Douglas High's Chappell competes in Sacramento track and field meet

Chris Chappell grew up watching some of the world's elite pole vaulters and dreaming of being able to compete at their level.

He's getting closer.

Chappell, still a week away from his graduation from Douglas High School, will compete this weekend at the 41st annual Golden West Invitational track and field meet in Sacramento, which will give Nevada's two-time 4A state champion vaulter a chance to test his ability against the best in the nation.

It's a meet that once showcased Michael Carter, who in 1979 threw the shot an astounding 81 feet, 3 inches during an athletic career that led him to a starting job on the San Francisco 49ers' defensive line. Other track and field greats who have participated at the Sacramento event include Bob Beamon, Randy Barnes and Willie Banks - who went on to become world-record setters.

The meet is being held at American River College starting at 11 a.m. The boys pole vault is scheduled for 6:15 p.m., when Chappell will be join 12 other elite prep vaulters from across the U.S.

"This is such a huge meet, I'm just happy to be going," said Chappell, who cleared a season best of 16 feet in March. "I went to this meet when I was a little kid and I remember having dinner with Nick Hysong, who is No. 2 in the nation coming into the Olympic Trials.

"I remember wishing I could be like these guys and go to a meet like this. It's cool to get there ... I guess hard work pays off."

The Golden West pole vault field includes Sage Thames, a junior from Frenship High in Wolfforth, Texas, who has soared 17-6 this season; Kevin Opalka of Memorial High in Edmond, Okla., who has gone 17-1; Trevor Woods of Marshfield High in Coos Bay, Ore., who set an Oregon 4A state meet record of 16-6 on May 27; and California state champion Shane Hackett of Verdugo Hills. Interestingly, Opalka and Chappell have both signed letters-of-intent with the University of Arizona.

Chappell indicated his top Golden West goal will be to have an enjoyable experience.

"I've had some good workouts this week," Chappell said. "I was kind of joking around, saying this is my last chance to get the all-time state record. I'm pretty sure it's 16-2 (by Wooster High's Ray Crook) , but really I just want to go have fun and do the best I can."

After that, and his graduation from Douglas, maybe Chappell will have time to focus on his future at Arizona.

"I'm pretty excited," Chappell said. "It's been kind of stressful trying to decide. It was a tough decision, but I think it was a good one."

Chappell will be part of a bumper crop of recruits coming to Tucson, including Opalka and Dason Phelps, the national junior college champion for Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Ariz. None of this should intimidate Chappell, who grew up with the pole vault through his father, Steve Chappell of UCS Spirit in Carson City, which manufactures poles for many elite vaulters - including the world's only 20-foot man, Sergei Bubka.

"I feel I will fit in well at Arizona. It will be different going from here, where I've sort of been put up on a pedestal, to going there, where I'll just be one of the low-end guys trying to work harder to be able to jump at that level."