What is the "Vault Summit's" purpose?

[Beam]

I just had an argument with a friend and we heatedly discussed what Reno Vault Summit's purpose was. He suggested that Reno was going to be changed this year because not enough kids were attending the classes at Reno, and that a person would not be able to jump if they did not attend class. I'm 28 and feel that my purpose in attending the event isn't to learn. Most of the speakers are simply there to look good, pretend that they are elite coaches in the event, and in my opinion are simply there to serve the politics of coaching. I'm there to have fun, hang out with friends, and jump if I've paid my entry. I've learned much about the event and know that the coaches there running the events do a great job. They work hard, deserve respect, and every once in awhile, I'll ask for some coaching. I wanted to start this thread to get a perspective of what people like most about the Summit, why, and how it could change to serve the purpose of learning, but at the same time. . . allow some one like me to choose if I want to learn or not. Forced learning won't help anyone in my opinion.
There are so many things that happen at Reno that it's hard to say what the purpose of the event is. Some of us are like Fraley's redheaded step-children who loath the politics of who's who and how high do you jump mentality. The elite jumpers that are paid to attend the event have a different perspective of the Summit and therefore should be aware if they post on this thread, the difference between paying 60 dollars to attend the event vs. being paid to attend. My money spent on the event is important to me and when I was trying to jump as an "emerging elite" jumper, that 60 dollars meant food in my mouth or gas in my car. What's worse was that attending the classes while learing nothing was an insult, so I quit going. The main event is awesome, but my parents would have to sit outside in the casino while I watched because they didn't pay their 60 dollars and tickets were always sold out. But if they did pay their 60 dollars on top of mine, WOW what a deal! They didn't learn anything either. I think a thread of how to change Reno to make it the event it can be will be a worth while thread. I won't even go into the politics of having a booth to sell vault products right now either.
Goals for this thread. . . ideas of how to get me entered this year only paying for entry to competition, and entry to the elite competition. Classes should be maintained for those who feel that it's worth their money. Thanks, Beam

[VaultNinja]

Those are some strong words.....
-First of all, do you really believe that every single one of the coaches that speaks at the event is only there to look good, and "PRETEND THEY ARE ELITE COACHES"? Vatali Petrov, Greg Hull, Dave Nielson, Spencer Chang, Dick Railsback, Bob Frailey, Jan Johnson, ect. If these guys aren't elite coaches, then there is no such thing. I must agree with you in saying some of them possibly are there for apearance reasons, but not all of them.
- Are they realy going to start taking role at the thing. If you don't attend your classes you don't compete. That can't be true. Where did you hear that rumor?
- Last year anyone who attended the Elite vault event had to pay full price for the entire meet. But there were still tons of people who didn't get a chance to see the event and paid the full price. So even if your parents paid the full $60 why should they get the right to watch the elite vault over some highschool kid who came all the way from the east coast to see his heros compete live for the first time ever. That doesn't seem fair to me. If you get on stage......that is another story, and your parents will most likely get in.
- I think moving it to a larger venue is a good idea. Many people get turned down every year due to capacity.
- I think that the format of the event is being run properly(classes, drill sessions, and competitions). But feel that the Elite Event should be in a place with much more seating, and tickets to it should be available after all full paying competitors are guarenteed a seat, at a lower price........The problem is, where are you going to find a larger venue in a location that has all the things you need.?

[rainbowgirl28]

I love the Summit. It's the highlight of my year every year.

I have heard that Fraley has threatened to not let people compete if they do not attend the clinics. Given the large number of people attending, I doubt they could or would actually enforce that. The idea is probably to keep people out of trouble

Here's a suggestion: reduce the entry fee to $20 for all athletes who have jumped 13' (girls) and 17' (guys) in the past year. That could help out some future elite athletes.

[Beam]

Like I said, it was a heated argument. I also said, "most" coaches. I'm not one to say what elite is or isn't, but I've been around many of them to know who's legitimate. I also know that a person knowing nothing about the event can have a kid fall into his or her lap who jumps 5.60 or higher. Does that make the coach elite? I don't think so. But I ranted more to see what people think about the Summit being an educational experience vs. an entertainment experience. I think learning and safety are very important to the event and to the Summit. But there comes a time in a person's life when they don't need the classes, or the lectures to pole vault in a competition. The point I want to make is this. People should have the right to choose to attend class or not. A second point about it is that people should also get a quality experience if they are paying for it. The payment structure could be simple. Register "On-line", pay with a debit/credit card, 20 bucks for competition, 20 bucks for classes, and 20 bucks to see the event. When the venue sells out. . . "SOLD OUT." If my parents purchase their tickets before a kid that wants to see his heroes, then perhaps I'll sell him mine. But the problem is that people get special privilages depending on "who's who, how high do you jump mentality."
Bigger venue? It could be done. Move it from Reno to L.A. There are plenty of places here to have it. Cheaper flights in and out of LAX. There are also Long Beach, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs for venues. Many options for airports here. I'm sure other places in the US are also available.
Many of my good memories of pole vaulting come from Reno, and I just hate to think that there is even a possibility that they would turn it into a school of pole vaulting instead of what it was growing to be.

[rainbowgirl28]

But I ranted more to see what people think about the Summit being an educational experience vs. an entertainment experience. I think learning and safety are very important to the event and to the Summit. But there comes a time in a person's life when they don't need the classes, or the lectures to pole vault in a competition. The point I want to make is this. People should have the right to choose to attend class or not.

