Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
NFHS makes a good decision
Collapse
Unconfigured Ad Widget
Collapse
X
-
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.
Comment
-
Originally posted by polevaultpowerBeginners 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.
Comment
Comment