with her sister to a pole vault practice just to see what it was about. She picked up a pole and it was love at first jump. “It’s thrilling, challenging, super hard, and I love it,” says Kayla. “There’s no better feeling than flying through the air.” Their parents realized their daughters’ talent and drove them to practice sessions in Warwick, N.Y. where the girls attended the Hudson Valley Flying Circus in the summer and fall months. more
