Tulpehocken’s Camden Gehris socks away Firing Meet gold

Track & Field coverage presented by ATT Sports, Inc.

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

Camden Gehris didn’t have a plan for how he’d display his gold medal. His socks were a different story. Those have become a keepsake. They’ve been with him since the start.

“I’m going to frame them,” Gehris said, looking down at the rubber ducks peeking above his shoes. “I’m going to put them in a box on the wall in a glass case.”

Tulpehocken’s senior has worn those socks for every pole vault attempt since seventh grade. They were a gift from his aunt, a top-notch runner. The colors match the blue and yellow of the Trojans.

Gehris never wears them unless it’s track and field season. They’ve become part-tradition and part-superstition at this point. 

“I did it one year and it stuck,” he said. “I kept doing it and now I can’t stop. They’re a little tight. My mom has patched them multiple times.”

Gehris reached new heights with the help of his good luck charm Thursday. The senior cleared 13-9 and won gold at the William H. Firing Meet at Shillington.

The mark matched his personal best. The county gold medal was his first.

Gehris has been on the radar since he qualified for districts his freshman year. He placed fifth and topped out at 12-0 last season. He’s coached by Jordan Loeb, a Tulpy grad who placed fifth at the Firing in 2012.

“He has a really good attitude,” Loeb said. “He doesn’t get stressed out about jumping. Some people get so flustered. He’s just cool about it.”

Gehris and Gov. Mifflin’s Jacob Engle were the only vaulters to clear 13-3. Gehris made it over 13-9 on his second attempt. He fell just short in three tries at 14-0.

Before each attempt, Gehris bounced on his toes a few times, applied some chalk, clapped his hands together and slid the pole on the runway. Then he was off. After that everything always goes black. He doesn’t know the result until he’s soaring through the air. 

“The minute I hit the box my eyes are closed,” he said. “They’re open again when I’m looking down at it. I don’t know if I actually close my eyes or I lose vision. I don’t see anything from the ground until I’m over it. I don’t really look. I just feel.”

Engle and Gehris encouraged each other before every jump. Engle gave Gehris a congratulatory hug after he was crowned champion.

This group is what Gehris called the “pole vault brotherhood.” Those two along with Cory Engle, David Rosario and Cameron Neafcy have been competing for years. Gehris said it has helped him improve.

Winning the Firing Meet was Gehris’ No. 1 achievement to date.

“It’s very satisfying,” he said. “It’s nice to close off my last year like this.”

Gehris entered the weekend with the top height in District 3 Class 2A. He’s a leading contender for another gold medal at Shippensburg next weekend.

There’s at least one more chance to compete. One more chance to break out those lucky socks.