2019 will mark Wojo’s 23rd season as a pole vaulter. “I’ve been pole vaulting since I was in seventh grade,” he said. “I was two-time state champion in high school and three-time Ivy League champion in college. My personal best is 5.16 meters. I still compete and I still coach.”
Wojo is drawn to the sport of pole vaulting since he loves competing and being an athlete. “I love putting the work in and seeing the results,” he said. “I love hanging with the people that I compete against, and I call them my friends. We are not so much competing against each other, we are competing against gravity. The pole vault community is great. I love being a part of it.”
For aspiring pole vaulters, he said, “It’s frustrating. Try not to be too hard on yourself. It takes time and practice.”
On the digital transformation of the pole vault, he said, “The younger athletes are able to send their videos to other coaches online and they are able to get their advice from hundreds of miles away. They can do instant playback using their phones. Back in the day, I used to bring my VHS recorder every day to practice, and we would watch it as a group, through that tiny little screen. We didn’t even have a slow-motion button. We would have to hit stop and play all the time. The sharing of information on events is much easier these days.”
“I am also a singer-songwriter that is based in New York City,” he said, about his music career. “I plan to release a new single in the upcoming month. I will also be releasing a new solo EP.”
He revealed that his songwriting is inspired by a lot of life events and “looking around the world.” “Shifting through my own thoughts and other people’s thoughts,” he said. “I write a lot about the human condition and what we feel and what we do.”
His music video for his song “Sunshine (Way That You Move)” may be seen below:
On the impact of technology on the music business, Wojo said, “Technology has flattened the distribution market in a way that anyone can get out there. Exposure and traction are difficult because there are so many players in the game. It is definitely tough since each day there are hundreds of new releases. I think technology has made making music and creating easier.”
Wojo shared that each day even when he practices with his acoustic guitar, he runs it through his laptop and uses reverb to track his practices. “We do all of our recording using Ableton Live,” he said.
“Sunshine (Way That You Move)” is available on iTunes and on Spotify.
To learn more about Wojo’s music, check out his official Facebook page and his website.
