Raising the Bar

Matt Butler sprints towards the 6-foot bar turning ever so slightly and using a decade old technique called the Fosbury Flop to get his 5’ 11” frame over the bar. His ankle slightly grazes the bar but it stays and he just set a new high jump personal record.

Butler started high jumping while participating in Rexburg Track Club during the summer in between seventh and eighth grade. “At first I did it as a joke, but ended up really liking it,” he said. Butler kept working out with the team and started to jump for Madison Junior High School during eighth grade track season. His personal record that year was only 5’ 4”.

The next year he trained in the fall with the cross country team earning his top spot among the freshmen. When spring came around he was ready to improve his PR. He jumped all season, getting better each meet. The district meet was soon and Butler was hoping to qualify for state.

When the bus rolled up at Rigby High School, Butler was getting ready by doing what he does to get ready. He had put in the work all season long and now was the time to show that he could fly.

The starting height was at 5’ 4”. “It was too low so I skipped the height trying to keep myself calm and not get worn out,” said Butler. The next height was at 5’ 6” so Butler decided to get ready for the higher heights. Butler started in the back of the pit shaking out his arms focusing on the bar.

He starts to bound and works into a sprint. He curves his run into a J and then leaps off his right foot. He leads his left arm over the bar while curving his head and back and finally flinging his legs up to get his body over the bar. Butler cleared the height easily.

What he does is called the Fosbury Flop. This technique was invented by Dick Fosbury in 1968. He used science to figure out a way to keep his center of mass below the bar while getting one part of his body over the bar at a time. Athletes like Butler still use this technique today.

Height after height, he raised the bar and soon there were only five athletes left. All of them cleared the final height of 5’ 10”, but in high jump, your past jumps and how many attempts it takes you reflects on your placing.

Butler cleared 5’ 10” in only two attempts placing him in second and qualifying him for state. Ten days later, he went to state and jumped 5’ 10” again. “I was upset that I missed 6’ but I knew I could do it so I decided to get ready for next year,” he said

Butler struggled his sophomore year. “During the workouts, I had to stay committed and it was hard to see improvement. I really had to dig down mentally,” said Matt. He stayed committed and that showed.

Head Coach Steve Barrus took notice to Butler his freshman year and watched him throughout his sophomore season. “Matt will stay long after practice to work on technique and he has good focus,” said Barrus. Practice after practice he would work hard and meet after meet he would jump looking for the results he wanted.

The district meet was looming and  Butler was nervous. He started out jumping smoothly and efficiently. Then, he continued to raise the bar. At 5’ 10”, he cleared it with ease. Butler was unable to clear the bar the next height, but he still qualified for state. Butler was confident that he could clear his goal of 6’. He was unable to clear it at districts, but he was ready now.

He approached the pit doing his usual thing of listening to music and getting in the zone. In between people jumping Matt talked to the other athletes. “High jump is super chill and you get to know everyone,” said Butler.

After everyone had jumped Matt was up and he flew over the bar again. Then he did it again and again. Now he was up, looking at the 6’ 0” bar wanting to prove he could fly. “When I’m in the back of the pit, I go over me succeeding at what I’m about to do it and once I’m confident I start my run up. Once I start my run up, my mind goes blank, and if I get distracted I start all over again,” said Matt.

He started his run up letting his mind relax and then he jumped his head whipping back letting his body follow. “I was super happy that I achieved my goal,” said Matt, reflecting on his new high jump PR. Coach Barrus has hopes for Matt saying, “I think that for the 2019 track season Matt can place in the top three. The reason why is because he isn’t afraid of the bar.” Matt has similar goals including becoming a state champion.

Outside of the high jump pit and the track, Matt is a regular high school kid. He goes to math, history, science, and English classes. At home, he and his dad like to forge metal. “I think it is super fun and not a lot of people do it,” says Matt. “Outside of track Matt is funny and people like to be around him,” said Barrus.

Butler is looking forward to the 2019 track season is excited to see what progress he has made in the offseason.