POCATELLO, Idaho- For the past five years the Idaho State track and field team has given out the Jackie Poulson Memorial Scholarship to reward someone for their accomplishments both in athletics and academics. This year's recipient is Senior
Brooke Anger.
Jackie Poulson was a standout athlete on the Idaho State track and field team from 1999 to 2003. She began her career as a walk-on but quickly found success on the track which helped her earn a full scholarship. Poulson became a two-time All-American and Big Sky champion in the heptathlon during her career at Idaho State.
Once she was done with her collegiate career, she went on to compete in the Olympic trials in 2004 and 2008. She also returned to Idaho State as an assistant coach and helped many athletes reach their full potential. Poulson passed away in a tragic accident in 2012. This memorial scholarship is one of the ways her family is keeping her legacy alive.
"Being able to reward somebody who followed a similar path, academically and just growth and progress is kind of what the scholarship is about," said Head Coach
Hillary Merkley. "Seeing people develop on all fronts like that. And so we've always looked at people's academic accomplishments off the field, and then also somebody who has worked their way up in the program".
Anger exemplifies many of the characteristics that made Poulson such a great athlete and person while following in a similar path here at Idaho State.
"I was shocked," said Anger of receiving this scholarship. "I was not expecting that whatsoever. I forgot that we did awards like that in general so when I got it, I was just like, oh my gosh I felt super appreciative. But I am still just in awe that I would even get that award."
This memorial scholarship has been given out every year Anger has been at Idaho State. As an underclassman, she looked up to these athletes because they showed that they were not only really good athletes, but really good people as well. Being considered and then becoming the recipient was such a high honor for her.
Anger came to Idaho State from Seal Beach, Calif., four years ago. She didn't begin focusing on the pole vault until the end of her junior year of high school.
College athletics has a high time demand and requires a different mentality during training. These feelings are combined with a heavier academic schedule and ultimately make the transition difficult for some. Anger was one who experienced this.
"It took me a full year to kind of understand how to work that type of schedule," said Anger. "I struggled a lot freshman year with athletics and academics. I figured it out a lot more my sophomore year. It was a very difficult freshman year. I remember talking to Hillary and(Coach Dan) Walker all the time about practice. I was frustrated and if the slightest thing went wrong in practice I would be super upset with my performance skills. It definitely got better my sophomore and junior year."
Anger did not let this stop her. She knew she needed to work hard to be successful, so she made some changes and started pushing herself. Anger finished her sophomore year outdoor season fifth in the Big Sky at the 2019 Outdoor Conference Championship meet but felt that performance wasn't an accurate display of her ability.
She was determined and motivated going into her junior season. Anger talked with her event coach,
Joe Silvers, frequently about what their game plan was for the upcoming indoor season. She also had individual meetings with him where they set goals for her athletically and academically. Her main goal was to get third place at conference and podium.
"I think that goes back to show that when you start making changes, and you are more willing to take on more responsibility, or you're willing to take on more difficult workouts and training, that it opens up doors and opportunities that you didn't think were maybe possible," said Merkley.
Anger achieved far beyond her goal and became the Big Sky Conference Champion in the pole vault at the 2020 Indoor Conference Championship meet. This performance not only won her the meet but was also a new personal record for her in the pole vault.
"I remember before this year, I think I won one time. One meet even out of high school and then all my college career, I only won one meet," said Anger. "So it was very different. In order to achieve something like that. It was so surreal at the moment. I remember being down by the pit and my teammates talking to me and they were like, you just cleared it and they have one more attempt. If they miss, you're winning."
The support of her coaches and teammates have helped Anger develop into the athlete she is now. She has learned a lot from each of her coaches as well as her teammates that she has worked with during her time at Idaho State.
"Brooke came in as a walk-on and wasn't on scholarship," said Merkley. "She got a little bit better each year and earned a little small scholarship here and there and then this last year was a conference champion. I think there are a lot of stories historically at ISU of people who have come to ISU looking for an opportunity to just improve and get better. Taking full advantage of it and then having some really good successes in both of those realms [athletics and academics]."
