Master Pole Vaulter Coach Rick and his dad had a long-time dream to create together a pole vault family -- a community of exceptional people and products designed to bring to this sport the highest level of efficiency, safety, technical excellence ....and fun. 

 

In May of 2016, Coach Rick teamed up with Pete and Donna Carpentier and created a place for our new local facility where athletes can come to practice on safe equipment with experienced coaching.   We purchased a used USC pit from Coach Eric Morell (Vault House, High Point).  Coach Rick engineered our new portable runway system, which was partially manufactured by Velocity Track Systems and finished by Coach Rick and our athletes.  Sadly Rick's dad passed away in June, 2016.  We dedicated this facility and the state-of-the-art runway in Paul Richard's honor.  We know he would be thrilled!

 

Coach Rick began vaulting at the age of 7. Paul Richard, Rutgers Univesity Pole Vault Coach, taught and trained Rick in their backyard. Coach Rick played football as well and sustained a catastrophic injury that left him in a body cast in traction during high school. This ended his football career, but he was just getting started with what would become a

colorful, richly decorated lifetime of pole vault achievements.  

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1963, Feb 5: Coach Rick was born! 

1970 

Coach Rick began pole vaulting in his back yard with his dad, Coach Paul Richard, Rutgers University PV Coach (1971-1998)

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 Several World Age Records belong to Coach Rick:

        12 yrs old: 12'6"

        13 yrs old: 13'6

       (Mondo nabbed the 14yr old record, 16'8")

        15 yrs old:  15'1    

        45 yrs old: 14'9" (on a fiberglass pole)

        50 yrs old: 13'9"

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1978-81  

Bridgewater-Raritan East High School had the luxury of a volunteer coach, Paul Richard, who trained Bill "Billy" Lange and Eric Richard; they came to be known as the Flying Circus.

Freshman Year Indoor: 14'6" at the Dartmouth Relays (a world age record until the next day when Billy Lange jumped 15'6"); Outdoor: 15'1"; Summer: 15'3". Lange and Coach Rick went to Junior Nationals at IU Bloomington

Sophomore Year Indoor: 15'6" (Encephalitis; out for most of that season).

Junior Year Indoor: 16'1"; Outdoor 16'1"; Summer (AAU) 16'5" 

Senior Year Indoor: 15'6"; Outdoor 15'6". Lange cleared 16'6" inches in 1980, still the state record. Eric went 16'1" (4.91m) in 1981 and captured the gold medal at the Golden West Invitational, eventually jumping 16'5.75"   Coach Rick was crowned the East States Champion; NJHIAA Coaches T&F All-Star Team; Male High School MVP, T&F; National High School Athletic Association All-American Team. Signed with Manhattan College. Athe Golden West invitational, Coach Rick (16'5") was in good company in the top 10 athletes nationally alongside teammate Gred Duplantis (16'10.5")

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Eric Richard, Track and Field, 1981

Richard (middle) was a Bridgewater East student. He is ranked among the top 10 pole vaulters in N.J. outdoor all-time history with a 16-1 vault in 1981. As a senior he was invited to compete in the Golden West High School Invitational Meet in California. He was named to Ed Grant's All-Century indoor teams for the pole vault. He is among the top performers at the Eastern States Scholastic Championships with a pole vault of 15-6 in 1981.

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NEW JERSEY OUTDOOR ALL-TIME POLE VAULT LIST, 16-1 Eric Richard, Bridgewater East

 

1990

Read about Coach Rick's father in this August 30, 1990 article from New Jersey's The Morning Call

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2013

March, Coach Rick became Lake Norman High School's volunteer Pole Vault Coach, leading his son Justin to a men's school record (14'6"); taking teammates Cameron Carpentier, Patrick Sheehan (NC State XC and Track) to new heights; and Abby Murn (Citadel) to a women's school record 8'6". Together they whipped up a frenzied desire among LNHS' athletes to become vaulters!  

 

2014

USATF National Masters Track and Field Championships

Indoor:  #6 Richard, Eric              M51 Mooresville, NC          3.45m 11-3.75

Outdoor: #4 Richard, Eric            M51 Mooresville, NC          3.80m  12-05.50

 

2015

USATF National Masters Track and Field Championships  

Outdoor: #2 Richard, Eric           M52 Mooresville, NC           3.80m   12-05.50

 

2016 

USATF National Masters Track and Field Championships 

Indoor: #4  Richard, Eric             M53 Mooresville, NC           3.60m  11-9.75

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2023, October

Inducted into the Bridgewater-Raritan Athletic Hall of Fame.  Eric Richard