Kids participating in Helena High School pole vault coach Doug LeBrun's annual summer camp have been treated to a special guest this week.

Former Fresno State coach and president of USA Track and Field Bob Fraley joined LeBrun and the hundreds of youngsters that participated in the camp, giving his expertise on the intracacies of the sport.

After 28 years, Fraley retired from Fresno State and decided to make the trip to Montana at LeBrun's request.

Fraley has a great amount of respect for the legendary Montana high school coach who has been teaching the event for over 30 years.

"During the 1990s, states were starting to drop pole vault," Fraley said during a Friday interview. "Doug was the person that hung in there."

Fraley said he's seen the decline of pole vault in the U.S. during that decade, and it's rise since, thanks in part to the grassroots effort of coaches like LeBrun.

"We had a resurgence," Fraley said, adding that the U.S. began to see tremendous athletes -- especially on the women's side -- like former world record holder Stacey Dragila.

During the '90s, America began inviting the world's best authorities on the sport -- mainly out of Russia and France -- to the U.S. to teach their techniques, Fraley said. U.S. coaches began to refine them.

Now, he's sharing his experience with the young athletes and coaches like Red Lodge's Greg Mohl, who is also the chairman of Montana Track and Field.

Twelve stations -- each meant to break down the steps needed for a successful jump -- spread over LeBrun's property, which resides just a few miles outside of the Helena city limits.

Contraptions like a pulley meant to hang kids upside down, or others that allow them to suspend their body in air while practicing their moves, crowd his lawn and encroach on the high grasses that surround the property.

"It's like a pharmacy," Fraley said. "You've got an ailment, and here's the cure."

Colorful tents are parked in the front of the house just a few meters from horses that are fenced away. Meanwhile, the kids take a break after six hours of drills in the summer sun by getting a home-cooked meal in LeBrun's cool garage.

"It wasn't quite what I was expecting," said Madison Managhan, a sophomore from Flathead High School, who was recommended to the camp by his father's friends. "When I was getting taught, it was a lot better than I was expecting."

He said he enjoyed the camp and appreciated the advice from Fraley, who told him "most kids, when they first try to pole vault, look like garbage falling off the back of the truck."

As Managhan found out, he wasn't even on the truck yet. After four days, he said he's improved tremendously and that the coaches never yell or demean the participants, but keep the atmosphere light and fun.

Kaleb Prestegaard, a graduate from Whitefish, and Kirk Capdeville, a senior from Hinsdale who won the Class C title last season, were both back for at least their third year.

"I just like the camp. It's fun, and I like the environment," Prestegaard said, who cleared 14-feet this season and would like to compete at the next level.

Capdeville said that Fraley told him he was receiving as good of instruction as any big camp in West Coast states.

Madison McLaughlin, who at 12 years old is one of the youngest participants, cleared seven feet this season, even though the sport isn't officially offered until she reaches high school.

"It's a unique situation," Fraley said, referring to the rather rustic environment of the camp, "but shows that in our economy it can be done.

"(Doug) refuses to say 'No.' It's a heck of a model for the rest of the nation. It has a pioneer spirit about it."