Who needs a pole vault coach?

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby pvduck » Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:16 pm

As a mother in the south suburban area, I realize the challenges that young coaches and teachers face. However, I would encourage you to always remain motivated and professional. What you write here gets read by people on the other side of the world and by those right here in your neighborhood. I respect that you are in a tough situation, but I hope that you will always consider how your messages on this forum will be interpreted by readers.

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby EIUvltr » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:23 pm

I understand this, and some of the things I said are easy to be taken out of context. However when I went into coaching I had no intention of cutting anyone or yelling at anyone. After I realized how many bad eggs there were ruining it for the people who cared, I had to start taking a more authoritative stance on coaching. Many of the kids who came out really could care less about putting forth the effort needed to get better. They viewed it as a social thing. And when I'm trying to help the kids who really want to get better but have to dedicate 90% of my attention to keeping the bad eggs in line, it gets rather irritating. And once the color of my skin came into play a few times I decided I would rather coach elsewhere. If I have a bunch of kids who just want to get better and are motivated, then I could care less about how athletic they are, and I would never need to yell at anyone. I never yell to motivate, I yell to reprimand, and ideally I would never have to do that.
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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby indestructo » Thu Apr 01, 2010 10:06 am

Altius' delivery can be harsh but he is on to something. I pulled one statement that I think is representative of your coaching attitude.

If that means going from 7' to 7'6" fine. If it means 15' to 16' fantastic.


How about "If that means going from 7' to 7'6" fantastic! If that means 15' to 16' fantastic!" You may get a jumper who is a vault fanatic. He's everything you're looking for in an athlete and does well. Improving from 15' to 16' is a great accomplishment, but chances are, it may not be life altering. You may have another kid who is not a good kid, not a good athlete, but goes out and accomplishes a 6" improvement. That can be a life changer if the coach has the right attitude. If 7' to 7'6" is just "fine" then you won't be in the right place (mentally) at the right time to effect that kids life forever. Having a "fine" attitude does show through and those kids will see it.

We are coaches, and we may only get one chance to take a kid from the cellar of life and help him turn the corner. If you haven't got your mind focused on making that change, then you're coaching isn't it for you. Yeah winning is great, and we all should strive for that, but winning in life is the ultimate focus. Learn about your kids, become their mentor, and they'll follow you to the gates of hell to earn your respect.

I had a kid a few years ago who had some challenges in his family life, I knew about them and tried all I could to help. His mother passed away midway through his senior season. He wasn't the best athlete, he had terrible form, and would probably be labeled as "not a vaulter type" by most coaches. This kid jumped four years for me. He was varsity off and on, and only finished with an 11'6" PR. When he hit 11'6" a week after his mom died it was a 6" PR for him and it meant EVERYTHING. I get emotional even telling the story here years later. The emotion that flowed at that moment is what real coaching is all about. I tell this story to a lot of people because, I feel, its one of my crowning achievements as a coach. If you aren't in it to seek out and create your own stories like that, then your heart isn't in the right place.

You are in a position to have an impact, and to pull kids out of the bleak future that they have. You may be the ONLY hope they have. And if you miss that moment with a "fine"' attitude, instead of a "fantastic" attitude, then you've missed the soul of the pole vaulting culture. They may be a crappy athlete, they may not even be dedicated to the sport...yet. But you can change that. (side note: goofing off and/or foul and disrespectful language gets an athlete booted from my runway. Its my runway, disrespect me or create a dangerous atmosphere of distraction, then you loose the privilege of jumping on this runway) The culture in your small group of vaulters won't change right away, but you can build it up over time. You've got a start with the one girl you mentioned. It may just be her right now, but it will grow slowly.

If the other coaches and administrators don't come around after you change some lives, then its time to leave and go the club route. Your school isn't the only ones with financial woes. Get out there and fund raise to build up the pole selection. Get with other coaches, find out what they have, borrow poles, loan poles, trade poles, whatever it takes. I've used sidewalks and pavement for years. Switch to morning practices. Yeah its not ideal, you will rarely find a school where getting vault practice fit into the schedule is ideal. Gotta deal with it or move on.

In the end, everything in this sport depends on YOU!
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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby varska » Thu Apr 01, 2010 7:39 pm

Awesome post, indestructo

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby colbert » Wed Apr 07, 2010 4:37 pm

To the original poster,
As a former competitor, aficionado of the pole vaulting, T&F sports reporter for a newspaper and a volunteer high school vault coach, I certainly share your passion for our event.
As I see it though, the greatest satisfaction one gets is by being a humble servant to those around me and not letting our egos get in the way.
How best can I be helpful to the coach, the athletes (no matter what talent level), the parents, the fans, etc.
When I try to focus on this instead of imposing my will on others, life seems to work out better.

