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Hi everyone. So i got quite a bit of a story to tell so i geuess i should start from the begining. My last meet as a junior i pr at 14ft and was really on top of my jumps. I took the summer off because i was so brunt out from that season. Then when i got back to training i went to my club and started training with a new coach because the old coach sadly passed away. I don't want to bash this coach but really i was not working with him. It got to the point where i think in the month of last december i took off like 3 times. yeah right. Another problem was i was like 4 feet under. I know hard to believe. I should have stepped at 10'6" but i was stepping at 7'. On good days i got to 8. So i went from jumping 14 to jumping 12ft. I really was hating pole vault to the point where i hated going to practice. It really was so depressing. So fast forward to end of spring. I ended up jumping 14ft but i was still 4' under and just was not jumping well. Thank God i was fortunate to meet another coach at my state meet and decided he was the right guy to train with. Thank God i have been stepping in the right place now and jumping a lot better than before. I would still appreciate any advice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWXasDv ... e=youtu.be
that jump was from 5 lefts
13 8 bungee
13 7 pole
12 4 grip
9 6 step
So here is rest of the story. I don't have a college team to jump for. I was told that i had to jump 15 9 to walk on the college i am currently attending but i don't care. I am not gonna let that stop me from doing the sport i love. I really don't care that I'm not gonna be on a college team. I am so fortunate enough and I thank God that i have such a great support system around me. I have a goal that i want to hit and i am trying every day to do whatever i can to reach it. I just wanted to share my story i guess and ask for advice. Any advice for a kid competing unattached? Thanks!

What state are you in?

Most college meets allow unattached athletes to compete (some don't though so just make sure). It might cost $15 for an entry and you'll have to drive to them obviously but it can be done easily.

With that jump I'm guessing you can be a 15'+ vaulter quite soon, especially if that's your 5-step. Keep working with your coach and continue to better yourself technically.

Thank you, I'm in New Jersey. I don't plan on really going out of state to compete however i was thinking about competing in the armory in new york city depending on the time conditions and weather i have the cash to do it.

If you want to vault more than just once I would look at nearby universities/colleges and see where they go for meets. Looking at La Salle's schedule from last year they have several meets in NJ, PA, NY, and MD. You might have to drive an hour but it'd be worth it.

Look up La Salle, Temple, and St. Johns and look at the meets they go to. That will give you a good idea of the college meets in the area. You can look up meets on USATF as well, although pole vault isn't supported sometimes.

You have great plant position which is product of your good runway. You must have had a very good first coach!

However, even though you are a tall guy and have great position, your hips still get sucked in which inhibits your swing. This tells me that you are jumping more horizontally than vertically. Try to aim your jump towards the bar (if you want to get over the bar, logically you wouldn't try to jump under it). In essence, as the bar get higher, it demands you to convert your horizontal momentum (from the run) into vertical energy (from the jump). This will help you "stay on top of the pole", have more control over your body, and whip that long fast trial leg through, and eventually rotate a higher handgrip!

Keep up the good work! It is very admirable that although you are not jumping at the collegiate level, you still work towards what you love!

Burnham:

Kirk