Indiana University Athletics
Student Spotlight: Paul Galas
1/16/2017 10:50:00 AM | General, Student-Athlete Services, Track and Field
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Paul Galas takes an analytical approach to high jumping.
It's crucial to success in his event and others competing in individual sports. The ability to step back, evaluate his performance, and fine-tune for improvements is what has gotten Galas to this stage in his career.
That process began in high school, when Galas devoted most of his time to the basketball court. High jumping was secondary, something he enjoyed but didn't think about beyond the weekends on the track.
That changed after his 10th grade season, when Galas first won Ontario's provincial championship. After a summer to reflect on the milestone achievement, Galas made a dedication to high jumping with his full effort.
The results speak for themselves. Galas won two more provincial championships, and ended his prep career with a distinct opportunity, representing Canada at the 2013 U-18 World Championships.
"That was a big stepping-stone in my life," Galas reflected on the experience. "It took me to the next level in my event, and that's when I realized this sport could do great things for me. It was a complete honor to represent my country."
From there, Galas said, his exposure at the U-18 World Championships brought him to Indiana. And once he took a visit to Bloomington, the Toronto native was sold on the Hoosiers.
It didn't take much to get Galas committed to Indiana, however, as another high jumper saw his career run through Ontario and Bloomington on his way to Olympic gold.
"For me personally, it was the influence that Derek Drouin had on me that got me interested in Indiana," said Galas. "I figured that coming here, if I could get anywhere near his level I would be ecstatic. It's definitely inspiring and it made me optimistic."
Drouin won five NCAA Championships (two indoor, three outdoor) in his time at Indiana, becoming the first athlete in NCAA history to win five titles in the high jump. In that time, Drouin also won bronze at London's 2012 Olympics and the 2013 World Championships. Since graduation, he's won gold medals at the Pan American Games, the Commonwealth Games, the World Championships, and most recently at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Galas admits that it's an understatement to call Drouin an inspiration. He knows how difficult improvement is as a high jumper.
"In high jump, you work tirelessly with repetitions to improve just one or two centimeters, which is a huge improvement," Galas said. "It's about staying focused; it's really technical. I'm three years in, and my strength is at the most it's going to be. I just need to sharpen things up technically."
This past summer, Galas found another outlet for his methodical approach to high jumping. He, along with a few other IU students in the athletic department, traveled to Vietnam with the Coach for College program. While there, Galas helped provide instruction in academics, athletics and life skills for underprivileged kids in rural Vietnam.
Galas believes that every aspect of the trip—the humbling living conditions, working with the kids, and taking time to reflect on his life—was the refreshment he needed both on and away from the track.
"I was shocked when I got there," Galas said. "It was nothing that I expected. It was better, and better for me. Going there made me a better person, and now I have a better perspective of what's going on in the world around me."
Furthermore, Galas brings his time as an instructor back to the track. As a junior with back-to-back trips to the NCAA Outdoor East Regional, Galas is seen as a leader on a young track & field team.
"It's promising. We're young, and we know that, but there are glimpses of great things," Galas said. "There are also moments of inexperience, but it's promising to see what the future holds and what the immediate future holds for some individuals. If we work at it as a team, we can really grow in the next few years."
It's crucial to success in his event and others competing in individual sports. The ability to step back, evaluate his performance, and fine-tune for improvements is what has gotten Galas to this stage in his career.
That process began in high school, when Galas devoted most of his time to the basketball court. High jumping was secondary, something he enjoyed but didn't think about beyond the weekends on the track.
That changed after his 10th grade season, when Galas first won Ontario's provincial championship. After a summer to reflect on the milestone achievement, Galas made a dedication to high jumping with his full effort.
The results speak for themselves. Galas won two more provincial championships, and ended his prep career with a distinct opportunity, representing Canada at the 2013 U-18 World Championships.
"That was a big stepping-stone in my life," Galas reflected on the experience. "It took me to the next level in my event, and that's when I realized this sport could do great things for me. It was a complete honor to represent my country."
From there, Galas said, his exposure at the U-18 World Championships brought him to Indiana. And once he took a visit to Bloomington, the Toronto native was sold on the Hoosiers.
It didn't take much to get Galas committed to Indiana, however, as another high jumper saw his career run through Ontario and Bloomington on his way to Olympic gold.
"For me personally, it was the influence that Derek Drouin had on me that got me interested in Indiana," said Galas. "I figured that coming here, if I could get anywhere near his level I would be ecstatic. It's definitely inspiring and it made me optimistic."
Drouin won five NCAA Championships (two indoor, three outdoor) in his time at Indiana, becoming the first athlete in NCAA history to win five titles in the high jump. In that time, Drouin also won bronze at London's 2012 Olympics and the 2013 World Championships. Since graduation, he's won gold medals at the Pan American Games, the Commonwealth Games, the World Championships, and most recently at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Galas admits that it's an understatement to call Drouin an inspiration. He knows how difficult improvement is as a high jumper.
"In high jump, you work tirelessly with repetitions to improve just one or two centimeters, which is a huge improvement," Galas said. "It's about staying focused; it's really technical. I'm three years in, and my strength is at the most it's going to be. I just need to sharpen things up technically."
This past summer, Galas found another outlet for his methodical approach to high jumping. He, along with a few other IU students in the athletic department, traveled to Vietnam with the Coach for College program. While there, Galas helped provide instruction in academics, athletics and life skills for underprivileged kids in rural Vietnam.
Galas believes that every aspect of the trip—the humbling living conditions, working with the kids, and taking time to reflect on his life—was the refreshment he needed both on and away from the track.
"I was shocked when I got there," Galas said. "It was nothing that I expected. It was better, and better for me. Going there made me a better person, and now I have a better perspective of what's going on in the world around me."
Furthermore, Galas brings his time as an instructor back to the track. As a junior with back-to-back trips to the NCAA Outdoor East Regional, Galas is seen as a leader on a young track & field team.
"It's promising. We're young, and we know that, but there are glimpses of great things," Galas said. "There are also moments of inexperience, but it's promising to see what the future holds and what the immediate future holds for some individuals. If we work at it as a team, we can really grow in the next few years."
Players Mentioned
High Jump
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