American pole vaulter Sam Kendrick has a long list of achievements that prove he is amazing at what he does. He started as the NCAA outdoor champion, not once but twice, in 2013 and 2014. He also won the world championships and was an Olympic medalist—bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. His best performance at the Olympics was at the Paris Olympics 2024. Score? Kendricks won silver with a score of 5.95, just behind Mondo Duplantis. His best performance?

Samuel Hathorn Kendricks achieved his personal best of 6.06 meters at the USA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2019. But was he able to do all this on his own? Of course not. Any athlete who reaches heights is backed by an amazing coach, and for Sam Kendricks, it’s Scott Kendricks. Let’s dive deep into who Scott is, his career achievements, and more.

Who is Scott Kendricks?

Scott Kendricks is not only Sam Kendricks’ coach but also his father, who helped Sam learn the nuances of pole vaulting. Being a coach and father, Scott has done his best, but how did he get influenced by pole vaulting? It was in 1968, the first time the Olympics were held in Latin America, in Mexico, and Scott watched those Olympics. He developed an interest in pole vaulting, a sport quite different from traditional ones like football.

Down memory lane, Sam once said, “I remember going to my first track meet when I was 7 years old. I just fell in love with the sport. I remember watching the Olympics with my father… Something about the Olympics. Obviously football is a big Mississippi sport, but they don’t have it in the Olympics. The whole world is watching for two weeks. Plus I could run.” But was it always pole vaulting for Scott?

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The answer is no. He was in the Marine Corps, and after leaving that job, his plan was simple—teach history and coach track at Oxford. And he got the opportunity in 1999, and he stayed there for 14 years before leaving in 2013. But a question that might have come to mind is what achievements does Sam Kendricks’ coach hold?

Scott Kendricks’ career highlights and achievements

Scott Kendricks coached his son, Sam Kendricks, who secured a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics and a silver at the 2024 Games. In 2016, Sam earned his place on the U.S. Olympic track and field team by winning the men’s pole vault at the U.S. Olympic Trials with a clearance of 5.91 meters, setting a trials record. This came after Sam won his third consecutive U.S. pole vault championship. Watching his son compete in the Rio Olympics later that year brought a wave of nostalgia for Scott.

Why, you may ask. Well, it’s not too tough to understand. Scott had aspired to participate in the Olympics, and now he was watching his son perform on the global stage. As Scott recalled, and said laughing, “I dreamed of going to the Olympics as a kid, but I realized I’m not good enough.” Per OxfordEagle, he further added, “All of a sudden, my son is good enough. That’s even better for me. That’s even better for me as a father, that I’ve actually been part of helping him get there.”

Sam Kendricks, along with his father, Scott Kendricks, also opened a training center called the Refuge Training Center, which is a good source of income for Sam Kendricks. Sam and his brother, Tom, trained daily with their father for more than ten years, gaining access and affection only via significant family sacrifice.