Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week: Rock Falls pole vaulter Ryleigh Eriks

Name: Ryleigh Eriks

School: Rock Falls

Sport: Track and field

Year: Junior

Why she was selected: Eriks set the school record in the pole vault in her first season of track and field. She hit a vault of 2.78 meters (9 feet, 1½ inches) taking first at Princeton’s Ferris Invitational.

She says a fearless attitude and willingness to try new things has helped her excel as an athlete.

She played JV football her freshman year, wrestles and now has a school record to her name.

Eriks is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week after an online vote.

A background in tumbling also helped her with the pole vault. She says she’s a quick learner with things she enjoys.

“I’m very strong, and that definitely helps a lot,” she said. “[Pole vault] is also very close to tumbling; the motions that I do in the air remind me a lot of when I tumbled.”

Eriks qualified for nationals and placed second at state in tumbling in 2022.

Rock Falls pole vault coach Eric Bontz said Eriks did not even attempt the pole vault this season until the end of the indoor schedule.

“Ryleigh has many traits that have contributed to her success in the vault. Athletically, she has well above average core strength, great body awareness and good gymnastics ability paired with some speed,” Bontz said. “Mentally, she has a genuine passion for the vault, asks all the right questions, is super competitive and she is both mentally and physically tough. Ryleigh also has a great work ethic, and I am excited to see what heights she can reach in the future.”

Eriks said a strong mental game is something that wrestling helped further develop, which has helped in pole vault. She wrestled against boys in meets and was fourth at the girls regional.

“Wrestling seriously is one of the most mental sports. It made me so much more mentally strong,” she said. [Something] I see with pole vault is a lot of these girls go up for their third attempt and they are already so in their head about it. ... They are saying all these ifs, but I go out there for my third attempt and I’m thinking of how great I can be instead of being down on myself. I’m really good at staying out of my own head.

“I’m not afraid to put that pole in the box, and just do it.”

She also has run the 100 meters, 200, 4x100 relay and 4x200 relay this season.

Eriks won the pole vault at the Rocket Invite and took third at the Big Northern Conference meet.

“I’m a person with big goals,” she said. “I always strive to do my best, push myself and I knew that was capable for me.”

Rock Falls hosts a Class 2A sectional on Wednesday. Qualifying for state requires placing first or second in an event or hitting the state qualifying standard. The pole vault standard for 2A is 2.91 meters (9 feet, 9 inches).

Eriks answered a Q&A as the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week.

Do you have a favorite athlete or sports team?

Eriks: Beau Basset (a nationally ranked wrestler from Bishop McCort Catholic)

Any other hobbies, activities or sports you are involved in?

Eriks: Another sport I am involved in is wrestling. For hobbies I make stained glass art and I have a lot of creative hobbies like making jewelry and making art for all of my art classes that I’m involved in as well as just making art for fun.

Do you have a favorite book or quote?

Eriks: My favorite quote is “mind over matter” because it just means that someone is able to deal with or control any physical challenge by the power of their mind. For example continuing to push through even when you get tired or things get hard.

Favorite restaurant or meal after a game?

Eriks: I love going to Sunday Funday after events and getting tacos and ice cream.

Favorite TV Show or movie?

Eriks: Right now my boyfriend and I are watching the show on Netflix called “Blown Away,” and it’s super cool.

Favorite music artist or genre?

Eriks: Some of my favorite bands are Cage the Elephant, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Young the Giant and Mt. Joy.

Any favorite school subjects or teachers?

Eriks: By far my favorite subject in school is all my art classes. My AP teacher is Heather Shore and 2D and 3D teacher is Mark Johnson.