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby PVStryker05 » Sun May 09, 2010 6:22 pm

EIU, have you thought about coaching a DI team? I know based on your expectations, it sounds like you want things run like in college. I'm transferring to DePaul in fall 2010 to help build their pole vault program there. However, from the last time I visited, they did not have a place to vault inside and their outdoor pit is shared with Lane Tech. They currently have a pole vault coach there, but he told me that he will be there for only one more year, then he's gone. Did I mention that they have a dry pole inventory? I have on my hands a 14' 155 spirit, 15' 140 and 155 spirit. they had a vaulter, but he quit because of academic reasons, so I can say that there will be two vaulters you would deal with.

My stats:
PR= 13'9
3A state qualifier and placed 11th overall
WSC indoor/outdoor champ

I'm posting this because I have been reading this thread and I felt that maybe I could give you an opportunity to coach somewhere that will value your presence.

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby itaflash » Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:28 pm

well i think you would be very interested in our school then, we have many dedicated pole vaulters, both girls and boys who are gonna be without a coach this coming season in our brand new fieldhouse with brand new PV pit and everything. We have many poles to use and the school is behinfd us all the way. Our previous PV coach decided to leave us becase he got a better offer elsewhere but his baby was the PV program. His replacement was a very good coach also but had to leave because of career issues. We really do need a new coach and would appecciate the dedication we give to be returned to us.

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby agapit » Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:05 pm

EIUvltr wrote:Currently I'm coaching at a school in the south suburbs that will remain nameless. I hate it for more reasons that I can list, however I would like to coach pole vault somewhere. But I would need these things...

1. 100% control over my pole vaulters.


I am sorry this is an old post that somehow came in front of me. But I was so outraged by it I could not hold myself to post a reply.
As coaches we are developing an individual first and without respect to that individual kid you harm them. To develop a great vaulter a champion one must develop in them discipline, awareness, ability to see an objective and willingly sacrifice to achieve it. I believe if a kid does not see it, it is a coach’s deficiency.

All those things are responsibility of a coach and a system the coach is running. When kids enter the system they grow in it without exception and that is the first sign of a good coach. A good coach will extend opportunity to all kids that come to him. If they came there must be a spark! And if there is no spark you ignite one!

All sports and games are imitation of life and people play them in large part to further their life skills, develop the character. A good coach must understand this! I will go so far as to say when a good coach touches someone they make them better person and athlete and if one touched someone without leaving a positive mark they are not a good coach.

So does your system make everyone it touches better? That’s the essence of coaching!

I deeply respect good coaches. They are teachers and angels in kids’ lives. I respect them not for their bar heights but that they grow people! Lucky of us with the right opportunity, knowledge and skills will reach the ultimate heights, but that is the icing on the cake of the fundamental system that grows people without such system there will be no place to put the icing.

So your kids do not have commitment and discipline and your AD is not seeing the benefit in your work? I suggest you look in the mirror, wash your face or leave.

Good luck.
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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby EIUvltr » Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:05 pm

It must be nice to live in fantasyland.
"If he dies, he dies"

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby altius » Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:33 pm

EIUvltr wrote:It must be nice to live in fantasyland.


Yes indeed - and those of us who do, count our blessings every day.
Its what you learn after you know it all that counts. John Wooden

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby grandevaulter » Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:41 pm

Here's my two cents on an old post.

1). The basketball parallel ;Bobby Knight caused himself more problems with his style and damaged himself and others. ( head butts, grabbing players and throwing chairs). Steve Fisher won a National championship and was very kind to his players. He always asked his players how things were going at home, classes etc.

2). Screaming at kids as a matter of discipline is a sign that the coach has lost control. ( I did squeal at a kid when he jambed a plant and the pole shot back at me like a javelin) ( Yelling to runners as encouragement is different).

3). When I volunteered four years ago, our school had two poles ( I'm now paid ). We have purchased several poles since. I raise funds through a half court shot at halftime of basketball games $1.00 per shot, 50/50 raffles at football and basketball games and do a field goal kick at halftime of football games. The announcers at the games say what it is for. We get extra exposure for our sport and We get the attention of the athletes and their parents that are playing those sports. My head coach manages a 5k ( our athletes work the race) to raise funds for equipment and bought a pole last year.

I had the opportunity to do my early training for three years at and inter city school. The coaches there were more positive and encouraging than anywhere I had seen up to that point and even to this day. The coaches there were able to attract a tremendous amount of potential and had great success as a result of being positive and encouraging. It probably wasn't that way when they started.

I hope things are working out for you. I believe that problems create opportunities to grow.

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Re: Who needs a pole vault coach?

Unread postby coachjvinson » Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:03 am

grandevaulter wrote:Here's my two cents on an old post...
...
I had the opportunity to do my early training for three years at and inter city school. The coaches there were more positive and encouraging than anywhere I had seen up to that point and even to this day. The coaches there were able to attract a tremendous amount of potential and had great success as a result of being positive and encouraging. It probably wasn't that way when they started.

I hope things are working out for you. I believe that problems create opportunities to grow.


You could not have stated this better... In the end, it is really all about perspective...
V

Albert Einstein wrote: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
― Albert Einstein
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