Craig Simmons isn't sure how his children got their athletic ability or daredevil mentality.

Simmons says he was a "middle-of-the-pack" athlete in high school in Oklahoma and that his wife, Carol, didn't play sports.

"I pole vaulted in high school and wasn't very good," Craig Simmons said. "We're not sure how the kids got this ability."

Rob and Cale Simmons, fraternal twins and Rocklin High School seniors, rank as two of the best high school pole vaulters in California, if not the nation. Rob Simmons has vaulted 16 feet, 3 inches, No. 2 in California and seventh nationally. Cale Simmons has gone 15-9, fourth-best in the state and 12th best nationally. Both marks were established last Friday at the Woody Wilson Classic at UC Davis.

When it comes to things athletic, the Simmons twins admit to a fearless streak.

"Every sport that involves danger, we're doing in some way," Rob said. "Skiing, wakeboarding – we're going sky diving next week."

Cale Simmons calls launching one's body over a bar nearly two stories above the ground with a bending pole "unique."

"It's kind of dangerous and fun at the same time," Cale said. "It's almost like riding a roller coaster."

The twins, however, may not be the best pole vaulters in their family.

Older sister Rachel was a four-time state meet participant for Rocklin and won two Sac-Joaquin Section titles before enrolling at the Air Force Academy, where she is a sophomore and already has some of the best vault marks in school history.

Rob and Cale will join their sister in the fall in Colorado Springs, Colo. Both have been accepted to Air Force, and both are exceptional students with weighted grade-point averages above 4.0. They hope to earn their wings someday in something other than the pole vault.

Rachel got into pole vaulting when she started looking for something beyond gymnastics.

Dad suggested the pole vault, despite his difficult experience with the event in high school. She proved a quick study. As an eighth grader, she would travel to Lake of the Pines to work out with area pole vault guru Nick Vogt, who then was coaching at Bear River High School.

The twins would tag along.

"They'd be on the field, goofing around," said Vogt, now the Rocklin vault coach. "But once they got to high school, it was full speed ahead."

That they are among California's best – Rob competed at the state meet as a sophomore, and Cale advanced to the state finals last year – is further testament to how the event has taken hold in Placer County.

Interest is so strong in pole vaulting that Vogt has built an indoor facility at William Jessup University in Rocklin and also operates a year-round club program. He is just one of a number of vaulting coaches with outstanding reputations working in the community.

"There are a lot of good coaches, and there are a lot of people pushing each other," says Cale Simmons.

The Simmons twins know that winning the Sierra Foothill League, Sac-Joaquin Section Division II and Masters titles will be as big a challenge as anything they might likely face at the state meet June 5-6 in Clovis.

On the boys side, Placer's Derrick Hinch ranks No. 3 in the state (15-10), and Granite Bay's Jordon Alviso is No. 4 (15-1) in the section.

They also will be trying to continue a streak that has seen a Placer County boys pole vaulter finish third or higher at the state meet the last six years, including Granite Bay's Scott Roth, now at Washington, who won state titles in 2004, '05 and '06, and ex-Grizzlies teammate Ryan Shuler, now at Cal, the state champion as a freshman in 2003.

But unlike other events where the competition can be cutthroat, there is a more symbiotic relationship around the pole vault box.

"The coaches and vaulters work together," Vogt said. "It's very congenial, great camaraderie."

Rob Simmons says he enjoys the competition more when his rivals perform at their best.

"A lot of pole vaulters just seem to be nice, friendly people," Rob said. "You never see anyone talking trash. I always want people to go higher. I'd rather have everyone do well than just me do well."

Call The Bee's Bill Paterson, (916) 326-5506.