Indiana University Athletics
Q&A: Johnston Continues Family Legacy in the Pole Vault
5/3/2023 1:30:00 PM | Track and Field
Johnston Q&A
Riley Johnston comes from a long line of pole vaulters. A tradition created by his grandfather has parlayed into a lineage of Johnston men vaulting at the next level.
After playing quarterback and pole vaulting at Hobart High School, Johnston chose to join the elite tradition of vaulters at Indiana in an event group featuring Nathan Stone and Tyler Carrel.
Despite being hampered by injuries at times, Johnston has positioned himself to be a potential point scorer in the Big Ten this season.
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, his season's best mark of 5.15m/16-10.75 sits No. 7 in the conference. There are three Hoosiers among the top-eight athletes this year in the Big Ten.
Next week's Big Ten Outdoor Championships, hosted in Bloomington, will be the biggest stage to prove just how far he's come in his career.
What's the pole vault tradition in your family like?
"My grandpa started it. He pole vaulted for Purdue and was a national champion. So of course, my dad and uncle both pole vaulted. My dad ended up going to Purdue and was a Big Ten Champion and my uncle played football at Wisconsin. My grandpa was the one who started it and all my cousins and my little brother all do it. Seventh grade is when I first started."
How was it like when you first began?
"It was not natural. At first, especially when you're not very good, it's not the most fun thing to do over and over again. I would say my freshman year of high school is when it started getting fun. That was when I started making some decently high bars."
You were a high school quarterback and a pole vaulter, what was the difference between the two?
"Sports are such a big part of my life just like everyone else here. Both sports are unique but different. Being a quarterback and the leader on the field in football is so much different than being in a solo sport like pole vault. But at the same time, it's not that different. It's still sports."
What was your recruitment like?
"My junior year is when most people start getting recruited and that's when quarantine happened so I didn't get my junior year. And then senior year, there was no recruiting and visits. The only contact I had with Coach (Jake) Wiseman was a couple phone calls during football season. That was the only coach I had spoken to. My senior year I tore my hamstring so any sort of scholarship or anything, I wasn't going to get."
Why did you pick IU?
"I really liked Coach Wiseman and I knew everyone on the team. I grew up vaulting with (Tyler) Sierks and knew Nathan (Stone) and Taylor (Jarosinski) out of high school. It felt like a good fit and I really liked the school."
What has your experience been like here?
"It's been so much fun. In the fall, it's tough. Just with all the training. But once you get to start to travel, hangout with teammates and spend the night in hotels, all the fun things with pole vaulting. It's so much worth it. I feel like a family with them. I've told them that a thousand times. Those are my legit brothers. Some of my closest friends here. We spend every day here together so you have to get along. And we do. We have fun too."
What's it like seeing your teammates succeed at the highest level?
"When your teammates are thriving, it obviously motivates you to get better and keep training at a high level. That's why you show up every day. You want to get to the peak level that they're at."
What's it like going through a competition where you might have long breaks between jumps?
"As far as focus go, the biggest part is relaxing. You've taken a thousand jumps and lifted the weights. You've done all the training that's brought you to this point. The biggest thing is relaxing and doing what you need to do."
As the season winds down, how are you preparing ahead of the postseason?
"Getting better every day. Finding the little things to work on, especially in practice, that are going to carry over into the meet and allow me to make that next bar."
What do you plan to do after college?
"My major is Fitness and Wellness. I'm wanting to be a strength and conditioning coach, preferably at the collegiate level. The weight room is my happy place. That's where I enjoy being. Helping other people is one of my favorite things to do."
What was the adjustment going from your dad to being coached by Coach Wiseman?
"Obviously jumping for him is a lot of fun. The adjustment from getting coached by my dad in high school and my whole life to here was big. It's the same for everyone when you go to the collegiate level. It's a totally different style of training. Last year was really rough physically and mentally. But this year, coming into it and knowing what to expect, I've enjoyed it."
What is it like being a part of a team where everyone does different things while competing for the same school?
