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Anybody got any comments about a certain article, with a certain newly discovered coach kind of trash talkin about American Vaulting. This could get touchy, but lets here it anyway.

Dont be shy Rickkane - tell us more this article! where it was posted, who wrote it , what was said and why you feel so strongly about it.



Thought for today "Wisdom can come from any place, from any time and in any language."

Are you talking about Track and Field News? Or was there something in the *** USATF magazine (censored myself there).

Becca

I believe my friend rickkane's talking about the Suhr interview.

???? Wait suhr was trash talking???

Can someone post the link to the article?

I just read the article today. Suhr suggests emulating the technique of Feofanova and Isinbayeva rather that relying on athleticism. He didn't seem to be picking a fight with anyone. It's just that writers often try to stir up controversy (from my experience).

USMC Vaulter wrote:Can someone post the link to the article?

It's not online. If he is talking about the article I think he is, it is in the April 2005 issue of Track & Field News (a great magazine btw) http://www.trackandfieldnews.com

...Rather than relying on athleticism? Thats all that is being relied upon up there in NY. All of the girls (haven't heard of any guys) that he coaches are just really really good athletes to begin with. He just hands them a pole and they are naturally going to jump high.
It sounds to me like he is just trying to tag his name to the a certain style of vaulting.

A coach...take credit of his athletes while they do nothing and benifit from it...that never happens.

I think that he has the right to give his opinion. While the jumps may not look "Eastern European" he is still doing an excellent job.

It also takes more than just a great athlete to vault high. I think that the most profound thing is that girls, women, females can and should be vaulting higher at the high school and college level. You just have to find the right ones.

Speed, athleticism and strength are great to have, but a good coach knows how to get a 13'6" National Record to 14'2"

my experience over the years has been, europians commonly had fewer poles to select from, therefore they had to learn to "pole vault" not just ...run fast... hold high.. and use a big stick..

that said.. the late george moore convienced use "old schoolers"back in the day, europians included (houvion, perrin, pertrov) that a great vaulter is "born with a pole plant"... and to plant the pole the vaulter has to get to the "free" take-off postion.. in good position. ie run and pole carry.

i love ferfanova's run/plant technique... on the one jump 15'1" (that i use for teaching) she is great off the ground but doesn't swing well, and i feel the swing was because the pole was a little too stiff..

she was capable of planting well because she ran well...

'europians' as a whole have carried better posture down the runway..

if you look at a few recent american vaulters, male/female, american record holders and olympic medalist.... the big differnce has been run and plant. the swings were outstanding even when pole speed was at question..

i briefly read the t and f article and saw a clip of coach suhr's jumper.. she has some "ferfanova" qualities but didn't swing off the top, much like ferfanova.. again i feel that can be attributed to the pole stiffness or design..

i don't know coach suhr and don't know that he would be "taking a shot" at all american vaulters..

he, or the writer, didn't give any credit to the american male vaulters that have been successful... but we don't know if that was his intent..

i think that is where the "fuss' is...

what we as coaches need to take from any comments on our "failures" is to ask...what do we do to change things...

define "crazy person" one who keeps doing the things they are doing but "demanding" a different result!

define "sane person" one who puts ego aside and changes what needs to be changed and leaves the good stuff as it is...

dj