PoleVaultPower.com

I think the box is a little more dangerous than the pit, but that is just my opinion

http://www.pressconnects.com/today/news ... 8374.shtml

The most dangerous place on the field: the pole vault pit.

"The two most dangerous events in track and field are javelin and pole vault," Nash said. "And we don't allow javelin throwing in New York."

Three years ago, Binghamton rebuilt its pole vault pit after a vaulter came down and struck his head.

"The mat itself is much bigger," Garbarino said. "And everything around it is padded."

Garbarino and his coaches encourage their vaulters to use helmets, but don't require it. No helmet has been designed to meet the specific needs of a vaulter.

Pole vaulting is a sport where parents can do little more than trust the experts. That, Klein said, is what coaches and trainers are there for.

At the same time, she said, it's easy to check to see if a helmet fits snugly or is cracked. And Smith and Barney said any coach should be willing to consider if extra equipment would help improve safety.

With 525,000 high school athletes in New York state -- in sports from baseball to wrestling -- plus tens of thousands more in youth leagues and travel leagues, injuries are bound to happen. Safety, Smith said, must evolve as the games and players do.

"No one knows the future," he said. "And I don't know if anybody is going to come up with the one right answer."

I saw a vault box advertised somewhere that I'm told is made of material that prevented an egg from cracking when dropped from some unknown) height. Anyone else seen this or knows about it?

Interesting comment regarding the Javelin. It's not a State meet event nor contested in dual meets here in NY , but just about every weekend invitiational meet that I've been involved with here in NY has the Javelin as an event.

Vaultref wrote:I saw a vault box advertised somewhere that I'm told is made of material that prevented an egg from cracking when dropped from some unknown) height. Anyone else seen this or knows about it?

Interesting comment regarding the Javelin. It's not a State meet event nor contested in dual meets here in NY , but just about every weekend invitiational meet that I've been involved with here in NY has the Javelin as an event.

That's how the hammer is in WA.

same here with the Hammer and now the Weight Throw

perhaps the vault box you were speaking of is "skydex"?? jj's got some at his camp, they're actually shaped similar to egg crates, cool stuff.

We actually got a "skydex" this year when our entire facility was re-done. It's a litle different from what I am used to, but I like it. Other people that have jumped on it have mixed opinions. My teammate doesn't do well with it because she claims it makes her pole bounce as she hits the back of the box.

Thanks Jhesch, that appears to be the stuff. Looks interesting.

yea we got a skydex this year. I don't see the difference at all when I jump. Except in my warm-ups from my 3 step. I drag my pole, holding with my top hand, and when I plant the tip hits the edge of the box and bounce. this is becauses the box isn't quite level with the gorund. It is kind of annoying because I had to start carrying the pole instead of dragging it like i've always done.