April Steiner Bennett, an Elite Athlete Grantee Biography

APRIL STEINER BENNETT

HOMETOWN: MESA, AZ
CURRENT RESIDENCE: MESA, AZ
SCHOOL: PARADISE VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE ('00); ARKANSAS ('03)
EVENT: POLE VAULT

Career Highlights: 2008 Beijing Olympics Finalist, 8th Place; 2008 Olympic Trials runner-up; 2007 Pan Am Games silver medalist; 6th at 2005 USA Outdoors; 5th at 2004 Olympic Trials; 3 time NCAA Indoor All-American

CLICK HERE FOR APRIL'S DETAILED PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.

VISIT APRIL'S WEBSITE - http://aprilvault.com/

In April's words:

Having been an athlete since I can remember... getting a taste of that first competitive flavor was like nothing I'd ever experienced, and it was in the third grade! In Arizona, we had a track and field day that the PE coaches put on for the entire school. I knew I could win races at recess, but there is nothing comparable to the adrenalin rush surging like lightning through an 8 year-old body!  It was awesome, and beating the boys was even more entertaining.

Since then, my life has been a whirlwind... with the love and support of my parents, siblings and cousins to keep me in line, by the 6th grade I had finally experienced watching my first Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and had decided what I wanted to do when I got older...be an Olympian.

At this point, I hadn't realized at age 12, what enlightened adults hopefully figure out later on in life through experience, and it was this... a positive mind set, courage and perseverance is necessary in a negative world...failure is ok, mistakes are ok, as long as I learned from them, and determination is key to push through the gunk and get to the great result at the end of the journey. I had decided to take on a challenge of being an Olympian that had a very long-term goal, and try everything in my life that I could to put me in the direction of that dream. It didn't matter what the task was, if Olympic was attached to it in any way, I wanted to try it. I wanted to taste it, feel it and learn from it. If I failed, I found something new. There was never, ever, a doubt in my heart, in the back of my mind what I was meant for.... as far as to inspire and change lives... that came with the title.

It seemed like second nature to have that determination there, willing to do what's necessary to go for a dream that many claimed was silly and impossible. I want to bring to those that read this, the value and humbleness I have learned in my journey towards a childhood dream that blazed a trail into my adult life, and into my husband's life as well. 

The end result is amazing, reaching the dream is incredible... setting NEW goals is more scary than I ever could have imagined, but the most challenges that I have ever faced, came in moments that the negativity of the world was heavy, and the outside voices were against my passions and my hopes.  That's when I became the strongest and pulled through with small victories, and the values and greatness of life still choke me up when I think about how blessed I really am. Life is so precious and can be cut short, and I have learned through amazing mentorship along the way, whether it was coaches or my parents, there is something to be valued in each day we live. There are those around us who need to be served and shown through example, that no matter how busy, crazy, bad, gloomy and exhausting it may seem, there is always time for someone else's heart. The journey is what it's really about folks. 

I have led a crazy life and finally found someone adventurous enough to join me on my path. Cameron has been through the professional battles of my career as an athlete for a few years, and made a big decision to leave everything he knows. He has built in his own life back in Arizona, and joined me in small town Arkansas to pursue a very unique journey. The Olympic year we were married, he jumped right in my life to be my pillar of strength and my companion, as I reach a life-long dream. If you want a love story... we could be it. He and I have had an amazing first year of marriage, and love to surround ourselves with people who love to laugh, inspire us to be better people and love life.

Goals are dreams with deadlines on them.  Please visit my website: www.aprilvault.com for more about this adventure!    

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics with Coach Bryan Compton

April & Hubby Cameron

Thanks,

April Steiner Bennett, Pole Vault

CLICK HERE FOR APRIL'S DETAILED PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.

2008 Olympic Trials

In Class with the Kids

Sharing a Laugh with President Bush

April & Stacey Dragila