PVCC Track and Field Head Coach Todd Lehman appeared on KPNX Channel 12′s morning show Aug. 9 to talk about pole vaulting, an event of the Summer Olympics in London. Lehman He was joined by former student-athlete Jessica Ernst, who helped him demonstrate this athletic event. Jessica also is the daughter of Student Development Specialist Pam Ernst.
Check out this video clip of the morning show segment.
Lehman began coaching at Paradise Valley Community College in 1999 as an assistant track & field coach. In that time he has coached 24 individual national champions, 78 All-Americans and nine Academic All-Americans. His athletes have set NJCAA national records 11 times during his tenure.
Lehman was a former Arizona high school state champion and state record holder before attending the University of Southern California.While at USC, he was a four-time letterman and co-captain of the track & field team. He began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant in 1992 at USC. He then came to PVCC after coaching stints at the US Air Force Academy (’93-’95) and Indiana State University (’95-’97). While coaching at USAFA and ISU, Lehman coached three NCAA All-Americans, five conference champions and five school records. In 1998, he opened the Kiss the Sky Pole Vault Center in Phoenix, which he continues to operate out of PVCC. He gives instruction to pole vaulters of all levels and ages, including some of the best in the world.
As a USA Track and Field Level II coach, Lehman was selected as the 2004 National Collegiate Pole Vault Coach of the Year in 2004 by the USATF Pole Vault Development Committee. He was also voted the 2005 Indoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the Year by the NJCAA Track Coaches Association. Lehman serves as the Canyon Region Chairman of the USATF Pole Vault Development Committee, overseeing the four corner states. In addition to his coaching, Lehman holds down multiple duties in the PVCC athletic department, including his role as the coordinator for student-athlete academic success.
Just a few days earlier another former PVCC student-athlete, Vince Mosca, appeared on the show to demonstrate the shot put. Mosca is now a charter school principle. See the video.