Pole vault divides EAL track schools (CA)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.redding.com/news/2009/may/15 ... k-schools/

Gordon: Pole vault divides EAL track schools

By Leland Gordon (Contact)
Friday, May 15, 2009


Enterprise High's track and field teams have the chance to lead today's Eastern Athletic League championships before a starting gun has gone off and before any human bodies leap in the air.

Shasta and Foothill will have the chance to do the same, while five other schools won't.

On the surface, it appears the Hornets, Cougars and Wolves have an advantage over the other five EAL teams. But before you throw in the word "unfair" before "advantage," there is another side to the story. And when you combine that story with the stories of others, it all clumps together to give us a big chunk of an unfortunate situation.

I received a passionate e-mail last year from Chico High boys coach Chuck Sheley about inequity in the pole vault and posted it on my former blog. Sheley believes pole vault shouldn't count toward the team scores since more than half of the EAL either can't afford it or insurance prevents it.

He's fighting a noble cause every year when he presents his case before the league meet, because he's battling for fairness for his kids.

But his efforts are focused on the wrong battle, Enterprise coach Jim Deaver said. Sheley should be lobbying the Chico Unified School District to get a pole vault program instituted there.

Deaver said it's simple why the pole vault should count in the league finals: A track meet is made up 16 events. Not 15.

He likened the situation to this: Enterprise takes its basketball team to Chico but has nobody who can shoot the 3-pointer. The Hornets can't just ask the Panthers to take the 3-point line off the floor.

Deaver said his program shouldn't be penalized because other schools haven't enabled their kids to compete in the full spectrum of track and field events. There was no pole vault when he showed up at Enterprise and had to battle the Shasta Union High School District board of trustees to get the event approved.

He pondered if other schools are even trying.

Who's right? Who's wrong? It's not easy to tell.

I empathize with the kids from all the other schools that don't get the opportunity to pole vault. It's difficult trying to win the EAL team title knowing you're entering in a hole. They're disadvantaged by insurance rules and district policies and that's never right in prep sports.

Yet, Redding-area high schools took care of business and shouldn't be penalized by having to shed an event simply because other coaches and schools haven't done what it takes to get pole vault approved.

That's not to say any of those coaches are lazy, because they're likely facing uphill battles.

The event is listed in the NSCIF rules and is accepted in the EAL guidelines, so Sheley's gripe will likely continue annually.

And Deaver's kids can keep on jumping, just like they did Wednesday.

Because Paradise's facility isn't equipped for the pole vault, Deaver hosted Shasta jumpers competing in the event at EHS, the only EAL school with a functional pole vault area. It provides the Hornets with a major advantage, but not, Deaver said, for the purpose of winning easy league titles.

"We're not doing this to win league titles. It's about the sport of track and field. You get 16 events and it's a great event," he said.

Deaver's right. The pole vault should stay. A better solution is undoubtedly out there, but until it's found, things are just going to have to be this way. It's on Sheley and the other schools to make the change happen because taking the pole vault away from three schools shouldn't be an option.

[Split]

That happened in our league too...only up til this year that the rest (except for one) of the schools began their own pole vault programs.