Nickles to be a Buckeye

NOTE:  Breakout:  Suggested Head: Nickles to be a Buckeye  By JEREMY SCHNEIDER jschneider@limanews.com 419-993-2088COLUMBUS GROVE — Heath Nickles was in seventh grade when he started to show signs of promise in the pole vault. His dad, Randy Nickles, made the comment about the possibility of Ohio State calling on Heath some day. At the time, Heath laughed off the idea.Until last July, that is, when Ohio State coaches began calling. Even then, Nickles and his mom, Ava Nickles, didn’t believe the caller when he identified himself as assistant coach Kevin Mannon. It became clear, though, this was an honest phone call and not a prank. Nickles’ took his official visit to Columbus in early December. They wanted a commitment by Christmas. Nickles knew it wouldn’t take that long. He verbally committed soon after his visit. He will sign with OSU on Feb. 6.“They started recruiting me during my junior year. It wasn’t a dream anymore. It became realistic,” Nickles said. “It’s been pretty awesome. They had me and my parents down for two football games. We were on the 50-yard line, two rows up.”Nickles also considered Kent State, Cincinnati, Indiana and Michigan State. There wasn’t a doubt Nickles would be a Buckeye, though.“I fell in love. It’s so nice down there,” Nickles said. “Everything’s so much nicer than any other college that I visited.”The Buckeyes recruited Nickles as a pole vaulter, an event he won at last year’s Division III state championship. Nickles also won the 300 hurdles. Based on that versatility, OSU also pegged Nickles as a decathlete, an event which combines the 100-meter run, 400, 1,500, 110 hurdles, long jump, shot put, discus, high jump, javelin and pole vault.Competing in the decathlon, which splits the events into five over two days, suits Nickles. He would be bored only concentrating on one event.“I’m pretty jacked to get into college and try all of these events,” Nickles said. “I couldn’t see myself sitting around in a pole vault pit all day.”While the decathlon includes events Nickles is comfortable with, he hasn’t thrown a shot since junior high school and hasn’t touched a javelin. In the smaller duel- and tri-meets during his final prep season, Nickles may try his hand at events other than his usual vault, hurdles and high jump.“You never know. It’s like what (Grove throwing coach) Rick Maag told me, ‘You might pick up the disc and throw it 150 feet,’” Nickles said.You can comment on this story at www.limaohio.com.