PoleVaultPower.com

I am currently a High School track and field coach in a non-public school. The Athletic Director has never allowed us to have a pole vault team. We do not have our own practice facilities and share a facility with another local high school. His argument is that we don't have any pole vault certified coaches, don't have pole vault insurance, don't have any pole vaults nor do we have our own facilities.

This is what I presented him with.

*I have pole vault experience but that supposedly wasn't good enough.
* I became pole vault certified thru http://www.pvscb.com
* I got a pole vault store to donate to us polevaults for free once we get the weight of the student-athletes
* I proposed to him that we don't have to practice in the shared facilities...we can go to weekly pole vault clinics that run 7 weeks. Every 7 weeks the clinic starts over again and we just go the the next level. They have levels of progression Begginers, Level 1, level 2, level 3, and level 4. http://www.verticalassault.org/ in PA..we go to the clinics and then compete in the races. There will only be one indoor race (Group Sates) that has pole vault and several outdoor meets that offer pole vault. We can win championships with polevaulting. We have a weak sectional and group in pole vaulting that only have 2-3 vaulters...there are still 3-4 places up for grabs....free points...and we can possibly sneak into one of the top spots. My team lost outdoor conference by 12 points, sectionals 6 points, and groups by 17...and all the winning teams beat us because they had pole vaulters and we didnt.

*Does anyone have any suggestions...is there such thing as pole vault insurance...i think he is just giving me the run arounds so that we don't have a pole vault team. If there is insurance how can i get it or how can the kids get it.

I think you are correct. Sounds like you are getting the run around. I've never heard of PV insurance. Your AD is taking the easy way out. If you don't have PV, no athletes can get hurt trying to vault! It seems to me what gets administration to move is pressure from parents, not coaches, not teachers, not students, but parents. Now getting the parents to bring pressure without making you look like a "trouble maker", "non team player", or malcontent - that is the trick. Wish I had an easy answer for you -good luck, and keep us posted.

Dan

We formed a USATF club that named the high school on the liability insurance and that was the end of the problem. Sounds like you have everything else on your side. When in doubt, see if you can interest the local paper on an article about pole vault safety and your certification. Good luck and thanks for your efforts!! Bubba

This may sound negative but my advice is find another job. Your AD does not want vaulting and it is hard to be successfull somewhere that does not want the program. I have been coaching in public schools for 29 years and have been at places that didn't really support athletics and it makes it hard to be good. Luckily I have landed in a town that loves the two sports I coach and have an AD who will do anything he can to help us. It sure makes my job easier.

Hey where in New Jersey are you? I have a vault club that runs out of Oakland, NJ. I go to all the state meets so you would have poles there. Check us out at www.apexvaulting.com.

Great advice CowtownPV. Our high school has two pits and they stay out all year. I coach through our USATF club in the Fall when their PV coach is in football. When he's out it's his program and I volunteer when/if needed. The trade off is that I can jump there any time I want.

Credit our AD/Head Football Coach who actually coached the school record holder to 16' 1 3/4". We have a great PV coach but also the full support of the AD, a great PV coach himself. I think that makes us unique. Bubba

I have just found that as a coach it is usally easier to change jobs than it is to change the minds of a community. Most AD's have a limited budget and they have to go where the community wants them to. Its tough when you have a family to move some times but there are lots of people out there looking for good coaches.

Branko720 wrote:Hey where in New Jersey are you? I have a vault club that runs out of Oakland, NJ. I go to all the state meets so you would have poles there. Check us out at http://www.apexvaulting.com.

Hey thats 30 minutes away from me. I am interested in sending two athletes there...beginners with no experience. Can you please send me some details about the sessions you offer and the pricing.

Antunesd610@yahoo.com

Ill send a follow up message to apexvaulting@gmail.com

And yet again we benefit from what Becca has created here. Glad it could work out for you guys.

When I went to Sydney, Australia last year for the World Masters Games, PVP people met me there and gave me advance notice of everything to do and not do before I ever left home. Thanks again Becca!! Bubba

Bubba PV wrote:And yet again we benefit from what Becca has created here. Glad it could work out for you guys.

When I went to Sydney, Australia last year for the World Masters Games, PVP people met me there and gave me advance notice of everything to do and not do before I ever left home. Thanks again Becca!! Bubba

Great, that's the goal!