Lilly Bertz ‘07 proving that one can fly like a birdie” with the pole vault.
Photo: Jennie Post/The Dartmouth Staff
Mike Knapp ‘09 of The Dartmouth recently caught up with pole vaulter and UGA all-star Lilly Bertz ‘07 for an exclusive one-on-one experience.
Track and field events generally don’t draw much of a crowd. One of my personal favorite events has always been pole vaulting, however. This long lost love for pole vaulting that burns deep within me led to my interview with Lilly Bertz ‘07. That, or the fact that she’s my UGA and I was in a pinch. From interviewing her, I have found that she gets pumped up with very unusual music, thoroughly enjoys VH1 reality TV shows and is a very accomplished eater.
The D: How did you first get into pole vaulting?
Lilly Bertz: I was a gymnast for like eight or nine years, and I was going to gymnastics one day, and my high school track coach told me I should pole vault … the rest was history.
The D: Did you participate in any other sports in high school besides gymnastics and pole vaulting?
LB: Yes, I played ice hockey and soccer back in high school.
The D: What is the best thing about pole vaulting that no ones knows?
LB: You get to fly like a birdie.
The D: Are you ever afraid that you’re going to get injured?
LB: I never really think about that because there’s a big soft mat. I’m definitely more afraid that other people are going to get injured.
The D: What is your warm-up music, to, you know, get you in the zone?
LB: Don Omar, a Puerto Rican reggaeton artist. I’ll play some, you’ll understand.
[Bertz proceeded to play the music. She started to sing along to the Spanish rap. I understood. Thank you, drill.]
The D: Who on your team would win American Idol?
LB: We have “Team Eye Candy.” It’s a group of elite boy band singers that practice religiously at Ramuntos’ karaoke night. They are Richard Cedrone[‘07], Charlie Stoebe[‘08], Jamal Brown[‘08] and Dave Berman[‘09].
The D: Who on your team would be the first voted off?
LB: Tyler Koskenoja ‘07. I have no real reason, I just think everyone would say it was funny if I said that.
The D: Do you have any other talents our readers should know of?
LB: I’m really good at eating bacon. I don’t know, when I get in front of bacon, or Taco Bell actually, I just really pig out. Is that a talent?
The D: Sure, I guess it’s a talent. What is your favorite reality TV show?
LB: “I Love New York.” Does that need an explanation?
The D: Ummm, I guess not. If you could fight one famous person, who would you fight and why?
LB: I would fight Pumpkin from “Flavor of Love.” She spat on New York. No one spits on my girl.
