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Navy chief petty officer still raises the bar

  • Published
  • By Bob Fehringer
  • United States Transportation Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Navy Chief Petty Officer Edward Watson says he "likes to beat up on college kids," but in a good way, as an all-American pole vaulter.

As a child, the 34-year-old Mobile, Ala., native caught a televised track and field competition and it changed his life.

"I was watching the Olympic trials in 1980 and saw the pole vault for the first time," Chief Watson said. "I thought it was the most amazing thing I'd seen in my life."

So he did what any red-blooded American boy would do when confronted with a new outlet for his energy.

"I sprinted down to the cow pasture, cut some bamboo and started jumping over the clothesline," Chief Watson said.

In high school, he earned a track and field scholarship to Auburn University and today competes in the masters' category at track meets.

As an intelligence specialist at USTRANSCOM, Chief Watson continues his off-duty track and field competition with athletes half his age. He also competes in the triple jump but says he can't train as much as he'd like.

"For me it's tough finding somewhere to jump," Chief Watson said. "It's easy when school is in, you volunteer at a local high school to help out their jumpers. In return they give you somewhere to jump."

"When school's out, you don't have anywhere to jump," Chief Watson continued. "I rely on my personal expertise and just go back and watch videos to get through (the off time)."

Chief Watson is not exactly enamored with many current athletes.

"I don't feel that the athlete today brings to the table what they did during my time and the time before me," Chief Watson said. "It was more for the love of the sport. You were there because you wanted to be. Now they're just out there trying to look flashy. Or they have some other incentive."

"I mean, I'm not on scholarship, and I'm out there and I'm having fun doing what I do," Chief Watson continued. "And the big thing is, when you pop a big jump out there, some of the other coaches start telling the other guys 'You know how old that guy is?'"

Chief Watson clears the bar at 16 feet in his often dangerous event.

"I compete in one of the most difficult and technical events in track and field," Chief Watson said. "Over the years, there have been some deaths associated with the pole vault. We go out and perform using a piece of fiberglass 15 to 17 feet in length."

"Before every meet you perform an inspection for cracks, chips, spike marks, etc. to minimize pole breakage," Chief Watson continued. "We take, what I call, a calculated risk. You can ask anyone who has ever pole vaulted and I'm sure they will have a horror story to tell you. Try taking a fall from 17 feet in front of a crowd of 3,000 spectators."

Chief Watson sees no end to his athletic career in the near future.

"One meet I had in mid-June, the guy who was jumping with me was 77," Chief Watson said. "When I look at that, I think, why should I quit? When my body says to quit, I'll quit. Until then, as long as the desire is there--the will to compete--I'm gonna get going."

Chief Watson recently left USTRANSCOM for sea duty.