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They’re on to bigger things

Alec LeTourneau signs letter of intent to pole vault at Grand Valley State

Courtesy Photo Alec LeTourneau pole vaults up and over a bar during an indoor meet while competing for The Woods Track and Field Club earlier this season.

Alpena High School track and field standout Alec LeTourneau recently signed his national letter of intent to continue his athletic career and compete at Grand Valley State University.

“It feels amazing knowing that I will be able to continue in a sport I love to compete in at a collegiate level,” LeTourneau said. “It is a bonus knowing I will be able to continue at such an impressive school academically and athletically.”

LeTourneau will go on to pole vault for the Lakers next year and has always been drawn into that event because of the adrenaline thrill. During his time at Alpena, LeTourneau has been a standout pole vaulter and is one of few Wildcats to go on to pole vault at the collegiate level.

“We are extremely proud of Alec. There have been a handful of good pole vaulters that have went through our program, but not many went on to compete at the collegiate level,” Alpena track and field coach Bob Bennett said. “Alec is very into pole vaulting and has worked hard to get to this point and as a coach it makes me very happy to see that and see athletes go onto the next level. He is an excellent young man.”

LeTourneau qualified for the state finals last year and finished 19th after clearing 12 feet. At the Big North Conference championships, he became the fourth Alpena male pole vaulter to win the conference title after clearing 13 feet, nine inches. At the Alpena News Track and Field Honor Roll Invitational, he cleared 13 feet to win the event and tied the meet record with Alpena alum Morgan Stenz.

Despite going on to the collegiate level, LeTourneau’s time as a Wildcat is not yet finished. The star pole vaulter has his sights set on a few school records along with the goal of winning a conference championship and preparing for regionals. With the bar set high this season, LeTourneau still plans to take a day-by-day approach.

“This year I hope to improve on my personal heights from last year competing against the best vaulters in the state and of course looking towards previous Alpena High School records,” LeTourneau said. “I was drawn to pole vault due to the adrenaline thrill of being thrown upside down over a bar using demanding techniques that are very unique to the sport. My teammates and coaches have made track an enjoyable season that I look forward to at the start of each school year.”

Along with competing on the high school team, LeTourneau is also an important member of The Woods track and field club coached by Mark Jacobs.

“The thing that sets Alec apart from others is that he always wants to get better,” Jacobs said. “He’s a fantastic young man and will always do what ever it takes to get better. Grand Valley State is getting someone very special.”

LeTourneau will be in the biomedical sciences program at GVSU. After taking a visit to the campus and weighing his options, he believed becoming a Laker was an obvious choice.

“The biomedical sciences program caught my eye and after a visit on campus and seeing how impressive it was, I had to choose GVSU as my college,” LeTourneau said. “The pole vault coach became interested in me after he looked at the information I sent him about my statistics and asked me to join his team.”

GVSU pole vaulting coach Lou Andreadis wasted little time in doing everything he could to make sure LeTourneau would be a Laker next year.

LeTourneau joins a GVSU track and field program that has won multiple awards recently and he is honored to be joining the team.

“I’d like to thank my teammates who helped make me more competitive and my track and soccer coaches who inspired me over the years,” LeTourneau said.

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