It was a performance Maggie Waites would like to forget, but it was good enough to land her a spot in the AAU National Track and Field meet in August.

The rising St. Aloysius ninth grader was only able to clear nine feet, six inches at the AAU qualifier Tuesday in Covington, La.

Waites holds the Mississippi High School Activities Association overall record in the girls pole vault at 10 feet, seven inches

Waites finished sixth, but the good news was that the top eight qualify for the AAU Nationals set for Aug. 4 in New Orleans. Waites was not happy.

“It was my worst meet ever,” Waites said Thursday following basketball practice at St. Al. “I was embarrassed. I hadn’t been practicing and I wasn’t in good form.”

Until Covington, Waites had enjoyed a good summer season. She equaled her career best at 11 feet at the Louisiana Governor’s Cup meet in New Orleans.

Last Sunday in Donaldsonvile, La., Waites won a southern sectional of the United States Track and Field Association meet with a vault of 10-6. That clearance earned her a spot in the USTFA’s national qualifier on June 25-26 in Baton Rouge.

“The USTFA is the big event,” Waites said. “I’m going to get back to practicing this weekend and get my form back. The pole vault is all about having the right form. If I do good in Baton Rouge, I can advance to the next stage in Birmingham (Ala.). Then there’s another stage in Kansas and the national championships will be in North Carolina.”

Waites established herself as Mississippi’s top girl pole vaulter with an outstanding spring season.

She cleared 10 feet, six inches at a meet at Mississippi College that got her ranked nationally.