Humility and humbleness can go a long way for a great athlete. Those are just two traits that 2023 Oakville High School graduate Mason Meinershagen possesses, along with a lot of god-given talent and drive.
Meinershagen, who just finished her freshman year at the University of Kansas, is not only a standout track phenom for the Jayhawks but also had aspirations of making the U.S. Olympic Team in pole vaulting.
The 19-year-old multi-sport athlete recently traveled to Eugene, Oregon, to compete in the trials. While she did not make it past the trials, her performance and dedication were commendable. Meinershagen, who achieved All-American status in her freshman season, reflected positively on the experience.
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s set in yet, like I think that it kind of went that same way for nationals,” Meinershagen told The Call before the event. “Once I got there and was actually in the atmosphere, I knew that was my shot and I had to make the most of it.”
“I’m really excited because it’s a different atmosphere, especially in Eugene,” she added. “I felt that whenever I was there for nationals and I’m sure it will be even more awesome for the Olympic Trials. I’m just so excited to go out there and do my best.”
While she didn’t secure a spot on the Olympic team, Meinershagen remains one of OHS’ most accomplished athletes.
Oakville track coach Kelsey Steiner, who coached Meinershagen for three years, said the two-time state champion’s work ethic is second to none.
“Physically, her work ethic and focus was one of the best I’ve ever seen,” Steiner said. “She practiced and traveled all year round to perfect her vault. She also had a specific stretching and kinesthetic routine that kept her healthy.”
Laura Bishop, who also coaches track at Oakville, also said the All-American is a step above other athletes.
“I knew on day one of her stepping into the track program,” Bishop said. “She’s unlike any athlete I’ve ever seen. She has it all and is so incredibly talented. And then, I got to know her and her work ethic and that sealed the deal.”
In fact, Bishop was aware of Meinershagen’s skills before she entered high school.
“We knew of Mason’s capabilities years before she was a student/athlete for us,” she said. “Her mom worked at our feeder middle school and we have a longtime relationship, so we heard about Mason from her, and she went through all of school with one of my sons. I watched her at a young age be a competitor at many different sports.”
While at Oakville, Meinershagen participated in multiple sports from tennis to diving, and of course track and field. The Olympic hopeful was also a standout in the classroom, as she was a member of Student Council, National Honor Society, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and more.
During her freshman year, she finished fifth in the state diving competition, and in her sophomore year she qualified for state once again in diving, as well as also breaking a school record. She also qualified for the state track competition in high jump, pole vault and long jump. During Meinershagen’s junior year, she finished second in state in the pole vault and high jump, while finishing sixth in the 100-meter hurdles. She also qualified for state in the long jump.
Meinershagen said she played tennis all four years at Oakville even though she had never played before.
“I had never done it before,” she said. “I just wanted to do something with all my friends and it was a great atmosphere. My coaches were really positive and lenient when I had to leave early for pole vault practice.”
Meanwhile, diving was nothing new as Meinershagen’s mother was actually her diving coach.
“That was pretty amazing,” Meinershagen said. “My mom really supported me. She loved that so much because she did diving in college.”
While some athletes may stick to just one sport, which can lead to burnout, playing so many different sports actually helped Meinershagen when it came to track and field.
“I took everything I learned from each sport and put it towards track and field,” she said. “Tennis was great and I got more agility from that. Diving really helped me with body awareness and helped me in pole vault.”
Pole vaulting is one of the most physically and mentally taxing events in track and field, as an athlete must not only have great strength, agility and focus, but they must also have strong body awareness.
“Every second of the vault involves a new position and it’s very important that you’re able to break that down during practice and isolate the specific areas of interest,” Steiner said. “Also, pole vaulting takes patience. Many people see the sport and think it’s cool, and if they are a bit athletic, can jump right in. But that’s not the case. You have to work at it every day and be committed to doing a lot of drills that aren’t always fun.”
Commitment is a trait that seems to separate Meinershagen from a lot of other athletes who just do a sport for fun.
“What separated Mason at a whole different level was not only her natural athletic abilities but her dedication and drive to perform at a high level,” Bishop said. “She is also a very good student and her academics are about the only thing she ever put above competing at her highest level, mainly meaning missing a practice or part of practice.”
Bishop also said that Meinershagen would sometimes sacrifice some of the fun events that take place in high school to make a workout or track practice.
“Track practice and her workouts came first, she would sacrifice all other social engagements, which is huge for a high school student,” Bishop said. “We had district track on her prom last year and she never batted an eye, knowing she had no time to get ready and take lots of pictures beforehand, and she arrived to prom late. She is all business.”
While Meinershagen did not qualify for the U.S. Olympic Pole Vaulting Team, the Oakville native cherished the opportunity and experience.
“I’m just honored and grateful that I’m going to be competing against the top girls in the country,” she said. “There’s pros I have looked up to since I started pole vaulting and I’ll be competing with them, which is pretty awesome.”
Meinershagen is also flattered by the support she has received from her former high school, the Oakville/Mehlville community and the St. Louis area.
“I would never have expected any of this,” she said. “I’m really grateful for all the people who are supporting me. It’s pretty cool to know the whole community is rooting for you. I’m just going to go out there and do the best I can to represent St. Louis and Oakville because I’m proud of where I’m from.”