In addition, Blaine Heckle, an ex-Harvard vaulter, an assistant coach for the women's track team and a physics tutor, helped boost Stiles's mental attitude by explaining the vault in scientific terms.

"Blaine's logical explanations made everything I was trying to do seem meaningful," Stiles said.

The move out of Briggs Cage and onto the fast surface at the ITT in 1977 also added to Stiles's improved vaulting ability, although the hardness of the tennis courts which double as a runway "destroys your legs."

As a junior, the 6-ft. 2-in. 170-pounder snatched top honors at the IC4As with the bar at 16-ft. 6-in. His teammates later voted him captain of this year's squad.

Setting Examples

As captain, Stiles "led by performance and a quiet enthusiasm." associate coach Ed Stowell said yesterday. "You can't set a better example than winning the NCAA championship."

Stiles's record-breaking vault culminated a season in which, despite pulling hamstring and achilles muscles, the Biology major placed first in every meet, including the GBCs and Heptagonals, before going on to win the Easterns and Nationals in consecutive weekends.

"For the past two weeks I've been thinking of nothing but vaulting," Stiles said.

"When I get to the big meets, I close my eyes and go through what a good vault should be to get psyched," he added.

Stiles stressed the importance of concentration while vaulting but also noted some dangerous possible consequences: since he spends the first half of his run looking down, he has more than once come close to impaling people wandering across the runway.

During the actual vault, Stiles tries to concentrate on pulling himself over the bar, but said "it goes so fast, you really don't have time to think of anything."

Although Stiles laughs at the number of "head cases in vaulting;" he has performed "Junior Birdman routines" on occasions when the pole slipped and he back-flipped into the pit.

The moustached blond also points out that most good vaulters pull for each other since they view the bar, not the other contestants, as the opposition.

In addition to pole vaulting, Stiles occasionally high jumps and despite a lack of training in that event, he often places in meets.

"He's everything a coach could ask for because he's very fine athlete who learns quickly and remembers what works for him," Stowell said.

Concentration

While Stiles plans to go to medical school next year, he hopes to continue vaulting at a track club even though "it's useless to think about the Olympics because of the heavy competition in the United States."

Then again, Stiles didn't think he would make it to the NCAAs.

If Geoff lives long enough to be a doctor and I live long enough to be sick, then I want him to treat me. Bill McCurdy,   Harvard track coach