In 2008, Mark and Sue Stuczynski traveled to Beijing to watch their daughter, now-Jenn Suhr, compete in the Olympics in pole vaulting.

Suhr took silver.

In 2012, just like the rest of Chautauqua County, the Stuczynski’s watched their daughter compete in London on television from their Fredonia home.

Suhr won the gold.

With safety and sanitation concerns at this year’s Rio Olympics, the Stuczynski’s elected to stay home again this time.

Is gold in the forecast again? We will all find out Tuesday morning as Suhr begins her quest to defend her gold medal. Should Suhr advance to Friday’s finals, the Stuczynski’s will have a party with family and friends to cheer on Fredonia’s sweetheart, who will be competing some 5,066 miles away.

“We found Beijing was a great experience,” Mark Stuczynski said. “We hurried to see the qualifiers. We got there just in time because of traffic. We got there and just saw her jump one time to qualify and it was time to get a taxi for the ride home. During the competitions, we were a ways away. It was hard to keep track what was going on. There were 136,000 people and we were on the far end. She won the silver and the ceremony was held the next day. We didn’t have tickets to go in. We didn’t think we would see her get awarded her medal. Fortunately, Jenn’s publicist and agent forfeited their tickets for us to use.

“During the London games, we got it on the TV here at home,” he continued. “We had family and friends over and had a great time. We enjoyed the company of family and friends. We are still planning on doing that this year, too. We would like to invite more than we can. We will watch it live and root for her here.”

While Mark Stuczynski noted safety and sanitation as a concern, Sue Stuczynski added traveling is not their forte – especially when it comes to international traveling.

“We aren’t travelers,” she said. “We aren’t big on flying or big on airports. We are clueless when we get inside an airport.We are much happier being here.”

When Suhr told her parents she was becoming a professional pole vaulter in 2005, her parents were shocked to learn she could earn a paycheck and a living in the sport. With pole vaulting not being one of the four major United States sports, Mr. and Mrs. Stuczynski had to get themselves acclimated to the sport. And though they don’t know all of the international jumpers, or how to pronounce many of their names, the Stuczynskis are familiar with some of their daughter’s competition this week.

“Fabiana Murer, the Brazilian, she is a favorite and has put up good numbers and jumped well this year,” Mark said. “A lot of girls in the United States are jumping well. Demi Payne should have been there, but was injured. Lexi Weeks and Sammy Morris have put up good numbers. It’s good competition all the way around.”

But after 11 years of watching pole vaulting, there is one thing – like many – the Stuczynski’s still struggle with.

“We don’t know our meters,” Sue laughed. “When they say it’s 4.9, you would think we would know this by now. I have to use Google to get the conversion.”

As for any inside scoop about Suhr or pole vaulting, her parents are not the people to ask as they keep the conversation off of the sport, and more about home life and family.

“When she comes over, we very seldom talk pole vault,” Mark said. “That’s talking business to her. She pole vaults 24-7. Pole vaulting can consume you at her level. We want this to be her refuge. Of course you always have that family member that wants to know what’s going on, but we change the subject real quick. People wonder if we have the inside scoop. We do the same thing everyone else does – we go on Facebook. When she calls, we talk nieces, nephews, her dog, little things like that, that humor and take her mind off the business part.”

Mark and Sue also noted they have set up Twitter accounts to follow their daughter’s athletic career.

Like Jenn and her husband/coach Rick, Mark and Sue brushed off any concerns of the Zika virus. As for Jenn’s safety, Rick has traveled the world and knows how to stay safe.

“We feel pretty confident Rick will keep his eye on her,” Mark said. “He can handle it. The U.S. has put things into place for her where we have a lot of confidence. Zika is a thing, but Jenn isn’t too concerned about it. As long as she doesn’t go into a rain forest, she shouldn’t have to worry about it.”

As the competition nears, the Stuczynskis are seeing more and more excitement around the community as patrons have been stopping into Fredonia Mart to talk pole vaulting, as well as front lawns being decorated with signs supporting Jenn Suhr. Some of the signs in front lawns are from 2008 when Jenn was jumping under her maiden name. Those signs have extra special meaning to Mark and Sue.

“We were riding down the street and seeing the Stuczynski signs and realize those people have had those signs for eight years in their garage and they kept them,” Sue said. “That’s pretty impressive. We are impressed and thankful for those.”

“There has been a lot of support,” Mark added. “I have gotten a lot of people coming into the store asking when she jumps. They have been buying 2012 signs. That money goes into the Olympic committee for scholarships. There have been a lot of people coming in for support. There is a lot of frenzy. There has been a lot of good support.

“We would like to thank the community for all their support,” he concluded. “We are constantly praying for God’s protection for her while she is down there. Success comes and goes, but we are just thankful for the platform she has had for all these years.”