CASSTOWN — As the sun hung high above the cornfields, a trickle of cars — many of them with poles ranging from 12 to 15 feet long sticking out of the windows — started pulling into a grassy space inside the Miami East High School football stadium.From five different counties — Miami, Darke, Shelby, Auglaize and Champaign — they arrived, seeking knowledge and experience … and they were met by two men who were able to provide both.“Roger and Herb are great,” said Maria Heckman, a senior-to-be at Minster High School who placed third in the pole vault at the Division III state track and field championships last spring. “They know everything there is to know about pole vaulting.”More than a decade ago, Roger Bowen, the former track and field coach at Miami East High School, and Herb Hartman, the former track coach at Troy High School, had a vision. They wanted to provide a full-service pole vaulting academy for area high school vaulters. more
