USA track and Feild Article

[USMC Vaulter]

..but ever since the collapse of the former Soviet Union the countrys that formerly made up the USSR now have a lot less money to put into sport.
Which I think is also a factor that could have led to the "decline" in eastern Europeans preformances.

Ummm - wasnt Bubka vaulting for Ukraine NOT the USSR when he set his world records? Ukraine isnt exactly known for being the wealthiest of nations.

[mowad1]

Only the last five years of Bubka's record breakers can count for the Ukraine. Plus he was probably able to get more equipment after 88' and he still had his coach.

[CHC04Vault]

I think there is something a lot of people are missing in this arguement.

A lot of people point to elite mens results as if to justify what they feel is the right way to vault, but ever since the collapse of the former Soviet Union the countrys that formerly made up the USSR now have a lot less money to put into sport.
Which I think is also a factor that could have led to the "decline" in eastern Europeans preformances.

i totally fail to see what you are saying. unless u r saying money makes ppl better or worse, in which i would have to say u are sadly mistaken in my opinion. if u look at the influx of hispanic baseball players in the MLB they come from some of the poorest areas in south america. there is also a influx of great eastern european and south american basketball players in the NBA and NCAA. secondly, seeing T&F is horribly disrespected in the US the money put into it is probably less per capita then eastern block coutries seeing track and gymnastics are their speciality. and lets compare eastern block countries in gymnastics, the ukraine, romania and other eastern block coutries are the leaders in that sport. its not cheap to run a gymnastics program. so saying the fall of the USSR is responsible for the decline of vaulting to me is a farce and based upon the american logic more money always equals better.

[rainbowgirl28]

i totally fail to see what you are saying. unless u r saying money makes ppl better or worse, in which i would have to say u are sadly mistaken in my opinion.

Unfortunately, it can make a pretty big difference in pole vaulting. More money = better pits, more poles, more ability to travel to camps, competitions, farther away club practice, spikes... etc etc etc.

[CHC04Vault]

you could make the same argument with gymnastics, in which they need alot more than we do, but eastern block countries are freakin demi-gods in, but i stated that earlier. were not exactly the most rich pole vaulting countries either. some states have awsome oppurunities, but alot dont.

[USMC Vaulter]

Unfortunately, it can make a pretty big difference in pole vaulting. More money = better pits, more poles, more ability to travel to camps, competitions, farther away club practice, spikes... etc etc etc.

I'm gonna have to agree with CHC04Vault on this one. I PERSONALLY in my yard have a runway and 2 pits (one is international size) - and about 10 of my own poles. I'm a 22 yr old in the Military - we get dont get paid crap but I've still been able to make it work. Anyone who wants it bad enough, can find a way to make it work.

The real issue is coaches, and phenominal/dedicated athletes choosing the sport and sticking with it (and not getting injured...)

[swtvault]

The whole problem I see with some coaches around here is that they watch a few videos, attend a couple clinics, make their own observations and claim to understand the vault. However, I am sure that problem exists everywhere. I don't care what level of understanding you are at, there will ALWAYS be something that makes you go oh yeah! I never noticed that before! The further along you get the more it happens. In my opinion anyone who claims to have it all figured out is kidding themselves and us. I am constantly looking back and thinking to myself, "how did I not see that?" Basically the point all boils down to something Mike Tully told me, "Everyone is an expert, and everyone wants to invent a better wheel." I think Mike is right. You can't make a better wheel.......its round. As agapit has been saying, the methods are there.....they have been there for quite some time but for one reason or another folks have chosen to ignore them and take the sport backwards instead of forward.

[MadeinTaiwan]

I didn't say that money was the only factor, I just said it was something that might be effecting preformances, just look at the number of pole vaulters who have gone to Australia where they have a great system for producing great athletes in all sports evan though they have a population only just above 20 million.

MIT

[master]

They have done amazing things in Australia. I was even more impressed after reading the following from the Beginner to Bubka web pages.
http://users.bigpond.net.au/altius-sporting-art/beginnertobubka/articles/d_under.htm

[lonestar]

The whole problem I see with some coaches around here is that they watch a few videos, attend a couple clinics, make their own observations and claim to understand the vault. However, I am sure that problem exists everywhere. I don't care what level of understanding you are at, there will ALWAYS be something that makes you go oh yeah! I never noticed that before! The further along you get the more it happens. In my opinion anyone who claims to have it all figured out is kidding themselves and us. I am constantly looking back and thinking to myself, "how did I not see that?" Basically the point all boils down to something Mike Tully told me, "Everyone is an expert, and everyone wants to invent a better wheel." I think Mike is right. You can't make a better wheel.......its round. As agapit has been saying, the methods are there.....they have been there for quite some time but for one reason or another folks have chosen to ignore them and take the sport backwards instead of forward.

Right on Geoff

[Carolina Extreme]

... I don't care what level of understanding you are at, there will ALWAYS be something that makes you go oh yeah! I never noticed that before! The further along you get the more it happens. In my opinion anyone who claims to have it all figured out is kidding themselves and us. I am constantly looking back and thinking to myself, "how did I not see that?" Basically the point all boils down to something Mike Tully told me, "Everyone is an expert, and everyone wants to invent a better wheel." I think Mike is right. You can't make a better wheel.......its round. As agapit has been saying, the methods are there.....they have been there for quite some time but for one reason or another folks have chosen to ignore them and take the sport backwards instead of forward.

DITTO!! I call it the "AH HAA EFFECT". I happens not just to coaches, but vaulters as well. You know you've had a break through when you get the "AH HAA!" It can be in words or in the look on there face.

Never stop learning. When you think you know it all you quit growing,... you've peaked,... your done... stick a fork in you it's over. You'll be surpassed by others and you'll be left wondering why, or how'd they do that.

[rainbowgirl28]

Never stop learning.

I think that's one of the best qualities a coach can have.

I really appreciate that my coach (Lane Lohr) is really trying to learn how to coach me now that I am pushing the pole down the runway. He's never seen anyone do it before, but he wants to be able to recruit kids who do it in the future and be able to coach them.