For record-setting Camas pole vaulter Chase McGee ... the air up there is so rare

McGee eclipsed Casey Carrigan's 56-year-old all-time best high school mark in Washington with his vault of 17 feet, 5 inches last week in his final home meet

Camas' senior Chase McGee set the all-time boys pole vault mark in Washington, going 17 feet, 5 inches in 2025. / Photo courtesy of Chase McGee

Chase McGee could not have scripted his final 4A GSHL home track and field meet at Camas High School any better than it turned out.

The aftermath was pretty cool, too.

A Montana State University men's track and field signee, McGee found the most rarified air in the sport - literally - when he set the all-time boys pole vault mark in Washington eight days ago.

His vault of 17 feet, 5 inches lifted him past legendary yesteryear star Casey Carrigan, of Orting, who went 17-41/2 in 1969 to set what many believed was an untouchable national record at the time.

And admittedly, McGee has not stopped grinning since his record-setting vault, which also stands as No. 3 in the nation this spring, against Union in front of a huge following of friends and family.

"Every time I watch the video, and my mom is screaming (after the vault), it makes me smile big," McGee said. "Gives me goose bumps each time. It's pretty awesome."

Not bad for a kid who really picked up pole vaulting as an eighth grader after watching his older sister, Shea, excel at it.

"She was doing the (sport) transfer from gymnastics, and was good at it," McGee said. "And I remember she was doing practice, and I hopped over there and messed around with it.

"Eventually, in track ... I figured out this was the one way I was supposed to go."

Equally impressive about McGee is his deep-dive study on Carrigan, who became the first high school pole vaulter to ever make Team USA for the Summer Olympics (1968) before moving to California full-time to become a firefighter.

As a junior last season, McGee began researching Carrigan, digging up grainy instructional videos and watching an interview the former star gave about how the NFHS hall of famer approached pole vaulting so ahead of his time.

"Chase studied this guy ... and is so respectful of what has come before him," said Dan Kielty, the Camas pole vault coach.

" (McGee) put 17-5 on his wall and made it a goal."

Once the teenager accomplished his mission, he had one thing left to do - reach out to Carrigan for the first time as a sign of respect.

On Monday, McGee - also an all-state wide receiver in football - phoned Carrigan to talk about his record-breaking meet, then asked him a few philosophical questions about pole vaulting during their half-hour conversation.

"He was telling me, 'What you put in is what you get out it,'" McGee said. "I honestly learned a lot and took away (advice) on more than just pole vaulting."

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