THERE COULD HAVE BEEN a lot of expectations when Bryce Barkdull entered his frosh year of high school. After all, his dad Ryan was a 2-time all-America vaulter at Wichita State with an 18-6¾ (5.66) PR. And mom Richelle was an all-Missouri Valley sprinter-hurdler-jumper. And a multiple HS state champ at McPherson High in Kansas.
But Barkdull’s high school, Andover Central, didn’t have a proper pit.
“They promised to get a new pit setup if I would coach the vault,” Ryan explained. It was installed in ’20 and the Barkdull family was ready.
Bryce had found his food store!
His yearly improvement would come in feet, not inches. By his senior year, Barkdull would top 17-9 (5.41) at his league meet in Salina, Kansas, and he would go on to win his second state championship at 17-2. In ’24 he cleared at least 17-0 indoors 7 times, and outdoors 8 (plus a 17-¾ clearance outside the prep season good for 5th at the World Junior Champs). He added a couple of 17-footers while on a family trip to Europe.
Consistency unsurpassed in ’24 by his rivals. Virginia prep soph Victor Oleson of Charleston’s St. Christopher’s, who defeated Barkdull at the USA U20 meet (17-8 ½ on misses) and Nike Nationals (17-5¾ to 17-2), went over the barrier height 8 times. Dyson Wicker (Heath, Rockwall, Texas) vaulted to No. 3 on the ’24 prep list at 17-8½ and on 7 occasions went over 17.
After earning T&FN All-America recognition as a junior in ’23, Barkdull moved up to the No. 2 spot in ’24.
“I hadn’t even picked up a pole before my freshman year in ’20,” Bryce says with a chuckle. “Oh, maybe a piece of one of dad’s broken poles out in the garage. But I had never tried vaulting until then.”
Like most kids, he tried soccer and basketball and football. But nothing clicked. Team sports weren’t his thing. Vaulting was different: it was just him and the pole and the bar. He realized that with some physical changes, dietary adjustments and commitment, he might be able to accomplish some things. His 9th-grade year, he made 12-0.
“Even then, when I was just vaulting at 12-feet, I loved it,” Barkdull says, enthusiastically. “I looked forward to practice, lifting, getting ready for the next meet.”
In his soph year he kept improving with a handful of vaults over 14-feet. He topped out at State, in front of 12,000 spectators, at 15-0 for 2nd. Only his brother Ashton (16-7¼) beat him. He thought that maybe he might eventually get some attention from some D-II programs. That, of course, would change.
“The transformation was amazing,” dad remembers. “He hit the weightroom, he learned about diet and what he needed to do. He lost some weight, added on some muscle and started watching video of some of the great vaulters. He studied their hand placement, footwork on the approach, all the little nuances of vaulting.”
Another quantum leap during his junior season. A 16-¾ opener at the Texas Relays. A huge PR 17-3¼ leap at home — the Andover Invite — to lead the nation. A couple weeks later 17-6¼ at the Shawnee Mission North Relays (alma mater of ’84 Olympic 6th-placer Doug Lytle). He closed the season with a State title (17-1) and a Nike Nationals win (16-11½).
“I started getting comfortable and consistent at 17 that year,” he says.
As his senior year approached, the Barkdulls looked around the NCAA at various programs. But they ultimately didn’t need to look far. Coincidentally, the vault coach at Kansas, Tom Hays, had been Ryan’s coach at Wichita State. It didn’t hurt either that Ashton was a Jayhawk soph, and runner-up in the ’24 Big 12 vault under Hays’ guidance.
“When you look for character and competitiveness, Bryce’s parents are tops,” says Hays. “That heritage that he received from Ryan and Richelle can’t be measured. It stood out. They both understand what it means to compete at the top level.”
Ryan observes that Hays has the unique ability to adjust his coaching style to the athlete. And Hays agrees. “Both Barkdull boys have a lot of similarities but at the same time there are differences. For instance, Bryce is very cerebral, he needs to know all of the nuances, the subtleties, of vaulting. And I respect that, and try to develop every athlete’s special gifts. Ashton may have more sprinter’s speed.”
It’ll be almost an all-in-the-family deal for Bryce Barkdull as he steps up to the runway under Hays’ tutelage as a Jayhawk this season.