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Here is question for the officials out there. At our league meet two cross bars were broke during the meet. Not having a third bar one of the broken ones was splinted together to continue the meet. This was a qualifying meet. The broken cross bar repair definatly did not behave like a regular bar and hung lower than a regular bar. Should the marks count?

At the very least, if it was hanging lower, they should have measured it so that it was still at the correct height at the middle of the bar.

Becca right, should have measured then adjusted the standards.

I carry a cross bar in my pole bag. Doesn't make my head coach happy but a sectional or regional meet can't have enough bars.

I figured that at the least. But I was also told that athletes can bank there run throughs and take them at three height intervals. like a kid is coming in at 12'6" he took a run through at 11' then 2 at 12'6".

You might want to carry a rules book and case book with you. I know that mine has no cover left by the end of the season from me pulling it out at meets. I still can't understand the lack of knowledge of the rules of our event by coaches and officials even at sectional meets.

I used to..The frustrating thing the two coaches that disagreed with me teach or have taught the WA state pole vault certification.

Oh man, that's not good. I would contact your State's ruling body and let them know what happened. In Illinois, we have a rules meeting at the beginning of the year to address rules changes and any issues that happen at meets the year before. Good luck.

I did some research on the subject and found a few things.

NFHS Rules http://www.npvca.com/matriarch/MultiPiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_17_A_PageName_E_CurriculumRules

ART. 15… A competitor who has passed three consecutive heights after competition has begun may be permitted one warm-up jump without the crossbar in place, but shall enter the competition at that height. Such warm-up must be taken at a height change.

Found this on the WIAA State Finals Page. http://www.wiaa.com/tourn/bfs/trreg.pdf

The NFHS rule about passing shall apply. If competitors have passed all three consecutive heights, they may have
one warm-up jump without the cross bar in place.

It is my understanding that if you pass any three consecutive heights, regardless of whether you have already jumped, you may have 1 run through. The NFHS rules could be interpreted such that you may only take a run through if you "enter the competition at that height" but it doesn't make it abundantly clear about re-entering after passing heights. The WIAA rule, while citing NFHS, makes it seem like you can pass and take a warm-up at any point.

As for the young man who "banked" warm-ups, he did take a warm up and jumped at 11' before passing to 12'6. The coaches involved were using the "loose" interpretation, and since he had passed 3 consecutive heights (the progression went by 3" starting before 12' I belive) he was within the rules to my knowledge. If he did in fact take 2 warm ups at 12'6" that would be a rule violation. I was not aware that he had taken 2 runs though.

I've been using the "pass 3 heights and take a warm-up" rule interpretation since my middle school days, and now I'm wondering if it's legal. Can anybody clarify the rule for us?

For HS I've always interpreted this rule:

ART. 15… A competitor who has passed three consecutive heights after competition has begun may be permitted one warm-up jump without the crossbar in place, but shall enter the competition at that height. Such warm-up must be taken at a height change.

To get a warm up if you pass three "bars". Of course that is usually when someone is entering the competition. I've never had it occur, but if someone passed three "bars" got his /her warm up, made a "bar" in competition, passed three more "bars" and then wanted another run through, I'd give it to them.

Just my .02

Dan

One of my vaulters wanted to do this at our league finals meet. He opened at the CIF qualifying height of 12' 9" from 5 lefts. Then he passed to 14'6" (4 heights) and after one of the other coaches protested he was not given a run thru for his 8 left run.

drcurran wrote:For HS I've always interpreted this rule:

ART. 15… A competitor who has passed three consecutive heights after competition has begun may be permitted one warm-up jump without the crossbar in place, but shall enter the competition at that height. Such warm-up must be taken at a height change.

To get a warm up if you pass three "bars". Of course that is usually when someone is entering the competition. I've never had it occur, but if someone passed three "bars" got his /her warm up, made a "bar" in competition, passed three more "bars" and then wanted another run through, I'd give it to them.

Just my .02

Dan

I have always felt that the rule should be clarified regarding vaulters who enter the competition and then pass 3 heights.

Another rule that is not clarified is whether or not vaulters who face an administrative jump-off get a run through. I officiated a League Meet last week and for both boys and girls we had to have a jump-off between first and second alternates. That's an administrative jump-off which happens after the rest of the competition has been completed.

The field referee ruled that those kids could have a few run throughs (which was totally OK with me), but it's not something I have seen addressed.

I wasn't aware he jumped 11' when I asked what the rule was on that no one said he jumped at and made 11' then passed 3 more heights. I have never seen the rule interpited this way I have seen it not allowed however... anyways although it does look like some one could argue that. But that also means from that type of interpitation you could take a failed attempt at that height and pass three more and get a run through to try to get on again before jumping at a bar. which I think most judges would not allow.