NFHS makes a good decision

[polevaultpower]

This is a first...

http://www.wiaa.com/Athletics/Track/NFH ... e7_5_3.pdf

[guru]

That might be a tad harsh.

[bad hammy]

OK, maybe the second, but I cannot remember the first . . .

:twisted:

[Marlow]

I understand that the NFHS is just trying to be safe, but their rule that a vaulter's weight must not exceed the pole rating leads to some absurd and even unsafe practices. Beginning to intermediate HS girls have an enormously difficult time bending a pole rated at their weight, especially the older poles, even the MsSticks. So coaches have to put them on poles way too stiff for anything except straight vaulting. I start all my girls (most of whom are least 100 pounds) on a 10/70 pole, put them in the long jump pit, dig a 12" deep 'box', and they quickly pick up the rudiments. Then in early meets they're on 11/100 poles (breaking the rule), so by the time the big meets come, where they will be weighed, they're on a 'legal' pole. Girls on other teams are on poles they can't possibly bend, and that's when they get in trouble. Virtually all the PV coaches I know DO have a clue and wouldn't put their kids on poles they'd overbend. In college there is NO rule that specifies what poles they can be on.

[Bruce Kritzler]

It is not realistic to expect high schools to buy a series of poles to fit the weight of each jumper. No way beginners can bend a pole above their body weight.

[polevaultpower]

Beginners don't need to be bending the pole, the fundamentals of the vault are best learned on a straight pole.

Beginners can bend a pole over their weight, it just needs to be short enough. The intent of the rule was to lower handholds. Not sure how well it succeeded.

[Marlow]

Beginners don't need to be bending the pole, the fundamentals of the vault are best learned on a straight pole.
Beginners can bend a pole over their weight, it just needs to be short enough. The intent of the rule was to lower handholds. Not sure how well it succeeded.

Becca, I'm talking about girls who are ready to bend the pole. After 3 weeks of learning to swing, most are. You also know that short poles (10' - which is all most can handle at the beginning) are VERY hard to bend unless you lock out your bottom arm, which then stops the swing. To do it correctly you need a VERY wimpy pole at first, nothing near 100 or 120 pounds, which many girls are.