They probably don't want the high school or underage college kids running around the casino all day instead of attending the lectures. No one forces you go attend. I've been to 4 Summits, and I don't get as much out of the lectures as I used to. I try to attend them all, but I have so much other stuff going on, that it is not always possible. Fraley might threaten to keep people out of the meet if they don't attend, but the reality is that would be very difficult to actually enforce.

A second point about it is that people should also get a quality experience if they are paying for it. The payment structure could be simple. Register "On-line", pay with a debit/credit card, 20 bucks for competition, 20 bucks for classes, and 20 bucks to see the event. When the venue sells out. . . "SOLD OUT."

I think it would be too difficult to enforce who paid for classes and who didn't. It's relatively easy to enforce for the elite competition since everyone is in one place at the same time. It would be a lot harder to find enough volunteers to spend the whole day at like 6 different conference rooms or whatever to make sure the right people got in.

Bigger venue? It could be done. Move it from Reno to L.A. There are plenty of places here to have it. Cheaper flights in and out of LAX. There are also Long Beach, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs for venues.

I think the proximity to Carson City is the biggest reason for having it in Reno. How many pits did they have at the summit last year? 15? 20? If you increase the distance a couple hundred miles, you are making it a LOT more expensive to put on the event.

I wish it was somewhere else also. Maybe somewhere closer to the middle of the country, or at least at a bigger airport so that it would be cheaper for us all to attend. But I know what a pain in the butt it is to host an event that size, and I would not want to make things more difficult than they need to be.

The truth is if the event keeps growing at the rate it has been, we may outgrow every facility in Reno. Should be interesting to see what happens then!


Hmm of course now that I think of it, is UCS still making pits in Carson City? I thought I remembered reading something awhile ago about a lot of UCS's operations moving to the east coast. North Carolina or something.

[CowtownPV]

The summit was started as a pole vault clinic and thats what Coach Fraley wants it to be. No matter how high you have vaulted or how long you have coached you can always learn something new. Some lectures I disagree with the speakers, some I learn alot from and some I skip If I feel like playing blackjack. As a coach I like to watch the other coaches coach the kids more than I like to listen to lectures. Coach Fraley, Lane and Steve work thier tails off for this event and I think they do a wonderful job. People who want to move it should just start thier own summit. I'm sure Bob is open to positive suggestions but to sit around and bash one of the best things going in USATF is another thing.

[Azbeachboy1]

U mess with the Summit, U mess with PVPower...

[Beam]

I think that more summits maybe even sponsored by other companies like ESSX, or GILL would be worth while developing. I know that Lane, Steve, and Fraley work their butts off. But I'd say the Fresno State Pole Vaulters, Mt. Sac pole vaulters, and people doing the grunt work, work a hell of a lot harder. I've got so much respect of the people that put the runways together, put up and tear down the pits, and what not, but making changes to make the Summit better come from pointing out its bad parts rather than patting the backs of those that put it on. I've been to all but one or two summits and began attending when I was a little skinny pole vaulter (when have I not been little and skinny?), so I have some attachment to it. I want it to get better, not worse . . . that's why I try to point out bad things. I know that having a half full glass will make people feel better, but pointing out that it's half full will hopefuly get good ideas about how to change the summit, or create a better one.

[rainbowgirl28]

I know that Lane, Steve, and Fraley work their butts off. But I'd say the Fresno State Pole Vaulters, Mt. Sac pole vaulters, and people doing the grunt work, work a hell of a lot harder.

Not to demean the hard work that goes into setting up everything, but I don't think you have any idea about the amount of planning that goes into the event. They work their asses off all year for it, and I bet they don't sleep much during it.

The college kids perform a valuable service, miss some sleep, get sweaty and all that good stuff, but it's all over for them in a few days. The behind the scenes work that goes into hosting the summit goes on all year.

[Beam]

but I don't think you have any idea about the amount of planning that goes into the event. They work their asses off all year for it, and I bet they don't sleep much during it.

.

People run events all the time. The Olympics just happened. The U.S. trials happened. Golden Spike meets go on every year. The Summit is simply another event that goes on. Perhaps you don't understand why or where my frustration comes from. I've been to many different types of camps, events, meets, clinics, and sporting events; the ASR show, surf contests, skate contests, national championships, and conference meets. Why is the summit much harder than these to run? There have been problems at the Summit that occur, not due to anyone in particular, but just because that comes with the work. "That's the nature of events"-events manager for USATF.
When I make a critical comment about the summit, please don't take that as a personality attack of the directors. The Summit CAN be much better than what it has become. It's become a larger event than the people running it can handle. That's not an attack on them, but a point that can be backed up by "not enough seats to accomodate," "Masters jumpers jumping close to midnight" "Emerging elite jumpers competeing at 1030pm and finishing at midnight" and "people paying for the main event, just to watch it on a big screen TV in a hotel room." I'm sure this years summit will have similar conditions and it's sad to see.

[CowtownPV]

The summitt has outgrown the facility but the people in charge know that and there is talk of adding another room with more runways or adding a day. The main event problem is the one that is hard to address. The ballroom has limited seating but having the event in the ballroom makes it so much better than the old days at the livestock center. I think they would love for another summit to start up to take away some of the crowd. I personally think Reno is part of the fun, I wouldn't be as interested if it were in LA. The Hilton with all its restaraunts, casino, and other things to do make it great to never have to leave the building.

[jmayesvaultmom]

How about a Midwest Summit...maybe somewhere around the KC or Dallas area???