THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: May 2, 2015

From a young age, Katey Mae McInturff has always wanted to soar in the clouds.

Whether that be in her grandfather's airplane, or through the air during the pole vault, the Kootenai High senior and two-time state 1A champion's goals are just like her dreams.

Sky high.

McINTURFF WAS appointed to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., in February and will report for summer school on July 1.

"I'm incredibly excited," McInturff said. "It's a wonderful opportunity and I can't wait for it to begin. It's just like any other school, but with the added bonus of a military aspect."

McInturff was also accepted into the NROTC program at NAIA Emory-Riddle in Florida, but opted to join the Navy.

"A service academy was my top choice," McInturff said. "I just started to get interested in joining the academy this year and had never done the ROTC thing before."

She'll be a preferred walk-on to the Navy track and field team.

Her future goals include becoming a pilot. She's already had some help with that, flying her grandpa's double decker propeller bi-plane, which is an open aired airplane with stacked wings.

"Someday I want to land a plane on an aircraft carrier," McInturff said. "I've been in my grandpa's plane and flew a loop and a roll, but have never done a solo flight officially."

McINTURFF WILL take flight next in the 1A District 1-2 track meet next Friday and Saturday at Lapwai High.

McInturff has won the last two district and state titles in the pole vault. As a freshman, she was runner-up at districts and fifth at state.

"I really like the adrenaline that you get from doing the pole vault," McInturff said. "I'm a little bit humbled that I've had the opportunity to go out and pole vault. But I've had great coaches that have helped me on the way. It's also a little satisfying that all my hard work is falling into place and that I'm recognized for all the hours I've put into it."

Living in the Harrison area, some 37 miles from Coeur d'Alene, McInturff added she has enjoyed small school experience at Kootenai.

"It's been interesting," said McInturff, who also competed in basketball and cross country all four years. "I've really enjoyed being able to play all three sports all through school. Going to Kootenai has given me the opportunity to participate more in these sports than I would have anywhere else."

McInturff surpassed her own school record of 10 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault in the North Star League championships on Tuesday at Kootenai High. She also owns the school record in the 800-meter run (2:29.54) and 300 hurdles (48.59).

"She's a focused, driven, goal-oriented kid in everything that she does," Kootenai coach Shannon LaFountaine said. "When you look at her future plans, it really ties in to what kind of a kid she is."

"I really enjoy being in the middle of nowhere," McInturff said. "The family atmosphere is great. It's not to be found at other schools. I really enjoy the close-knit family feel that I get there."

And with good reason. She's been coached in basketball by Mike LaFountaine, Shannon's husband.

"They've been wonderful coaches and people," McInturff said. "They've coached me since elementary school for basketball and been around for all kinds of other stuff. They've just been incredible to be around."

Shannon has also seen plenty of leadership qualities in McInturff.

"The family aspect is definitely what keeps us there," Shannon said. "The respect (LaFountaine's daughter) Makayla has for Katey Mae is because of her leadership and the example she sets. Coaching track and having a ton of new kids out this year, they fit right into that family atmosphere. They all look out for each other. Katey Mae, when we're getting ready for a meet or practice, she's a second mom to those kids."

And when things aren't going well?

"She'll just look at them, and they just go and get focused and get on track," LaFountaine said. "She looks out for them. She's a very caring person, and looking out for each other and seeing what's best for them. She's a very unselfish person."

THEN AGAIN, she'd like to keep that state championship in the pole vault to herself, for at least another year.

"It would be pretty important to win it again," McInturff said. "I've worked hard all year to get there. I just hope the pieces fall into place and I can do it again this year."

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter at JEPressSports.