Lots of problems at NJSIAA/Star-Ledger Relays (NJ)
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:23 pm
Problems plague pole vault at relays
Monday, January 14, 2008
By JIM LAMBERT
For the Star-Ledger
The pole vault caused headaches for competitors, coaches and the meet director as the event was marred by controversy during the NJSIAA/Star-Ledger group relays at the Jersey City Armory this past weekend.
As the girls' Group 2 pole vault unfolded yesterday, several vaulters and their coaches felt that the heights they were told they were attempting were not accurate.
"On my opening height, I went over it by way more than I usually do," Montville junior Chrissy Finkel, the state's No. 1 vaulter, said. "I kind of sensed something was wrong, especially after I made 12-6."
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When the competition concluded, NJSIAA Track and Field Tournament Director Don Danser investigated and discovered that the official in charge of measuring the height of the bar, Victor Hurley, had not measured correctly.
According to Danser, Hurley measured the entire girls' Group 2 competition from the bottom of the plant box, where the pole strikes on impact, instead of at the top of the box, which is a difference of eight inches.
After a long discussion, it was determined that all the pole vault marks from the girls' Group 2 meet had to be adjusted by eight inches, so Finkel, who was originally credited with a 12-6, was given an 11-10, still breaking her own Morris County record of 11-9 3/4.
Danser then removed Hurley from duty as the measurement official prior to the start of the boys' Group 2 pole vault, which was highlighted by a 15-0 clearance by Dan Batdorf of West Deptford, No. 12 in state history.
"It's kind of bittersweet," Finkel, a junior, said. "I wish the height was right, but I knew that it wasn't. It's a shame, but what can you do? It's over with now."
"There's no excuse for an official making that mistake," Danser said. "It is so unfair to the kids, but it's something that won't happen again because he won't work another state meet."
Danser added that many of the pole vault results from Friday's Non-Public and Saturday's Groups 1 and 4 meets were most likely wrong, as well, as the same official did some of the measurements.
"Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about the marks from those other meets," Danser said. "He (Hurley) wasn't measuring all the time at the other meets, so there is no way to pinpoint which marks were measured incorrectly."
On Saturday, one of the crossbars broke during the girls' Group 1 meet. Later that night, a second crossbar snapped during the boys' Group 4 event, forcing Danser to suspend the event, as there were no other crossbars at the armory or anywhere nearby.
With the event suspended an overall champion could not be crowned. Trenton was leading Group 4 with 32 points, eight more than Hillsborough, which has a very strong pole vault tandem. Danser said he wants to find a way to finish the event, if possible, before the end of the indoor season.
"By the end of this week I will know what we are going to do," he said. "I have to check on the availability of sites."
Monday, January 14, 2008
By JIM LAMBERT
For the Star-Ledger
The pole vault caused headaches for competitors, coaches and the meet director as the event was marred by controversy during the NJSIAA/Star-Ledger group relays at the Jersey City Armory this past weekend.
As the girls' Group 2 pole vault unfolded yesterday, several vaulters and their coaches felt that the heights they were told they were attempting were not accurate.
"On my opening height, I went over it by way more than I usually do," Montville junior Chrissy Finkel, the state's No. 1 vaulter, said. "I kind of sensed something was wrong, especially after I made 12-6."
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When the competition concluded, NJSIAA Track and Field Tournament Director Don Danser investigated and discovered that the official in charge of measuring the height of the bar, Victor Hurley, had not measured correctly.
According to Danser, Hurley measured the entire girls' Group 2 competition from the bottom of the plant box, where the pole strikes on impact, instead of at the top of the box, which is a difference of eight inches.
After a long discussion, it was determined that all the pole vault marks from the girls' Group 2 meet had to be adjusted by eight inches, so Finkel, who was originally credited with a 12-6, was given an 11-10, still breaking her own Morris County record of 11-9 3/4.
Danser then removed Hurley from duty as the measurement official prior to the start of the boys' Group 2 pole vault, which was highlighted by a 15-0 clearance by Dan Batdorf of West Deptford, No. 12 in state history.
"It's kind of bittersweet," Finkel, a junior, said. "I wish the height was right, but I knew that it wasn't. It's a shame, but what can you do? It's over with now."
"There's no excuse for an official making that mistake," Danser said. "It is so unfair to the kids, but it's something that won't happen again because he won't work another state meet."
Danser added that many of the pole vault results from Friday's Non-Public and Saturday's Groups 1 and 4 meets were most likely wrong, as well, as the same official did some of the measurements.
"Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about the marks from those other meets," Danser said. "He (Hurley) wasn't measuring all the time at the other meets, so there is no way to pinpoint which marks were measured incorrectly."
On Saturday, one of the crossbars broke during the girls' Group 1 meet. Later that night, a second crossbar snapped during the boys' Group 4 event, forcing Danser to suspend the event, as there were no other crossbars at the armory or anywhere nearby.
With the event suspended an overall champion could not be crowned. Trenton was leading Group 4 with 32 points, eight more than Hillsborough, which has a very strong pole vault tandem. Danser said he wants to find a way to finish the event, if possible, before the end of the indoor season.
"By the end of this week I will know what we are going to do," he said. "I have to check on the availability of sites."
