Altius at Saugatuck in late July

[altius]

The check is in the mail!

[altius]

Had a great clinic at Concordia College in Minneapolis.
The following coaches that helped me put on the clinic:
Phill Erickson
Chris Milton
John Pollack

And
Rod Fuchs
Ian Holen
Michael Labine
Kenneth Montanye
Tim Abel
Brian Sworsky
Matt Fleigle
Came along to observe what we we were doing,

Clearly Minnesota is in great shape with pole vault coaching because only a small number of they coaches felt the need to learn any more that they already know. One coach in Minneapolis clearly already knows enough about what I preach on modern approaches to teaching and coaching this event that he is able to tell other coaches with certainty that I don't know what I am talking about. Strange that but I suppose not uncommon from folk who feel so insecure that they don't want to find out how little they know. By the way what are the Minnesota age group records? How do they compare with "One track" Adelaide??

[altius]

Another great clinic at Saugatuck - a beautiful spot. Great kids who worked really hard for three days and the following coaches attended -
Doug Clark - Sturgis High School -amazing to meet a guy who had read my first ever paper on the vault "The Russian revolution in the pole vault" that was published in 1989
Shelly Kindig - Centerville High School - great to see a passionate committed female coach with athletes who love her.
Walt Kooyer - Zeeland West High School - saved my bacon by helping me get my cheque from Concordia cashed.
Phil Eichbauer- Coleman High School - an old friend from Slippery Rock days

Put together by George Sipes, another of those passionate individuals who is giving his life to helping young people enjoy sports - in fact the sort of person BTB is dedicated to. Thanks George for the opportunity to meet these good folk and work with them.

Michigan must be just like Minnesota, with hundreds of great knowledgeable vault coaches who really do not need to learn anymore than they already know. Clearly John Wooden's words dont apply to them. Love to see the State age group records compared with those of little 'old one track' Adelaide -they must demolish us!

[grandevaulter]

A group of great athletes and very wise coaches attended Altius's clinic in Saugatuck last week. Three days and one evening, we were precisely instructed the very drills that Petrov uses. Altius was quick, witty and efficient. His eye is keen.

My written words cannot express the level of intelligence, knowledge and his ability to communicate that to his students. It's all in his books and DVD's, but if you have the chance to see and hear him in person, I highly suggest that you do. To those who attended, I suggest you treasure the experience. It was a gift from a man that has dedicated his life to his profession and has taken the time to present the most effective technical model in the pole vault. He has presented us with the blueprint and the most efficient way to teach it to any level.

To our friends abroad; if you have a chance to see him, do yourself and your athletes a favor.

I great thanks to Altius for conducting a great clinic at Saugatuck last week.

[altius]

Sorry George -I have run out of checks!

[KirkB]

Sorry George -I have run out of checks!

There's his dry sense of humour again!

Sadly, this appears to be one of Alan's last posts and last threads. But it's a pretty good one to depart on. (RIP )

He started this thread 2 months ago, to promote his trip to Michigan, where he conducted a pole-vault clinic with George Sipes (Grandvaulter) in July. I think he also gave clinics in Oregon and Montana this summer.

As luck would have it, this thread starts with him giving us a bit of a bio on his credentials - not that he needed any self-promotion. He did not start this thread for any selfish reasons, as he may not have even broken even with his travel costs on this - his last - trip to North America. He simply wanted to generously share his time and thoughts to the largest possible audience at his clinics.

He travelled from Australia to North America not to make money, but because of his dedication and love of the great sport of pole-vaulting!

You can also detect some cynicism in his posts on this thread, hinting at his disappointment that more coaches and vaulters didn't turn up for his clinic(s). There is some truth to this. Though you occasionally had to look past his sometimes gruffy tone, he really, really knew his stuff, and his heart has ALWAYS been in the right place!

I hope those that were lucky enough to have attended his clinics (this year or in any past years) will "carry the torch of our fallen soldier", so that his legacy lives on!

Kirk

[charlie]

One of the GREATEST pole vault minds EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!