Whenever an athlete has to take time off to recuperate from an injury, it takes time and work to recover before returning. Missing an entire year, however, could be a completely different story. This is what Bella Vista pole vaulter Angie Charles had to address, but anyone seeing her compete today probably wouldn't think she'd taken any time off at all.

A senior on the track and field team, 18-year-old Charles is a seasoned and experienced pole vaulter and her goal is to qualify for the State Championships and break the school record for pole vault (the current all-time record for pole vault is at 13 feet set by Veronica Stimson in 2007) during her final season at Bella Vista High School.

Before her senior season started, Charles had already made her mark at Bella Vista. She broke the pole vault school record for freshmen in 2008 at 11 feet, 1 inch and broke the record for sophomores at 11 feet, 10 inches in 2009. She also qualified to compete at the State Championships that same year.

Shortly after the State Championships that year, however, Charles needed her gall bladder removed and in September 2009, she needed full reconstruction surgery on her ankle that would sideline her for most of her junior year.

Charles said having surgery on her ankle was one of the biggest decisions she’s ever had to make during her track and field career.

“It was something I needed to do if I wanted to continue on and do this in college. It was a really big decision,” she said.

Charles needed the surgery as a result of sustaining many sprains and some injuries on her ankle during her time as a gymnast. Eventually it became increasingly difficult to run and jump off her ankle and she said that it was crucial for her to have the surgery in order to continue competing.

“It was really difficult just because I knew I was going to be out for a long time and there wasn’t a ‘for sure’ that my ankle was going to be 100 percent better,” Charles said. “The surgeon did tell me that if I did have the surgery, I won’t be able to high-jump again, so I can’t high-jump anymore but fortunately I can still do pole vault and hurdles.”

Charles’ absence during the 2010 season had a major impact on the team that year.

“It was more of a loss from a leadership standpoint,” said pole vault coach Clay Taft. “She was one of the elite vaulters and kids look up to her and she was able to help certainly.”

The track & field coaches were enthusiastic about Charles’ return and were amazed with her rapid rehab.

“It’s major for our team to have Angie back, because she’s going to win the pole vault and she’s a hurdler, so she’s going to win us points there too,” said head track and field coach Dave Unterholzner. “I was worried if she was never going to come back, but then she really started coming around. She went from doing rehab, to training and there’s a difference.”

During her junior year, Charles still helped her teammates and came out to events to show support.

“Even during the time when she wasn’t on the runway jumping, she will still come out occasionally and work with the other athletes, which was great because certainly they paid attention to her and they know that her advice is good they listen to her very carefully,” Taft said.

Senior pole vaulter Christie McAllister said that the team practices were not the same without Charles around during her junior year.

“It wasn’t the same at practice, she definitely brings a different attitude at practice,” McAllister said. “It’s a fun and hard-working energy that she brings to the team at practice so I work a lot harder when she’s around because she motivates me.”

Charles’ success in pole vault even influenced those close to her. Her twin brother Drew, who played baseball at Bella Vista during his freshman and sophomore year, is also a pole vaulter and regards his sister as a second coach.

“I have someone to talk to about pole vault all the time and since she’s been doing it longer, she can really help me,” he said.

“We help push each other, we both help each other get better.”

Charles said that her father Gary has been her biggest source of support and inspiration to her success in track & field.

“He’s always coached us to do the best you can and he’s always supported me throughout every sport that I’ve done,” she said. “He’s always at my meets, always at my games. He was really big in sports so he would always help, he’s kind of the home coach. He’s probably my biggest inspiration.”

Gary said he is proud of what his daughter has accomplished so far in her track and field career and is looking forward to watching her meet her goals this season.

“As a father, just being proud of all she’s done, watching her succeed to State as a sophomore was pretty amazing and hopefully be able to see her go back,” he said. “That’s the goal this year to stay healthy and compete and go to State again, it’s exciting.”

After Bella Vista, Charles plans to continue competing in track and field and among the colleges she is interested in, her top two choices are UC Davis and Boise State.

Charles said after college, she is not sure if she plans to pursue a full-time career in track and field. The field she's most interested in pursuing full-time differs significantly from pole vault.

“I want to pursue forensics as a career to become a coroner,” Charles said. “I would probably coach as a side job but career-wise, I don’t know if I would want to do full-time track.”

In her years at Bella Vista, Charles’ track career will always be remembered by her teammates and coaches. Her success before and after her life-changing surgery proves that no obstacle is too high to overcome.