Apr 30, 2026 By Jerin Steele 4 min read

As Jackson Brunell lines up to make a run to clear the bar in pole vault, he carries advice from his grandfather with him.

“He always told me to not get in my own head and just jump,” Brunell said. “Think positively, always.”

Those pieces of wisdom meant a lot to him at the time, and they carry great significance in the present.

Jackson has been pole vaulting since his youth and until this year he’s had his grandfather, Butch Brunell, by his side.

Now he’s competing to honor his memory.

Butch, a highly respected pole vault coach at Waynesburg, died in October at age 81.

In one of his first major events since his grandfather’s passing, Brunell won the pole vault at the Washington-Greene County track and field meet Friday at AHN Field in Canonsburg. He cleared 13 feet, 3 inches.

“My goal coming into (Friday) was to get over 13 (feet) and I’d be happy,” Brunell said. “It felt good to win here.”

Brunell is a sophomore at Waynesburg and was a state qualifier as a freshman.

He was born into a pole vault family, and he’s embraced everything that comes with it.

“I’ve been pole vaulting since I was 12 years old and have stuck with it every step of the way,” Brunell said. “I had my grandfather with me all the way through until this year. He was honestly just the best. I’m so blessed to have had him in my life.”

Butch Brunell was known for helping any pole vaulter he could. It didn’t matter if they had a Waynesburg jersey or wore the colors of another school, he would give pointers and tips to anyone willing to listen.

He was honored last week at Waynesburg and it was announced the school’s track has been renamed in his honor. Raiders track coach Rick Layton said that Butch Brunell’s name will be emblazoned into the track at Waynesburg the next time it is resurfaced.

“There’s never been another Butch Brunell,” Layton said. “I haven’t been coaching as long as some others have around here, but I haven’t met another guy that had quite the same traits as him. He was always promoting the sport and trying to make it better. He’s the perfect representative for what track and field should be.”

Mason Schroyer, Brunell’s Waynesburg teammate, is a good example of someone that has thrived under the tutelage of Butch Brunell. In seventh grade, Schroyer was encouraged by other coaches to give pole vaulting a try.

Now as a senior, he’s been a state qualifier and placed second at the Washington-Greene meet Friday.

He finished at 13-3 just like Brunell, but needed one more attempt to clear it.

“I worked with Butch pretty close all the way through since middle school,” Schroyer said. “He introduced me to other coaches in the area and his willingness to help anybody was instilled into the program. Anybody who’s involved with Waynesburg pole vault is willing to help wherever they can.”

While Brunell wants to be the best pole vaulter he can be, it’s also imperative to carry on his grandfather’s legacy of being a helpful resource. He’s tried to make a conscious effort to do so at the meets he’s attended this year.

“It’s honestly a good example that he set,” Brunell said. “I want to be able to help everybody that I can. I try to do that by giving tips and pointers to beginners. I get that from him.”

Brunell’s personal best is 14 feet, which puts him in contention for a WPIAL title in Class 2A.

He said he’s trying to be more consistent as the biggest meets of the year draw closer.

As far as heeding the advice his grandfather gave him of thinking positively…he’s working on that too.

“You can have one bad meet and you’ll get in your head really bad,” Brunell said. “It’s hard to get all those negative thoughts out of there, but once you do and your mind is clear, you’ll jump good.”

The WPIAL championships are May 13 at Slippery Rock University. Brunell would love nothing more than to get a district gold medal for his grandfather.

“I just want to win,” Brunell said. “Win and make states again. Those are the goals. I love being part of the WPIAL because it’s so competitive.”