PoleVaultPower.com

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Stephanie Richartz set yet another school record at the Orange and Blue Open, recording a mark of 13-9 ¾ (4.21m). The sophomore set her fourth consecutive Illinois record, setting a new mark in each of the meets she's competed in this season.

Just had to give props to a former athlete and to her current coach for a great start to the season.

Wow, congrats to Stephanie! What a unique story - as I recall she was basically a 10' - 11' vaulter through high school and now she's knocking on the door of 14'! What the heck did she change up in her vault in college?

She went 11'6" in high school. Talked to her coach and she now trains. She also has a plant. Her high school coach, me, did not do enough for her during her hs career. I'm still learning.

Don't be hard on yourself. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a young person it to prepare him/her for the next level. Teaching a kid how to run with a pole properly, how to hit the box right and how to take off right is probably the most important thing in the athlete's career he/she will ever learn; but with the limited time available in high school it doesn't always show up in the height column.

I've seen way to many inexperienced coaches screw kids up and get them injured by focusing too much on clearing bars before the athlete can do basic things like take off properly and consistently.

That's just remarkable. Hey, don't beat yourself up, at least you didn't instill any bad habits.

Actually, if I'm remembering the same girl - she didn't have a pole drop or plant in HS, but who knows,you may have inadvertently stumbled upon a great developmental teaching sequence. Maybe that caused her to really sharpen other aspects of her vault to compensate - then when she coupled those skills with a proper plant in college - boom - off to the races!

I'm not really beating my self up. I'm just very critical of my results. I use every successful and not so successful vaulter as a learning experience.
I got the chance to talk with her college coach last year and made the changes to my program. We spend a great deal of time working the run and plant. I currently don't have the talent that Steph has but we moved down to 2a this year and I might have a couple of girl vaulters that could qualify. I think my biggest problem is that I coach both boys and girls. In the middle of the season, I'm at four meets a week which makes impossible to work on technique.
I do have one boy who looking really good but by coaching both boys and girls, I need to choose between going with the girls to State, if they qualify, or going to the Boys sectional. It would be nice if the sectional meet where on Thursday, then, I could make both.
I'm really happy for Steph. She is a great kid and very driven. Coach Carrell has taken her to the next level and is also a great guy to take the time out to help me.

vaultmd wrote:Don't be hard on yourself. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a young person it to prepare him/her for the next level. Teaching a kid how to run with a pole properly, how to hit the box right and how to take off right is probably the most important thing in the athlete's career he/she will ever learn; but with the limited time available in high school it doesn't always show up in the height column.

I've seen way to many inexperienced coaches screw kids up and get them injured by focusing too much on clearing bars before the athlete can do basic things like take off properly and consistently.

This is the absolute truth!! If more HS coaches had this philosophy then we would have lots of college kids jumping super high.

vcpvcoach, you are already ahead of the curve because you are open minded and willing to learn. That is the key to improving as a coach...as soon as you "know it all" you are no longer able to improve!

That is too bad that your meets are conflicting. One of the points of emphasis I am putting on myself for improvement as a coach this year is to teach the kids how to succeed in meets without a coach. Teach them to watch each other's step, whether they were stretching, if they had their plant up, whether they hit the bar on the way up or down, etc. Nothing is more impressive than teaching kids to become students of the sport. The best coaches don't need to do much coaching in meets...something I am striving for. Keep up the good work!

Tom