Connetquot pole vaulter Alex Molter is Newsday's Athlete of the Week

Throughout his high school career, Connetquot pole vaulter Alex Molter has consistently surpassed his expectations by breaking his personal records.

Now the standard has been set higher after he broke the Suffolk County record.

Molter cleared 16 feet and one inch in the Suffolk Class B outdoor track and field championships at Connetquot last Thursday, surpassing Miller Place alum Nick David, who set it at 16 feet in 2007.

For his efforts, the senior is Newsday's Athlete of the Week.

"I've been having this moment in my head for a long time," Molter said. "I got it on the first attempt, and to finally do it was a great feeling."

He added, "My teammates and classmates congratulated me. I went to a baseball game the other day, and someone I'd never seen before recognized me and asked, 'Are you in the newspaper?' It was shocking, but I feel good about myself."

Coach Shelby White said he and Molter set a goal at the beginning of the year and have been training all year to achieve the historic feat. White realized Molter had a chance to break the record at his last practice before the big meet.

"He was so consistent for the two weeks leading up to the event," White said. "He was comfortable on a brand new pole, and he cleared 16 feet like it was nothing, so I had no doubt he was going to get the record."

Molter's athletic background goes beyond the track. When he was younger, he competed on "American Ninja Warrior," a series of events where competitors tackle difficult multi-stage obstacle courses featuring a mix of free-running, parkour, calisthenics, and rock climbing.

"It definitely helped me," Molter said. "My grip strength, my core, helped me. I had no fear, so once I was in the air, I was very confident.”

White continued to praise Molter's athleticism and versatility, noting that he also runs the 400-meter hurdles and the 300- and 400-meter dashes.

"He's become a vital aspect of the entire team," White said. "He's a great overall athlete, and he's so motivated to help his teammates any way he can."

In addition to his performances on the track, Molter also plays volleyball in the fall and was part of the team that reached the state semifinals this past season.

"Volleyball trains my vertical," Molter said. "You still need to be a jumper at the end of the day. You need to know how to jump and get the angle off the ground." 

In the classroom, Molter maintains a 91 unweighted GPA.

"I'm a student first and athlete second," Molter said. "My family holds me accountable. I want to get a good job and be successful in my career in the future."

Molter is committed to Slippery Rock University, where he will run track, and he hopes to become a construction manager to follow in his dad's footsteps.

"They gave the best opportunity, financially, sports-wise, everything about it made sense," Molter said. "I met the coach, and I fell in love with the program and the atmosphere."

By Jonathan Ruban

jonathan.ruban@newsday.com

Jonathan Ruban covers high school sports for Newsday after graduating from St. John’s.