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My top ten:

10) People who before they take their first step, step back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...

9) People who give you their "practice" pr when you ask them what their pr is

8) People who give you their "bungee" pr when you ask them what their pr is

7) People who give you their "almost" pr "but then the bar barely fell off" pr when you ask them what their pr is

6) People from the northeast (except vaultngus and pvphd) - incidentally, I'm originally from the northeast and got the hell out of there as soon as I could!

5) People who run through... a lot

4) People who brag about their bench press but can't do a single good Bubka

3) People who over-tape poles

2) College guys who can't jump over their grip

1) People who don't know what their grip is

Bonus: People who think that a different and more expensive brand pole will actually help them jump higher

What are yours?

1- people who dont know their step, grip, or standard placements
2- People who rape a bungee and say they almost cleared it
3- Peope who jump higher than me

i know this is a common problem, but it really bothers me when i hear another athlete complaining about a poor performance because "they had to switch poles"

i've never understood that one. i know pole to pole they feel a little different, but you're a pole vaulter. you deal with poles- that's what you do...? i suppose this will remain a mystery to me...

1- People who disrupt the flow by running their steps back
2- the people in number 1 doing the act in number 1 multiple times!
3- people who consistantly and continually cut in line to get more warm up jumps (especially when it's an entire region of vaulters at state meet )
4- People insisting on waiting for the wind to stop...on a windy day.
5- People who request the clap, on EVERY vault.
6- schools showing up to meets, and asking if they can borrow your schools poles
7- Holding high and jumping low....i.e. way under handgrip
8- Bad and/or NO PR Dance.....if you PR you MUST do a dance or have some kind of celebratory exclamation...Emotionless robots should not pole vault (unless they do the robot, of course )
9- LANDING ON YOUR FEET! So the bar's not that high, it's no big deal right? Tell me that when you have an ankle injury.
10-letting poles hit the runway.....that sound just makes me cringe.

lonestar wrote:9) People who give you their "practice" pr when you ask them what their pr is

8) People who give you their "bungee" pr when you ask them what their pr is

YES!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Those top my list.

I also hate:
- people who get really mad and throw their poles around when there's wind (there's wind for everyone!)
- people who only want to practice vaulting and are mysteriously absent on running/lifting days
- people who open at their PRs, no height, and cry at every meet
- people with no form who can get on ridiculously big poles because of their height or speed or whatever...and end up jumping as high as me!
- people who do not take off for months and won't admit that it's a mental problem

I love this topic

People who run their steps back.

There is a reason why God created practice time and tape measures: so you don't have to run your steps back at meets!

The NFHS and NCAA should make running steps back illegal. It is such an incredible waste of everybody's time. When vaulters go to meets they should know their steps. Sure, everybody will need to make MINOR adjustments, but that does not mean running your steps back...that's just plain foolish.

First, it would be really helpful for all runways to have distances (i.e., check marks) permanently marked/painted on (see NFHS Rule 7-5-20).

Here's my suggestion: Coaches, vaulters, parents, and friends, arrange a check-mark-painting party with the vaulters. You'll need a tape measure, some spray paint, and stencils. We did it last spring on our runway. It probably took less than an hour with 4 people helping and having fun. When we were done, the 3 seniors put spray paint on their hands and put their handprints in the area where the pit goes (pretty harmless fun). While you are at it, you can also "snap a line" and mark the "zero" line that is flush with the back of the box. That'll make it easier to set your standards to zero.

You should measure the distances from the stopboard (i.e., the back of the box - that's a universal/uniform way to measure steps...although I've seen some yahoos measure from the front - what's that all about?).

Anyway, if everybody would simply paint the check-marks/distances on their runway, then there really wouldn't be an excuse for people to go to meets and run their steps back.

athletes rarely irritate me but coaches often do.

Russ wrote:People who run their steps back.

I don't know if this is funny or sad, but...

Several years ago at the World Junior Champs in France, Brian Hunter attempted to run his steps back (he was actually a 17' vaulter at the time). The officials were so freaked out over it they were going to disqualify him until US officials explained to them that that's how it's done in the US.

my pet peeves along with all of the ones that are listed above

1. when you are in warmups and the kids infront of you take there jump, and still on the matt look for there coach talk to him on the matt, then get off the matt and check there step and look at the coach again and start talking again while still on the runway. oooo that one gets me heated

2. the bungee pr is a big one that gets me mad too " well my pr is this, but in practice i at ___ " i dont care

3. someone at the meet that walks in like they own the place, but there PR is no where near being able to act like that, like got the whole decked out outfit, and walks around with an arrogant look like they are about to beat everyone, then warmups start and they look ridiculous.

4. the rule about not being able to listen to music on the infield, man thats so annoying when im waiting for my opening i hate not being able to listen to music, because the rulel book thinks im have a secret transmitter in my headphones that my coach can talk to me thru in which will make me vault better.

waiting hours for all the people who start at 8' or however low, so i can do my opening height

and then the 20 people opening at 8' all have to run their steps back

And I hate it when people bend the pole like crazy holding 13' but then go over the bar back down and 3 feet under their grip.

Highschool meets should always start at three heights or so below the best vaulters standard height. That way the kids just starting get the see the better vaulters jump. When the start at 8' or so the good guys get to sit and wait for four hours or more and the kids who need to see how it's done are GONE!! It's like being punished for being better than everyone else...what's up with that??

people who flex their poles in the box like 340 degrees because its a cold day and they say "my poles needs to be warmed up"