PoleVaultPower.com

Ya know? I'm sure most of you are vaulting for the same reasons (as I did). It's an individual event, we are pretty much left alone, and we do our own thing. Pretty much every thread that I have read has been oozing with "ME ME ME" and "what I have done" and what can I do to make "ME" better and how this sport, when I'm doing it, IS all about >>>>>>>ME! So let's discuss, how important to us is our team points in competetion. Track and field is a sport with a lot of individual events that constitute a "game" and the team with the most amount of points at the end of the game wins. Don't missread this, I'm not passing any kind of judgement what so ever on anyone (Lord knows that when I was in High School, all I cared about was how I did) but I am interested in the following question; are your team points, more, less or the same in importance to you as your personal records? How does it make you feel when a non-vaulting member requests a good performance out of you because the team needs the points. And finally, how does it make you feel when a non vaulting member of your team congratulates you on your performance because of the points your finishing gave to the team? Ok, this ought to be fun..... Later............Mike

i think that sometimes that is what drives me to do well more then jumping a pr. i think its awsome when the whole meet lies in the balence of a vaulter and everone watches you and claps when you make it and congratulate you no matter how you did.

Yeah, I didn't think of it, but our event starts first and always ends last doesn't it. I remember when I had my Mom drive her 66 Mustang into the track and park at the top of the runway with the headlights shining on the box so we could see it. Later.........Mike

souleman wrote:Ya know? I'm sure most of you are vaulting for the same reasons (as I did). It's an individual event, we are pretty much left alone, and we do our own thing. Pretty much every thread that I have read has been oozing with "ME ME ME" and "what I have done" and what can I do to make "ME" better and how this sport, when I'm doing it, IS all about >>>>>>>ME! So let's discuss, how important to us is our team points in competetion. Track and field is a sport with a lot of individual events that constitute a "game" and the team with the most amount of points at the end of the game wins. Don't missread this, I'm not passing any kind of judgement what so ever on anyone (Lord knows that when I was in High School, all I cared about was how I did) but I am interested in the following question; are your team points, more, less or the same in importance to you as your personal records? How does it make you feel when a non-vaulting member requests a good performance out of you because the team needs the points. And finally, how does it make you feel when a non vaulting member of your team congratulates you on your performance because of the points your finishing gave to the team? Ok, this ought to be fun..... Later............Mike

I agree 100% with the me me me attitude but, if you do every thing for your senf and just jump you high like normal aren't you doing it in a sence for the team any way. just another way of looking at it? I don't know, I was never been in a real team situation or maybe I have and just don't realize it. but i can admit, i always do jump for good old #1 ..... ME

well last year i was the same as everyone else around our district and it really did come down to the vault and weither or not i realized it i was happier with a winning vault then a pr cause it got me more attention among the reast of the guys

Especially in High School, the event seemed very individual because it was off to the side and was the last event to finish. I could never watch the many of my teammates, and often didn't know the results until after I was finished. However, I always competed for the team - 1. Because those were the guys that practiced with me every day and pushed me to train harder, and 2. Becuase they always lined the fence alongside the vault to watch me finish and cheer me on. I would be doing them an injustice if I didn't say I didn't feed off of their energy. When team points were close, it made vaulting that much more intense. Now that a lot of my meets are not team scored, I have to focus on what'll make me better, but when it comes down to it, I've got too much debt and moreso pride in the team to put myself ahead of them.

I want to jump high. And I'm going to focus on pole vault. However, I love the team aspect of it. I make sure to try and place so my team can get points. I think that the team deserves something. I used to Triple and Long jump and pole vault, but i stopped "jumping" after my groin injury. I only pole vault now because that is waht I am restricted to.

I won state in high school but my team got second when we should have won. I won conference last year but my team got second when we should have won.

If I could have done any other events or done anything else to help the team, I would have in a heartbeat. A team title is very rewarding because you all worked together to achieve it.

I feel like the only problem about the team aspect is that you don't want the other people do do good besides your teamates. When I am at the vault I want every one to PR and I don't think I would want that if I was jumping "for the team"

When I was in HS we had no team. My junior year there were only three juniors on the team My senior year I was the only senior. This is from a school of 800+ students. Our team was so weak that I scored the bulk of the 7-15 points our whole team would score. So I didn't have any concept of track being a team sport. Our coach never talked about winning team titles. In college it was completely different. I really enjoyed the team atmosphere and cheering everyone on.

saraf wrote:I feel like the only problem about the team aspect is that you don't want the other people do do good besides your teamates. When I am at the vault I want every one to PR and I don't think I would want that if I was jumping "for the team"

i totally agree except in the case of a conference or national meet

i care alot kuz i really want one of those cool league champion shirts.