Unread postby jmayesvaultmom » Sun Jan 05, 2003 9:42 pm
From the spectator/parent side of pole vault camps, I have taken my daughter to several and watched most of them. My daughter has been to Earl Bell's 4 times, Morry Sanders' Arkansas Vault Club clinics 3-4 times, Don Hood Sr.'s private coaching 5 times, Don D. Hood's Texas Tech Camp 1 time (we just got back), and to Southern Missouri State camp 1 time...all in her 2 years of vaulting. This will be her third season. There have been benefits from each of these experiences. At almost all camps or private coaching sessions, there was video taping of the vaulters. At Bell's they tape 3 vaults and critique them for you, the same at Arkansas Vault club. Hood's TT Camp videoed quite a few of each vaulters jumps and pointed out what they needed to work on. Don Hood Sr. videos every vault they take after they move back to their long run. He does the most analysis of a vaulter's run and vault of anyone Jodie has been to...but it is on a private basis and I'm sure that is what makes it more feasible to take the time. At Don Hood's TT camp and Don Hood Sr.'s, they also have video sessions showing what top vaulters do in their runs plants and vaults and what they do for training. At Missouri Southern they had someone come in and talk about supplements and nutrition and also had the MSSU vaulters demonstrate the different parts of their weight workouts and all their plyometrics and they got a lot of vaulting in with Joe Dial and Brian (PV Junkie) and Bill Williams! At Bell's and Arkansas Vault Club you do get to do a lot of vaulting but at Bell's the last time she went there were 45 vaulters and 2 pits. If they are not vaulting they are either playing pool or acting as "bar tenders" putting the bar up. She got a lot of personal help from Lon and from Jeff Hartwig, which was great. At Arkansas Vault Club, they vaulted constantly...but his clinics are only for an afternoon or at the most 3-4 sessions. We just got back from Don D. Hood's Texas Tech Red Raider Camp and they had over 50 kids there from beginners to 16'+ vaulters. Many, many of them were repeat campers...which says a lot. There were over half of the vaulters with a PR of 10' or more...guys and girls. They divided them into 4 groups...they had FOUR pits set up in a huge indoor center. When they did their vaulting they were further divided into 2 groups. So if she wasn't vaulting into the pit, she was doing long pole runs with a plant box.(which she had never done) That gave her a lot of practice from her long run without wearing her out. They also had two sessions of underwater vaulting to help with the top of the vault and staying close to the pole. That also helped with keeping their legs going...to get into the cool pool. They had two sessions in the gym with 3 and 6 step pole runs with training poles with tennis balls on the end of them and worked on their plant and approach. They had two sessions of gymnastics that did every thing from rings to rope drills, etc. Most of the time was otherwise occupied with vaulting. They worked from 8:45am until 10 each night, with an hour and a half break for lunch and supper. The last night they had a short run competition and the last morning a long run competition. They also had a vaulting demonstration from the Texas Tech vaulters. This was the first camp that she still had "legs" on the last morning...but it wasn't for lack of doing anything...she was doing something constantly. There was never any "down" time except for the two video sessions and when it wasn't your turn in the pool for underwater vaulting. Don D. and Don Sr. were constantly rotating around to each pit and their staff was also very good. They were vaulters from Texas Tech and one vaulter from Southwest Texas State?? I think....both guys and girls. They were all very good and really knew what they were doing and supplemented both Hood's coaching very well. I would recommend any of these camps to vaulters. The other key is...it probably means you will have to travel. This last camp was a 20 hour round trip for us. There were kids there from many states that flew in. The same thing at Bells...kids fly in from all over the place. If you aren't satisfied with camps in your area, you will have to pay the price either in driving or flying to a camp. Of course when you drive, it is easier to take your own poles with you.... Just my two cents' worth as a parent who is paying for all of this!!! Now ON TO RENO!!!!
That's Jodie!!
A scripture that makes me think of all you girls and guys pole vaulting....
Habakkuk 3:19
The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.
ok here's what i have attended:
