Kamloops pole vaulter Spencer Allen in action with the University of Alberta.

By Adam Donnelly

TRACK & FIELD

Kamloops pole vaulter has overcome many obstacles to achieve great things in athletics

Jul 12, 2019 | 2:44 PM

KAMLOOPS — In sports, games are sometimes referred to as ‘do or die.’ For athletes, it can be easy to blow a bad performance on the field or the ice out of proportion.

However, when you go through a real life ‘do or die’ scenario, it becomes easier to put your training and competition challenges into perspective. Just ask Kamloops pole vaulter Spencer Allen, a three-time testicular cancer survivor.

“It changed my perspective for sure, on things,” he said. “I think it gave me a little more resiliency to tougher situations.”

Now cancer-free since 2015, Allen has just finished his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Alberta, all while competing for the Golden Bears track and field team. Saturday was the first time Allen has been back at the track where he launched his athletics career.

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“It means a lot. It’s the first time I’ve been able to compete in Kamloops since I left back in 2015,” noted Allen. “It meant a lot to jump in front of my family and friends. Just to be back in the facility I trained at for quite a few years.”

In his final season in U SPORTS, he won the Canada West men’s pole vault title and finished second in the country at nationals, all while battling a nagging shoulder injury.

Allen’s coach Maark Cocks says he never used that as an excuse to take any shortcuts.

“[With Allen] going through the whole cancer thing for ‘x’ number of years, a shoulder issue, I’ll deal with it and take one step at a time,” said Cocks on Allen’s perseverance. “At the end of the day, everything will be fine.”

Cocks has coached Allen since he started with the Golden Bears in 2015, and has nothing but glowing praise for the 25 year old.

“You couldn’t coach a nicer, more adaptable guy. He’s been great for the group for sure.”

Allen is done with school for now, and his plan is focus on his pole vault career. He’ll be living and training in Edmonton, hoping to bring himself to new heights — literally and figuratively speaking.

“I’d like to take track as far as I can,” said Allen. “So wherever that takes me, try to get there. The Olympics have always been on my mind since I was a young kid, but I try not to focus on that as an outcome, a goal. It’ll be the outcome of a well setout process, and focus on the process in getting there.”