It's go time for SPU assistant track coach Carly Dockendorf at Commonwealth Games...

Here's a link to a great feature on former University of Washington and current Seattle Pacific University volunteer track coach Carly Dockendorf (left/photo courtesy Seattle Pacific University), who is heading to New Delhi, India to compete in the pole vault as part of Team Canada at the Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games, an Olympics-style event, take place every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle. They’re open to the 54 sovereign member states of the Commonwealth of Nations – most of which formerly were part of the British Empire. Also taking part are other dependencies and overseas territories that still have ties to the British crown. The last Commonwealths were 2006 in Melbourne, Australia. Previous Games have been in Vancouver, B.C. (1950) and Victoria, B.C. (1994).

For Dockendorf, the women's pole vault qualifying is on October 10th, with the finals two days later.

Dockendorf, a native of Pt. Moody, British Columbia, had an opportunity to be on the 1998 Canadian Commonwealth Games team as a gymnast, but said that "I wasn't loving gymnastics anymore."

In talking about the Commonwealth Games, she says, “I’m setting myself a goal to potentially medal there,” she said. “I’m going to just treat it as I would any other meet. The hard work is done, and the pressure of making the team is over. This is my reward, to go and have the best opportunity of doing well there.”

To read the full story, please click here...