Versatile Biermann Earns National Championship

By David Boyce

After Truman senior Katrina Biermann graduates with a degree in French and Translation, she will spend six months in France teaching elementary students English.

Obviously, Biermann, a Liberty, Mo., native, is fluent in both languages to receive this opportunity.

“I think this will be a really cool experience,” Biermann said. “I get to live in France. I don’t have to worry about taking classes. I get to work with little kids, which I enjoy.”

Although speaking different languages has very little to do with success in track and field, Biermann’s ability to quickly switch from one language to another might explain her recent performance at the NCAA Division II National Indoor Track Meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday and Saturday.

Biermann finished first in the pole vault on Friday with a jump of 13 feet, 1 ¾ inches. She became just the fifth women’s track and field athlete at Truman to win a national championship.

“It was kind of surreal,” Biermann said. “It didn’t really hit me until I was up on the podium.

“It feels pretty cool to have that title attached to my name. After I graduate, it’s something I can look back on and be pretty proud of. It’s a good feeling. I don’t know if it has completely set in.”

Biermann proved her versatility the next day by finishing sixth in the triple jump with a leap of 39 feet, 8 inches, breaking her school record and earning All-America honors for a second straight day.

Usually, athletes who compete in the pole vault, work on just that one event. There are only a few that can soar high in the air one minute and then go to an event that leaps forward.

“I’ve only met one other girl who has done it. It’s a weird combination that I don’t know how I got into it.

“They are completely different events. You just have to focus and switch them over in your head.”

Hard work and dedication are the two reasons why Biermann has had so much success in her final indoor track season.

Her best jump in the pole vault at Liberty High School was 10 feet, one time. Most times, Biermann said, she jumped 9-6. She never made it to the Missouri state track meet.

Just last year Biermann finished in a four-way tie for eighth place at the national indoor meet.

She literally made a huge leap to first in one season.

“My fitness has improved quite a bit from last year,” Biermann said. “I was more confident with pole vaulting; just knowing I could go out and compete with some of the top pole vaulters in the nation definitely helped me.”

Assistant coach Tim Schwegler said Biermann’s technique has improved by leaps and bounds, especially when you look back to her high school marks.

“A lot of the other coaches, even before the national competition, were talking about how well she gets off the ground,” Schwegler said. “She’s turned into a really good technical pole vaulter.

“Over the last three years I’ve worked with her I could really see the difference why she has jumped a lot higher.”

Schwegler was thrilled to see Biermann finish first because national titles don’t happen every season.

“During the competition I got pretty emotional, and once the competition was over and I told her she finished first, I kind of emotionally went into a shell,” Schwegler said. “It is starting to sink in. These things don’t happen often for a coach.

“To have a national champion is a great feeling. I give her all the credit. She’s the one who did all the work. I just stood on the side and made some suggestions to her.

“I’ve been coaching a number of years, so you do appreciate when you have a national champion. You realize it could be your last one.”

Next for Biermann is the outdoor season. She doesn’t have the luxury to sit around and soak in her national title. Biermann and her teammates are already training for the outdoor season.

“We got back at 3 on Sunday and she had practice about 3:30 on Monday,” Schwegler said. “There is not much time. You got to transition into some stuff.

“Usually we vault three times in a week. This week she will vault twice. We will watch her. But the outdoor season gets over real quick in Division II so you got to get right into the outdoor season.”

Based on Biermann’s ability to switch back and forth, the outdoor season probably won’t present much of a problem for her.

To reach David Boyce, contributing writer for the MIAA, e-mail dboyce@themiaa.com.