Tape Marks

[Anti-Gravity]

Have never had a problem until this year at the Big Ten Champs in East Lansing, MI. For as long as I can remember measuring we have always measured from the back of the box at the top of the box. Mich. State had their take off marks (9-10-11-12-13-14) measured from the back of the box but from the BOTTOM of the box - makes almost a 3 to 4 inch difference. Does anyone measure from the bottom of the box? Only place I've ever seen it done this way.

Dan

Measuring from the bottom is left over from the days when the box dimensions were being standardized. The back of the box is now fixed at 105 deg. Boxes used to range anywhere bewtween 90 and 105, making the top edge (where we are all supposed to measure from now) inaccurate. As late as 1982 I had the displeasure of trying to jump out of a box with a 90 deg. back. Those boxes were great for bamboo, but stopped a fiberglass pole from rolling over.
I can not understand, with the level of standarization we now enjoy, why anyone would still lay out the runway or measure the steps from the bottom.

[rainbowgirl28]

Every place we go we put a tape down the side of the runway and it stays down for the duration of the meet. Athletes seem to really like that. I always suggest they check a mark (in close like at 12 feet) and be comfortable with how we have the tape down. Have never had a problem until this year at the Big Ten Champs in East Lansing, MI. For as long as I can remember measuring we have always measured from the back of the box at the top of the box. Mich. State had their take off marks (9-10-11-12-13-14) measured from the back of the box but from the BOTTOM of the box - makes almost a 3 to 4 inch difference. Does anyone measure from the bottom of the box? Only place I've ever seen it done this way.

Dan

The kids from Emory measure that way.

The takeoff marks might have been set in metric increments instead of imperial. I think the NCAA recommendation is METRIC which is retarded.

[drcurran]

Someone at the meet suggested that we might be looking at metric measurments, but the "lead official" who works at Mich State meets alot said "no we measure from the bottom of the box, because that is where the pole stops". Oh well!

Dan

[GeorgeN]

I have seen some big meets where the vaulters use metal rods with rounded tops and place them in the soil next to the runway. I believe this is the type of marker the big wigs had in mind when the rules were written. I think the tape is always a very bad idea because a vaulter can't see it against all the othe rmarkers ( I'm talking about a mid marker). The idea is that a marker doesn't distract a vaulter as he looks for his/her marker.
I don't understand all the problems discussed here. The rule says no tape, so don't use tape. Just as in basketball a player cannot double dribble. It is a rule. Period. I bought some tent spikes from Wal Mart, then I fabricated my own with a welder.
Don't be cry babies. Just follow the rules,no matter if it is a big or small meet. A rule is a rule.