"Everyone's counting on you to do your part. That's why track is so special. The energy at meets like that, it's special."
Riley Johnston comes from a long line of pole vaulters. A tradition created by his grandfather has parlayed into a lineage of Johnston men vaulting at the next level.
After playing quarterback and pole vaulting at Hobart High School, Johnston chose to join the elite tradition of vaulters at Indiana in an event group featuring Nathan Stone and Tyler Carrel.
Despite being hampered by injuries at times, Johnston has positioned himself to be a potential point scorer in the Big Ten this season.
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, his season's best mark of 5.15m/16-10.75 sits No. 7 in the conference. There are three Hoosiers among the top-eight athletes this year in the Big Ten.
Next week's Big Ten Outdoor Championships, hosted in Bloomington, will be the biggest stage to prove just how far he's come in his career.
What's the pole vault tradition in your family like?
"My grandpa started it. He pole vaulted for Purdue and was a national champion. So of course, my dad and uncle both pole vaulted. My dad ended up going to Purdue and was a Big Ten Champion and my uncle played football at Wisconsin. My grandpa was the one who started it and all my cousins and my little brother all do it. Seventh grade is when I first started."
How was it like when you first began?
"It was not natural. At first, especially when you're not very good, it's not the most fun thing to do over and over again. I would say my freshman year of high school is when it started getting fun. That was when I started making some decently high bars."
You were a high school quarterback and a pole vaulter, what was the difference between the two?
"Sports are such a big part of my life just like everyone else here. Both sports are unique but different. Being a quarterback and the leader on the field in football is so much different than being in a solo sport like pole vault. But at the same time, it's not that different. It's still sports."
What was your recruitment like?
"My junior year is when most people start getting recruited and that's when quarantine happened so I didn't get my junior year. And then senior year, there was no recruiting and visits. The only contact I had with Coach (Jake) Wiseman was a couple phone calls during football season. That was the only coach I had spoken to. My senior year I tore my hamstring so any sort of scholarship or anything, I wasn't going to get."
Why did you pick IU?
"I really liked Coach Wiseman and I knew everyone on the team. I grew up vaulting with (Tyler) Sierks and knew Nathan (Stone) and Taylor (Jarosinski) out of high school. It felt like a good fit and I really liked the school."
What has your experience been like here?
"It's been so much fun. In the fall, it's tough. Just with all the training. But once you get to start to travel, hangout with teammates and spend the night in hotels, all the fun things with pole vaulting. It's so much worth it. I feel like a family with them. I've told them that a thousand times. Those are my legit brothers. Some of my closest friends here. We spend every day here together so you have to get along. And we do. We have fun too."
What's it like seeing your teammates succeed at the highest level?
"When your teammates are thriving, it obviously motivates you to get better and keep training at a high level. That's why you show up every day. You want to get to the peak level that they're at."
What's it like going through a competition where you might have long breaks between jumps?
"As far as focus go, the biggest part is relaxing. You've taken a thousand jumps and lifted the weights. You've done all the training that's brought you to this point. The biggest thing is relaxing and doing what you need to do."
As the season winds down, how are you preparing ahead of the postseason?
"Getting better every day. Finding the little things to work on, especially in practice, that are going to carry over into the meet and allow me to make that next bar."
What do you plan to do after college?
"My major is Fitness and Wellness. I'm wanting to be a strength and conditioning coach, preferably at the collegiate level. The weight room is my happy place. That's where I enjoy being. Helping other people is one of my favorite things to do."
What was the adjustment going from your dad to being coached by Coach Wiseman?
"Obviously jumping for him is a lot of fun. The adjustment from getting coached by my dad in high school and my whole life to here was big. It's the same for everyone when you go to the collegiate level. It's a totally different style of training. Last year was really rough physically and mentally. But this year, coming into it and knowing what to expect, I've enjoyed it."
What is it like being a part of a team where everyone does different things while competing for the same school?
"Everyone's counting on you to do your part. That's why track is so special. The energy at meets like that, it's special."
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
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Pole Vault
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Pole Vault
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