VAULTING IN RAIN

[LancerVaulter07]

well this week it was supposed to rain every day, and
still is, and state sectionals are friday...it hasn't rained
yet for practice either Monday or Tuesday, and it will
probably hold out just till Friday because that's just the
way it seems to have been all season...maybe it will
even out...last time i got a new pr in the rain...

[souleman]

I know exactly what you are saying Becca. And I did throw that out for some discussion. I understand that a "rain date" in track and field for one event is logistically not practical. But with all the focus on safety now-a-days it's a pretty obvious safety issue if you can't hold on to he pole. How slippery is slippery? How many injuries in the pole vault are caused by falling off the pole? My point is somehow someway vaulters shouldn't have to vault in the rain, period. Just my point of view. Don't worry, I doubt if it's going to ever come to a "no jump in the rain" rule. It just seems with all the other safety rules in our sport that have been put into place since the dark ages when I was in high school, I am surprised that this one hasn't come up and been acted on. Later...............Mike

[ECVaulter]

I like vaulting after it rains and landing in the pit and having all the water splash up around you.

[Caseman33]

i love vaulting in the rain. My word of advice, besides the ones about being safe, because thats the most important thing, is be mentally tough. I've been to meets where people have near the same pr, but the one who stays mentally tough enough and maintains a positive attitude comes out the victor.

[meg15078]

Where not aloud to vault in the rain. But if you do be care full b/c everything gets slippery

[BigStick Club]

Yes...use your common sense people. If you have any apprehensions about your jumps, don't do it! For the kids that train in the rain and don't mind vaulting in it, go ahead.

Be safe...like someone already mentioned, if we have even a couple bad accidents from vaulters jumping in terrible conditions, it would probably be banned from high school level.

As for the wind, here in Wyoming all the vault coaches and meet directors are very open to the idea of moving the pits so we have a tailwind. If it is a cross wind, then we're kind of out of luck.

Can't really do anything but echo all the advice given already...keep your poles dry (i.e. inside a tent or under some hoodies), make sure it doesn't hit the runway, etc etc...

[science geek]

not vaulting because it's raining is absurd. Maybe if you are a college coach and can move practice inside that is an easy option. But when it rains a lot (in western washington) vaulting in the rain is just something that happens. Call the list of methods for increasing your ability to improve your grip what you want, but there is no reason you can't jump close to your pr in the rain. You have to be mentally prepared for that opportunity and obviously you have to be safe, but jumping in the rain is something that happens. I am curious about how many people decide not to vault in the rain. For the coach that said don't do it, what do you do when it is raining at a meet that you travelled to? You spend the money to fly wherever you are going, which costs more to ship the poles, does the head coach say it is ok to not vault just because it is raining?